ILA Cypriot Branch Press Release: Lecture by Professor Symeonides on 16 August 2016

ILA Cypriot Branch Press Release - Lecture by Professor Symeonides on 16 August 2016

16 August 2016, Embassy of Colombia in The Hague, the Netherlands

The second event of the International Law Association (ILA) Cypriot Branch consisted of a lecture delivered by Professor Symeon C. Symeonides. It was co-hosted by Le Club de Droit International. It took place on 16 August 2016 at the Embassy of Colombia in The Hague. The title of Professor Symeonides' lecture was "Private International Law: What's in a Name"; Professor Symeonides argued that neither the term "private" nor the term "InternatiIonal" accurately describes what currently constitutes private international law, by exploring the assumptions about the nature, scope and function of this subject. Professor Symeonides described current private international law as "porous", featuring numerous exceptions, as a result of the inevitable changes brought by in increasingly mobile, complex and multipolar world.   Professor Symeonides is a Cypriot scholar who lives and works in the United States. He is considered to be "the world’s leading expert on comparative conflicts law", while others have characterised him as "a conflicts giant". He has published 26 books and more than 120 articles, in seven languages. He received his first two law degrees from the University of Thessaloniki, graduating first in both classes. He also holds an LL.M. and an S.J.D. from Harvard, and three honorary Doctor of Laws degrees. He has taught at several American and European universities, including the Sorbonne, and The Hague Academy of International Law.   Professor Symeonides lecture was attended by individuals with varied backgrounds: students of The Hague Academy for International Law, international civil servants from international organisations and international tribunals, and from diplomats working at various embassies located in The Hague. His lecture was followed by a drinks reception kindly sponsored by The Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in the Netherlands.