Episode Details

Since its creation in 2000, the Bruges Colloquium on International Humanitarian Law has been jointly organized by the ICRC and the College of Europe, bringing together government representatives, international organizations, military practitioners, academics and civil society to grapple with the most urgent issues relating to the law of armed conflict. Its 22nd edition, held in October 2021, examined the enduring relevance of international humanitarian law (IHL) and the update of the ICRC Commentaries. In this post, ICRC legal adviser Mickey Orkin unpacks some of the key issues discussed during last year’s Colloquium – conversations between hundreds of participants online from 59 countries – and the key takeaways for the work of the ICRC Commentaries team.