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ICTJ, in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recently convened the first international dialogue in Geneva in support of Syria’s two new justice commissions. From July 10 to 11, members of the National Commissions for Transitional Justice and for the Missing joined representatives of Syrian victim groups and experts and practitioners from around the world to discuss the present opportunities and challenges for peace and justice in Syria and how best to support the nascent institutions in fulfilling their mandates and advancing acknowledgment, truth, accountability, and repair.

This year, Colombia commemorates the 20th anniversary of Law 975, which established the country’s first transitional justice process, called Justicia y Paz (or Justice and Peace). With this anniversary top on mind, and as the current government engages with eight of the remaining armed groups in pursuit of its “Total Peace” strategy, ICTJ recently teamed up with podcast producers Sillón Estudios to create a four-part series that delves into the peace process with the AUC and considers key lessons learned.

ICTJ, in collaboration with the Center for Media Integrity of the Americas, the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, and the New York City Bar Association, recently hosted a screening of the Colombian documentary Después del Frío ("After the Cold"). Coproduced by ICTJ and Colombian journalist María Jimena Duzán, with the support of the Embassies of Sweden and Norway in Colombia, the film paints an intimate portrait of a nation seeking healing and transformation, where the scars of the past give way to hope.

The numerous atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine have been part of the former's aggression since its initial invasion of the Crimea and Donbas regions in 2014, though they have skyrocketed in number and severity since the full-scale invasion in 2022. Among these crimes are enforced disappearances, which serve as the means by which the Kremlin more broadly intends to subjugate Ukrainians and eliminate any traces of the Ukrainian national identity.

ICTJ is pleased to announce the addition of three new members to its Board of Directors: Ms. Nina Lahoud, Ms. Rajakumari Jandhyala, and Mr. Max Gleischman. “These three individuals bring a wealth of expertise in law, economics, diplomacy, and strategic communication to ICTJ. Their diverse perspectives and proven leadership will help steer ICTJ as it continues to support victims, strengthen institutions, and foster inclusive societies in the aftermath of conflict and repression,” said Chairperson Robert Cusumano.

In an article first published in El Periodico, journalist Andrea López-Tomas paints an intimate portrait of the Lebanese women who against the odds continue to search for their missing loved ones half a century after the civil war began.

The issuance of the first sentences by Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace marks a turning point for transitional justice in the country. These historic convictions against those most responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the armed conflict constitute the realization of justice and express both judicial and moral condemnation.

As part of a transitional justice process, truth commissions are crucial mechanisms for clarifying the past and safeguarding victims’ rights. With over 50 truth commissions worldwide, they remain relevant in increasingly complex contexts shaped by rapid technological change and challenges to liberal democracy. This book examines Colombia’s 2016 Peace Agreement and its 2018-2022 Truth Commission and identifies lessons learned on social dialogue and participation, extrajudicial acknowledgments of responsibility, and psychosocial support, among others. 

On August 8, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed the Joint Declaration on Future Relations. Hailed by some as a “historic peace deal,” it neither is a treaty nor ends the 37-year Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Rather, it is a political framework that requires international support and attention.

ICTJ and its partners in the Bridges of Truth project hosted an event in Damascus on October 7 to present findings from their recent report on the community dialogues held in April in Syria and to commemorate the project’s eighth anniversary.