Constitutional Justice
20 January 2009
The Constitutional Court of South Africa and the Venice Commission of the
Council of Europe will jointly host the inaugural World Conference on
Constitutional Justice in Cape Town from 23 to 24 January 2009.
The conference will bring together the Chief Justices of international
supreme courts which deal with Constitutional matters, issues of human rights
and democracy. The event will afford the Constitutional Court an opportunity to
showcase itself as one of the leading institutions in constitutional
jurisprudence.
Over 260 senior judges from 93 countries are set to attend the inaugural
conference. Issues of mutual interest to South African courts and their
international counterparts will be discussed. These include:
* independence of the judiciary
* human rights
* impact of constitutional court judgments on society and the
* reactions of politicians, media and the public to judgments, including
instances of pressure on the courts.
South Africa has gained worldwide respect not only for the integrity of its
Constitution, but also for some of the ground-breaking judgements passed by its
Constitutional Court.
Two primary themes will dominate and shape the discussions at the event,
namely:
* the influence of Constitutional justice on society
* the development of global human rights jurisprudence.
The keynote address will be made by the South African President, Kgalema
Motlanthe on 23 January 2009. Chief Justice of South Africa, Justice Pius
Langa, will open the conference, together with Ms Maud de Boer-Buquicchio,
Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, on 23 January.
For accreditation, media is requested to forward their full names, identity
document (ID) numbers and media organisation represented to:
Cell: 082 778 6323
E-mail: Lmakapela@justice.gov.za
Cell: 082 465 1425
E-mail: popmahlangu@justice.gov.za, no later
than Wednesday, 22 January, at 12h00.
Details of the event:
Date: Thursday, 22 January 2009
Time: 19h00
Reception Cocktails
Venue: Atlantic Restaurant, Table Bay Hotel
Date: Friday, 23 January 2009
Time: 09h00 to 10h00
Open Plenary Session, World Conference on Constitutional Justice
Venue: International Conference Centre, Cape Town
Thereafter: Business sessions of the conference
Time: 19h00
Presidential Gala Dinner for the delegates
Saturday, 24 January 2009
Business sessions to continue and close at 16h00 on 24 January 2009
16h30 to 17h30: Open plenary closing session
Closure
NB: A media conference will be held on the afternoon of 24 January 2009.
For enquiries contact:
Phumla Mthala
Tel: 012 315 8234
Cell: 079 528 4661
E-mail: pmthala@justice.gov.za
Zolile Nqayi
Cell: 082 898 6483
E-mail: Znqayi@justice.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
20 January 2009
