Like Roger, I’m teaching abroad this summer, spending June in Rome as part of Temple Law’s Summer in Rome Program (I’m joined by my fellow blogger, Dave Hoffman of Concurring Opinions, whose the photographer of record for this trip). We’ve got almost 80 students from around the United States in the program, taking classes such as International Dispute Resolution, EU Law, International Human Rights Litigation, and my own course—International Environmental Law. Given all that Rome has to offer, my blogging may be a bit light over the coming weeks. For now, I thought I’d pass along a photo of the medieval hill town Todi we visited this past weekend, and ask Opinio Juris readers an international law trivia question.
A couple of my students (obviously aspiring international law savants) have asked me where in Rome the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court was physically signed, so they can go there. I have a guess (listed after the jump), but would love to hear from those readers who have first hand knowledge or can confirm the signing details.
The Rome Conference was held from June 15-July 17, 1998 at the FAO building here in Rome, so I’m assuming that’s where the signing ceremony occurred, but maybe it was somewhere else? Any readers out there who would care to enlighten me?
As noted by a UN Press Release dated July 17, 1998,(http://www.un.org/icc/pressrel/lrom22.htm), “Immediately after the adoption of the text, whose formal title is Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the text, as well as the Final Act of the Conference were opened for signature at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization. One hundred and twenty-seven delegations signed the Final Act and 10 signed the Statute [at the FAO] which will also be available for signature at a special ceremony to be hosted by the Mayor of Rome on Saturday, 18 July, at the Campidoglio.” The special ceremony took place in the Campidoglio’s Hall of Orazie e Curiazi. Photos of the signing of the Final Act (at the FAO) are available at http://www.un.org/icc/photos/717photo.htm. Photos of the ceremony at the Campidoglio are available at http://www.un.org/icc/photos/photos.htm.
The Hall of the Horatii and Curiatii, on the Campidoglio, is the same room where on March 25, 1957, the six founder States signed the Treaties establishing the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community.
On October 29, 2004, the signing of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe took place there as well.
Photos and information about visiting hours: http://en.museicapitolini.org/
If you go there, I suggest also to take the brand new glass lifts that were inaugurated last week at the nearby Vittoriano (Altare della Patria) to allow the public access for the first time to the Terrazza delle Quadrighe, where you can enjoy a great panorama of the city.
Best regards,
Giorgio Buono (from Rome)