The Private Side of Transforming our World – UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the Role of Private International Law

Conference

  • Start: Sep 9, 2021
  • End: Sep 11, 2021

Enabling all citizens of the world to live in dignity while preserving our natural resources is one of the greatest global challenges of our time. This challenge is reflected in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which form the core of the Agenda 2030 of the United Nations. This Agenda, which is also referred to as “a contract for the future of the world”, aims to serve as a shared blueprint for realizing global economic progress in a manner consistent with social justice and the planet’s environmental limits.

In the arena of public law, including public international law, the SDGs have already become a focal point for comprehensive discussion about the future of the world. With regard to private law and private international law (PIL), by contrast, there has been less attention. Yet the Agenda 2030, with its 17 primary goals and 169 associated sub-goals, bears significantly on the fields of private law and PIL. For instance, under Goal 16.9 countries should “[b]y 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration”, while pursuant to Goal 5.3 “all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage” should be eliminated. These are merely two of many examples that fall directly in the field of PIL.

The project “The Private Side of Transforming our World – UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the Role of Private International Law” aims to raise an awareness of how PIL, with its methods and institutions, can make a significant contribution and help find answers to the greatest challenges of our time. 19 contributors from all continents (see below: Conference participants) presented and discussed their findings during the conference, which took place from 9 to 11 September 2021. In addition, a keynote speech was delivered by Professor Anita Ramasastry (University of Washington, Member of the U.N. Working Group on Business and Human Rights). The conference program can be found here.

The conference was organized by Institute Director Professor Ralf Michaels together with Dr. Verónica Ruiz Abou-Nigm (University of Edinburgh) and Hans van Loon (former Secretary General Hague Conference on Private International Law).


The videos of the event can be found here for streaming:

Introduction and Cluster I – Basic Socio-Economic Human Rights

Watch here the introduction to the conference by the organizers, Institute Director Ralf Michaels, Verónica Ruiz Abou-Nigm (University of Edinburgh) and Hans van Loon (former Secretary General Hague Conference on Private International Law) and the talks of Cluster I - Basic Socio-Economic Human Rights: Benyam Dawit Mezmur on “SDG 1: No Poverty”, Jeannette Tramhel on “SDG 2: Zero Hunger” and Anabela Susana de Sousa Gonçalves on “SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being”. Discussant: Hans van Loon.

Cluster II – Energy, Work and Infrastructure

Watch here the talks of Cluster II - "Energy, Work and Infrastructure" of the conference “The Private Side of Transforming our World – UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the Role of Private International Law”: Nikitas E. Hatzimihail on “SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy”, Ulla Liukkunen on “SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth” and Vivienne Bath on “SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure”. Discussant: María Mercedes Albornoz.

Cluster III – Education, Gender and Socio-Economic Inequality

Watch here the talks of Cluster III - Education, Gender and Socio-Economic Inequality of the conference “The Private Side of Transforming our World – UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the Role of Private International Law”: Klaus D. Beiter on “SDG 4: Quality Education”, Gülüm Bayraktaroğlu-Özçelik on “SDG 5: Gender Equality” and Thalia Kruger on “SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities”. Discussant: Verónica Ruiz Abou-Nigm.

Book launch

Book launch of the publication “The Private Side of Transforming our World - UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the Role of Private International Law”, edited by Ralf Michaels, Verónica Ruiz Abou-Nigm and Hans van Loon.

Cluster IV – Climate and Planet

Watch here the talks of Cluster IV - Climate and Planet of the conference “The Private Side of Transforming our World – UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the Role of Private International Law”: Eduardo Álvarez-Armas on “SDG 13: Climate Action”, Tajudeen Sanni on “SDG 14: Life Below Water” and Jay Sanderson and Drossos Stamboulakison on “SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities”. Discussant: Duncan French.

Keynote – The Private Side of Transforming our World

Watch here Anita Ramasastry’s Keynote lecture at the conference “The Private Side of Transforming our World – UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the Role of Private International Law”.

Cluster V – Living Conditions

Watch here the talks of Cluster V - Living Conditions of the conference “The Private Side of Transforming our World – UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the Role of Private International Law”: Klaas Hendrik Eller on “SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.”, Geneviève Saumier on “SDG 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production” and Richard Frimpong Oppong on “SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation”. Discussant: Ralf Michaels.

Cluster VI – Rights, Law and Cooperation and Closing Comments

Watch here the talks of Cluster VI - Rights, Law and Cooperation and the closing comments of the conference “The Private Side of Transforming our World – UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the Role of Private International Law”: Sabine Corneloup and Jinske Verhellen on “SDG 16: Peace Justice and Strong Institutions.” and Hans van Loon (for Fabricio B. Pasquot Polido) on “SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals”. Discussant: Marta Pertegás. The closing comments are delivered by the organizers Ralf Michaels, Verónica Ruiz Abou-Nigm and Hans van Loon.



Conference participants

GoalAuthor
SDG 1 No Poverty
Benyam Dawit Mezmur (University of the Western Cape, South Africa)
SDG 2 Zero Hunger
Jeannette Tramhel (Organization of American States, United States of America)
Website
SDG 3
Good Health and Well-being
Anabela Susana de Sousa Gonçalves (Universidade do Minho, Portugal)
Website
SDG 4 Quality Education Klaus Beiter (North-West University, South Africa)
Website
SDG 5
Gender Equality
Gülüm Özçelik (Bilkent Üniversitesi, Turkey)
Website
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
Richard Frimpong Oppong (California Western School of Law, San Diego, United States of America)
Website
SDG 7
Affordable and Clean Energy
Nikitas E. Hatzimihail (University of Cyprus, Cyprus)
Website
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth Ulla Liukkunen (University of Helsinki, Finland)
Website
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure Vivienne Bath (University of Syndney, Australia)
Website
SDG 10 Reduced Inequality Thalia Kruger (Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium)
Website
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
Klaas Hendrik Eller (Universiteit van Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Website
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production     Geneviève Saumier (McGill University, Canada)
Website
SDG 13 Climate Action
Eduardo Álvarez-Armas (Brunel University London, United Kingdom and Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium)
Website
SDG 14 Life Below Water
Tajudeen Sanni (Kampala International University, Uganda)
Website
SDG 15
Life on Land
Drossos Stamboulakis (Monash University, Australia)
Website
and Jay Sanderson (University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia)
Website
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Sabine Corneloup (Université Panthéon-Assas, Paris II, France)
Website
and Jinske Verhellen (Universiteit Gent, Belgium)
Website
SDG 17
Partnerships for the Goals
Fabricio Polido (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil)
Website

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