top of page
Search

2nd Winter Course in Lisbon: Incredible Immersion Marks the Start of 2025

Updated: Jan 22

* Coordinators and participants of the 2nd Winter Course in Lisbon during an exclusive visit to the Portuguese Supreme Court.
* Coordinators and participants of the 2nd Winter Course in Lisbon during an exclusive visit to the Portuguese Supreme Court.

LISBON, January 10, 2025 — The Facts and Norms Institute (FNI) and the IURIS Institute of the University of Lisbon successfully held the 2nd Winter Course: Legal Theory, International Law, and Human Rights from January 7th to 10th, 2025, replicating the success of the first edition held in Coimbra.


Hosted by the University of Lisbon, with sessions at the Academy of Sciences and the Portuguese Supreme Court, the event brought together specialists and scholars for an intensive journey of learning and debate.


Opening and Visit to the Lisbon Academy of Sciences


The event began on the morning of Tuesday, January 7th, with a special visit to the Lisbon Academy of Sciences, where the group was welcomed by representatives of this centuries-old institution.


* Coordinators and participants of the 2nd Winter Course in Lisbon during a visit to the Academy of Sciences of Portugal. Photo taken in the Academy's Library (considered one of the most beautiful in the world).
* Coordinators and participants of the 2nd Winter Course in Lisbon during a visit to the Academy of Sciences of Portugal. Photo taken in the Academy's Library (considered one of the most beautiful in the world).

Among historic corridors and rooms filled with valuable works, participants learned about the essential role the Academy plays in the intellectual life of Portugal, reinforcing the interdisciplinary spirit of the course.


After lunch, everyone gathered at the University of Lisbon's Faculty of Law for the introductory session, led by the organizers. The session featured remarks by Professor António Pedro Barbas Homem, partner of Professor Henrique Napoleão Alves in organizing the 2nd Winter Course.


Professor Barbas Homem welcomed participants to the course and provided information about the University of Lisbon and its Master's, Doctoral, and Post-Doctoral programs.




* Professor Barbas Homem addresses the participants of the 2nd Winter Course.
* Professor Barbas Homem addresses the participants of the 2nd Winter Course.

Next, Professor Henrique Napoleão Alves, director of the FNI and lawyer with the Organization of American States (OAS), delivered the lecture "Research and International Advocacy: A Journey at the OAS and the UN (Part 1)", describing his work in legal practice and academia up to his incorporation into the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the forthcoming creation of his own institute.


* Professor Henrique Napoleão Alves during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Professor Henrique Napoleão Alves during the 2nd Winter Course.

The first day concluded with the first round of participant presentations, addressing the insertion of the Public Prosecutor's Office into the Inter-American Human Rights System (Prosecutor Rogério Sanches da Cunha), the jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court on decent work (lawyer Verônica Fonseca de Resende), and the relationship between parliamentary action and fundamental rights (Congressman Carlos Henrique Alves da Silva).



* Presentation by professor and prosecutor Rogério Sanches Cunha during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by professor and prosecutor Rogério Sanches Cunha during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by lawyer Verônica Fonseca de Resende during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by lawyer Verônica Fonseca de Resende during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by Congressman Carlos Henrique Alves da Silva during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by Congressman Carlos Henrique Alves da Silva during the 2nd Winter Course.

International Law, Technology, and the Philosophy of Human Rights


On Wednesday, January 8th, the discussions intensified. In the morning, Professor Pedro Caridade de Freitas delivered a lecture on "International Law and Human Rights: In particular, the problem of foreigners", stimulating reflections on migration issues and the universal protection of fundamental rights.


* Lecture by Professor Pedro Caridade de Freitas during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Lecture by Professor Pedro Caridade de Freitas during the 2nd Winter Course.

Between Professor Pedro Caridade de Freitas's lecture and the next conference, Professor Barbas Homem led the participants to the historic hall that pays tribute to the institution's professors and directors, the Scientific Council Room, featuring works by artists such as João Abel Manta, Maluda, Luís Pinto Coelho, Maria de Lourdes Mello e Castro, Luís Guimarães, Pedro Leitão, Sónia Donário, among others.


* Coordinators and participants of the 2nd Winter Course in the main meeting room of the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon.
* Coordinators and participants of the 2nd Winter Course in the main meeting room of the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon.

Afterwards, Professor Paulo de Sousa Mendes presented a current analysis on "Law in the Face of New Technologies and Artificial Intelligence", exploring the ethical and regulatory challenges that technological innovations pose to the legal world.


* Lecture by Professor Paulo de Sousa Mendes during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Lecture by Professor Paulo de Sousa Mendes during the 2nd Winter Course.

Resuming activities in the afternoon, Professor Susana Videira addressed the topic "Liberalism and Social Orientations in the History and Philosophy of Human Rights", providing a historical-philosophical perspective on the pillars that support the modern discourse of rights protection.


* Lecture by Professor Susana Videira during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Lecture by Professor Susana Videira during the 2nd Winter Course.

The afternoon concluded with the second round of participant presentations, this time focusing on the technological dimension: Professor Nathalia Penha Cardoso de França discussed accountability in International Humanitarian Law in the face of autonomous weapons; researcher Yago Ferreira Freire linked ethics and freedom at the interface between Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights; and lawyer and entrepreneur Dane Marcos Avanzi addressed connectivity, social inclusion, and equity, highlighting the importance of public policies for digital inclusion.


* Presentation by Professor Nathália Penha Cardoso de França during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by Professor Nathália Penha Cardoso de França during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by researcher Yago Ferreira Freire during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by researcher Yago Ferreira Freire during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by lawyer and entrepreneur Dane Marcos Avanzi during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by lawyer and entrepreneur Dane Marcos Avanzi during the 2nd Winter Course.

History of Human Rights and Environmental Issues


The third day, Thursday, January 9th, continued with lectures dedicated to the historical basis of human rights. Professor Susana Mourato Alves-Jesus (FDUL) delivered two keynote lectures entitled "History of Human Rights", covering the topic from the earliest philosophical formulations to the most contemporary instruments of protection.


* Lecture by Professor Susana Mourato Alves-Jesus during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Lecture by Professor Susana Mourato Alves-Jesus during the 2nd Winter Course.

After the lunch break, the audience returned to address topics of great relevance to the current legal landscape. Professors Viriato Soromenho Marques and Paulo Magalhães offered a joint class on "The Environment and Climate Change", emphasizing the history of international environmentalism and the legal, ethical, and social implications of global climate change.


* Lecture by Professor Viriato Soromenho Marques during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Lecture by Professor Viriato Soromenho Marques during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Lecture by Professor Paulo Magalhães during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Lecture by Professor Paulo Magalhães during the 2nd Winter Course.

Following this, presentations were given on Law, History, and the Environment: lawyer Fernanda Yumi Masuki proposed reflections on the Precautionary Principle as a guarantee of human rights in the context of environmental disasters; lawyer Vitória Vilas Boas evaluated the bottlenecks of the carbon market in Brazil compared to international experiences; and researcher Eduardo Soares Marques presented a historical-legal study on Father Antônio Vieira, analyzing the influence of the Law of Nations in the Ibero-Brazilian world of the 17th century.



* Presentation by lawyer and researcher Fernanda Yumi Masuki during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by lawyer and researcher Fernanda Yumi Masuki during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by lawyer and researcher Vitória Vilas Boas during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by lawyer and researcher Vitória Vilas Boas during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by researcher Eduardo Soares Marques during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by researcher Eduardo Soares Marques during the 2nd Winter Course.

Supreme Court Visit and Closing Ceremony


Friday, January 10th, began with another highlight: a visit to the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ) in Lisbon. There were no trials or other activities; the Supreme Court opened its doors exclusively for the participants of the 2nd Winter Course.


Participants had the opportunity to tour the facilities and attend a keynote lecture in the main hall of the STJ, where they were welcomed by Dr. Gabriela Cunha Rodrigues, judge of the Supreme Court.


* Professor Henrique Napoleão Alves (FNI), Dr. Gabriela Cunha Rodrigues (STJ), and Professor António Pedro Barbas Homem (FDUL) during the extraordinary session of the 2nd Winter Course in the main hall of the Portuguese Supreme Court.
* Professor Henrique Napoleão Alves (FNI), Dr. Gabriela Cunha Rodrigues (STJ), and Professor António Pedro Barbas Homem (FDUL) during the extraordinary session of the 2nd Winter Course in the main hall of the Portuguese Supreme Court.

Next, still at the STJ, Professor Barbas Homem, professor at the University of Lisbon, lawyer, and former Rector of the European University, delivered the lecture "New Challenges to Legal Theory: From the Constitutional Movement to Judicialization in the Domestic and International Spheres", exploring how the advancement of constitutionalism and the growing importance of International Law are transforming the contemporary legal landscape.



* Keynote lecture by Professor António Pedro Barbas Homem on constitutionalism and the judiciary during the extraordinary session of the 2nd Winter Course, in the main hall of the Supreme Court.
* Keynote lecture by Professor António Pedro Barbas Homem on constitutionalism and the judiciary during the extraordinary session of the 2nd Winter Course, in the main hall of the Supreme Court.

After lunch, Professor Henrique Napoleão Alves continued his presentation from the first day, addressing "Research and International Advocacy: A Journey at the OAS and the UN (Part 2)" and sharing experiences working in multilateral organizations, including 20 different UN mechanisms and the Inter-American human rights system, in addition to studies conducted in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.



* Final lecture by Professor Henrique Napoleão Alves during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Final lecture by Professor Henrique Napoleão Alves during the 2nd Winter Course.

The program then concluded with its final round of participant research presentations. Topics discussed included the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict (Professor Sami A. R. J. El Jundi) and the construction of a new legal paradigm for the exploration of outer space (Professor Sheila Humphreys), involving both Space Law and International Humanitarian Law.



* Presentation by professor, doctor, and forensic expert Sami A. R. J. El Jundi during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by professor, doctor, and forensic expert Sami A. R. J. El Jundi during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by Professor Sheila Humphreys during the 2nd Winter Course.
* Presentation by Professor Sheila Humphreys during the 2nd Winter Course.

The closing session and certificate ceremony was led by Professor Eduardo Vera-Cruz (Director of the Faculty of Law at the University of Lisbon). In their closing remarks, the organizers highlighted the inclusive and collaborative atmosphere that characterized the course, thanking the professors, students, and technical staff who worked to make the event a reality.



* Speech by Professor Eduardo Vera-Cruz, Director of FDUL, during the closing of the 2nd Winter Course.
* Speech by Professor Eduardo Vera-Cruz, Director of FDUL, during the closing of the 2nd Winter Course.

As a final gesture, the course hosts honored the participants with a Port Wine toast. This traditional toast symbolizes the University's hospitality and celebrates the new friendships formed.


Conclusion and Next Steps


The FNI and University of Lisbon 2nd Winter Course reaffirmed the proposal to integrate academic content, cultural experience, and professional networking, similar to the first edition held in Coimbra in early 2024.


From the Academy of Sciences to the Supreme Court of Justice, from debates on artificial intelligence to the challenges of climate change, the course unfolded under a commitment to broaden horizons, encourage research, and bring together the experiences of professionals and scholars from different parts of Brazil, Portugal, and the world.


At the end of four intense days, the outcome was one of multiple exchanges, new connections, and a solid expectation of new initiatives and partnerships.


The FNI and its partners reiterate their gratitude to all who participated and are already indicating future events dedicated to strengthening human rights, international law, and legal theory.


The Director of FNI, Professor Henrique Napoleão Alves, also extends his special thanks to the tireless members of the organizing team: Sarah Ebram Alvarenga and Thiago Fernandes Carneiro de Castro.


Lisbon bids farewell to this renewed second edition with the certainty that more chapters of this academic and cultural story will soon be written.


 

The 2nd Winter Course, more than a high-level academic gathering, was a place of happy people. The Facts and Norms Institute thanks each and every participant for their trust and smiles and registers here, not a Goodbye, but a See You Soon!




Comentários


Subscribe to Receive Free E-mail Updates:
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

©2021 by

White on Transparent 1.png
bottom of page