July 2004

Authors and poets, John McGahern, John Montague, Patricia Burke Brogan, Eilis Ní Dhuibhne and Mike McCormack, will address the annual conference of the International Association for the Study of Irish Literatures (IASIL), which will take place in NUI Galway from 20th to 23rd July 2004. This major international association of scholars and enthusiasts of Irish writing has over 1,000 members worldwide, and numbers among its membership many prominent academics and writers. More than 250 people will attend this year s conference, which is being hosted by the Department of English in NUI Galway. As this is a year of literary centenaries and commemorations, themes to be addressed at the conference include the work of Patrick Kavanagh, James Joyce and the Abbey Theatre. There will also be a strong emphasis on work from writers associated with Galway. Dr. Riana O'Dwyer, of NUI Galway's English Department and conference organiser said, "It is a singular honour for both the University and Galway City to host this prestigious event. Previous venues for the conference have included New York, Barcelona, and Sao Paulo. The choice of NUI Galway as this year's venue illustrates the international status of the University among literary scholars worldwide." Ends

The Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway and the United Nations University, Tokyo will host a two-day conference (15th – 16th July) on International Accountability and Justice. This conference will bring together international specialists in this field and will cover topics such as: Prosecutorial Strategy of International Criminal Tribunals and Courts Independence and impartiality of International Criminal Tribunals Obstacles to Accountability: Amnesties and Immunities Alternatives to Prosecution Several of the past and present international prosecutors will participate in this event, making it a major opportunity to reflect upon the development of international criminal accountability as well as consider future prospects. Professor William Schabas, Director, Irish Centre for Human Rights, who has over the past two years been serving on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Sierra Leone said: "The issues addressed during this conference are increasingly crucial in today's uncertain international climate, particularly given the ongoing controversy surrounding the trials of Milosevic and Saddam Hussein. The conference will make a significant contribution to the evolving debate on the pressing international issues of international justice." Professor Schabas continued: "With its focus on issues of independence and impartiality, and prosecutorial discretion, the conference will tackle questions where modern international tribunals have been most subject to criticism and dispute. For example, many have called into question whether Milosevic or Saddam Hussein can get a fair trial. This Conference will speak to these matters." Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights will be chairing the panel on Alternatives to Prosecution. Mrs. Robinson is currently based in New York, where she heads the Ethical Globalization Initiative. This panel is particularly topical given the current debate over whether or not truth commissions constitute an effective transitional justice mechanism. Other speakers include Judge Theodor Meron, president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Maureen Harding Clark, Irish judge on the International Criminal Court, and David Crane, Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone. ENDS

The Department of Health Promotion, NUI Galway is holding its eighth annual Conference on the 8th and 9th July 2004. This year, the conference will focus on 'European Perspectives on Promoting Health and Well-being". Health Promotion is a social model of health and well-being and is based on the principles of equity, participation, empowerment and social justice (WHO, Ottawa Charter, 1986). "The focus of this multidisciplinary area of study and practice is on enhancing the strengths and competencies of individuals and communities, thereby enabling people to increase control over and improve their health," says Margaret Barry, of NUI Galway's Department of Health Promotion. "Central to this endeavour is the role of citizen participation and empowerment in the larger socio-political context," she says. Conference presentations will discuss topics including the growing power and influence of the European Union (EU) institutions in health promotion, public health and higher education, especially following recent enlargement. The experience of the European Training Consortium in Public Health and Health Promotion and European Masters in Health Promotion Training initiatives will also be addressed. The conference programme will also include workshops and a symposium on Professional Competencies in Health Promotion from a European perspective. Health Promotion experts from the UK, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Spain and Ireland will address the conference, which builds on the European Summer School on 'Strategies for Health in Europe' (28 June to 8th July), currently being hosted by the Department of Health Promotion. This postgraduate-level Summer School is jointly organised by the European Training Consortium in Public Health and Health Promotion (ETC-PHHP) and the European Masters Programme in Health Promotion (EUMAHP) consortium. Ends