Istanbul Center for International Law (ICIL) is an independent non-profit educational organization that promotes International Law by organizing extracurricular educational programs. ICIL was founded as a student initiative in 2016 in Istanbul. The Center currently organizes various extracurricular educational programs to promote International Law and train the new generation of international lawyers.
Founded in 2012, Istanbul Center for International Law organizes various educational programs and provides a forum for the new generation of international lawyers for discussion of International Law. Several individuals associated with the ICIL continue their post-graduate education and are actively involved in multiple research projects in Turkey and other European countries such as Belgium, Netherlands, and Switzerland.
The Center operates on a voluntary basis and ensures its human resource from its own graduates. Our work reflects the idea that communication and coordination among the new generation of international lawyers will enable the international community to overcome the regional and global challenges. Our research interests and activities span a wide range of subjects and branches of International Law, including International Humanitarian Law, International Human Rights Law, International Refugee Law, International Criminal Law, and Law on the Use of Force.
ICIL’s two years-long International Law Formation Program brings together around 50 LL.B. and LL.M. students every year from different Turkish universities. In addition, the Center brings in almost 100 international students every year via its annual Kırımlı Dr. Aziz Bey IHL Competition as well as winter and summer schools.
➔ The main objectives of ICIL are:
- To promote International Law through educational activities and providing an academic forum for the new generation of international lawyers,
- To bring together students, young professionals, and academics interested in International Law from all over the world,
- To contribute to the solution of regional and global problems and development of International Law both in Turkey and in the globe.
➔ The main activities of ICIL include organization of:
- Two-year International Law Formation Program to help law students to specialize in International Law,
- Winter and Summer Academies of International Law to provide forums for in-depth learning on specific issues of International Law and enable discussion among the new generation of international lawyers and internationally renowned scholars and legal practitioners,
- Kırımlı Dr. Aziz Bey International Humanitarian Law Competition & Advanced Summer School to equip the law students with the necessary knowledge and experience to apply International Law to practical issues,
- ICIL Expert Meetings to enable law students to follow and understand the contemporary issues of International Law and to provide the opportunity to the new generation of international lawyers to learn from experiences of the prestigious scholars.
The Center takes part in bilateral and multilateral co-operation with other institutions to realize its objectives and organize its events. Current and former partners include Türk Kızılay (Turkish Red Crescent), the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), International Institute of Air and Space Law, Institute of Space and Telecommunications Law, Istanbul University, Turkish-German University, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University.