Symposium 2013: Keynote Speakers

Delegates, invited guests, and listeners worldwide via live webcast of the opening session of the 20th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium were privileged to hear an excellent and stimulating keynote addresses by Judge Françoise Tulkens, and Professor Malcolm Evans OBE, who spoke to the topic Religion and Human Rights. 

Those assembled in the Moot Court of the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University, as well as those listening in via live webcast, were first welcome by Law School Dean James R. Rasband.  After which the speakers were introduced by W. Cole Durham, Jr., Director of the Law School’s Internation Center for Law and Religion Studies, the Symposium’s sponsoring organization, who also presented the Center’s Distinguished Service Award to Professor Evans….

Symposium 2013 Keynote Speaker: Françoise Tulkens

Delegates, invited guests, and listeners worldwide via live webcast of the opening session of the 20th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium were privileged to hear an excellent and stimulating keynote address by Judge Françoise Tulkens, who spoke to the topic Religion and Human Rights from her perspective as a member of the European Court of Human Rights.

Judge Tulkens was a member of the Court in respect of Belgium from 1998 until her retirement in 2012. She served as Section President from 2007, and from February 2011 she was one of two Court Vice Presidents, along with Sir Nicolas Bratza, under President of the Court Jean-Paul Costa. She brought to the Court “fine legal skills and great personal qualities. … passion, generosity, energy, sensitivity, charm, wisdom, sense of justice and unfaltering commitment to human rights. This exceptional combination enabled her to become a key player within the European Court of Human Rights.” [See Tribute by Marie-Bénédicte Dembour, below.]

Prior to joining the Court, Tulkens practiced at the Bar in Brussels from the time of receiving her doctorate in law and license in criminology in 1965 until…

Symposium 2013 Keynote Speaker: Malcolm Evans

Participants in the Moot Court Room of BYU Law School, as well as listeners worldwide via live webcast of the opening session of the 20th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, were privileged to hear keynote remarks from Professor Malcolm Evans, OBE, who spoke to the topic “Religion and Human Rights,” from his perspective as Professor of Public International Law at the University of Bristol Law School and Chair of the United Nations Sub Committee for the Prevention of Torture.

Professor Evans was also presented during this session with the Distinguished Service Award from the International Center for Law and Religion Studies for longtime and extraordinary service to the cause of freedom of religion and belief worldwide.

Professor Evans is a member of the UK Foreign Secretary’s Advisory Group on Human Rights and of the Organisation on Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Advisory Council of Freedom of Religion and Belief and has worked extensively with numerous international organizations on a broad range of human rights issues. As Deputy Director of the Human Rights Implementation Centre (HRiC) within the School of Law he is involved…