Event information

28 September 2020, 18:30-20:00

Opening Lecture: Navigating a Career in International Law

Event

Catherine Marchi-Uhel, Head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) for the Crimes Committed in Syria, briefs journalists ahead of the first informal debate on the IIIM. Catherine Marchi-Uhel, Head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) for the Crimes Committed in Syria, briefs journalists ahead of the first informal debate on the IIIM.

Catherine Marchi-Uhel initially started working as a young judge handling offenses by juveniles in France. After joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and focusing more on human rights, she came across an opportunity to go to the Former Yugoslavia. From there, she continued to develop her career in international law – at the Yugoslav and Rwandan Tribunals, in the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Liberia, as the Ombudsperson to the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, and most recently at the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Core International Crimes Committed in Syria.

Though it may appear linear at first glance, Ms Marchi-Uhel has taken many twists and turns into the unknown. ‘I have always looked at jobs as opportunities for me to learn, to do something different and to hopefully put my skills to the best possible use. You never know exactly what you signed up for until you do it, but it is about being ready to embrace uncertainties and challenges, whether they are legal or of a different nature.’

In this opening lecture of the 2020–2021 academic year, Catherine Marchi-Uhel will share with our students her experience and advice on a career in international law through an interactive discussion.

Attendance

This event is primarily aimed at our incoming students.

External persons can attend this event but exclusively online via this link (passcode: 668157) which will allow them to follow the discussion.

Video

Inaugural lecture of the 2020-2021 Academic Year

Catherine Marchi-Uhel, Head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism on international crimes committed in Syria, will shared with our students her experience on a career in international law.

 

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

IHL in Focus Spot Report News

Water Wars: How Sudan’s Conflict Weaponizes a Basic Human Need

4 August 2025

Our latest spot report explores how the targeting of water infrastructure is contributing to what is now considered the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, affecting 30 million people.

Read more

GHRP EU News News

Bridging Geneva and Europe: advancing human rights in the digital age

2 June 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform has taken its work on strengthening the international human rights system to the heart of European policymaking.

Read more

George Floyd protest in Washington D.C. Project

Promoting and Protecting the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association and Civic Space Worldwide

Started in June 2020

This project aims at providing support to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association Clément Voulé by addressing emerging issues affecting civic space and eveloping tools and materials allowing various stakeholders to promote and defend civic space.

Read more

Panel Discussion: Project

Treaty Body Members’ Platform

Started in January 2014

The Treaty Body Members’ Platform connects experts in UN treaty bodies with each other as well as with Geneva-based practitioners, academics and diplomats to share expertise, exchange views on topical questions and develop synergies.

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more