On the occasion of the conference on Islam and international humanitarian law, which takes place on the 29th and 30th of November 2006 in Qom, Iran, the ICRC's deputy director of operations, Andreas Wigger, talks about what this forum hopes to accomplish.

Open to students and lecturers trained in public international law and to professionals dealing with IHL-related situations. Includes lectures on the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their 1977 Additional Protocols, and case studies exploring the application of IHL to contemporary armed conflict.

The goal of this course is to offer a course to teach students and professionals the fundamentals of IHL and the opportunity to apply this knowledge through hypothetical, yet realistic, case studies. The organizers welcome applications from students, academics, government, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, the media and international business.

In accordance with the mandate conferred on it by the international community, the ICRC strives to protect and assist victims of armed conflict and other forms of violence, regardless of nationality, ethnic origin, religious beliefs or political opinions.

For the ICRC, its partnerships with universities around the world are essential to foster respect for IHL. Through its work encouraging universities to offer courses in IHL and by giving assistance to professors who teach this subject, the ICRC reaches out to the next generation of leaders.

A selection of more than two hundred and thirty cases provides university professors, practitioners and students with the most updated and comprehensive selection of documents on IHL available. A comprehensive outline of International Humanitarian Law puts the contents of these cases into their systematic context and theoretical perspective.

What is the relationship between Islamic law and international humanitarian law? The question has assumed even greater pertinence since the attacks of 11 September 2001, giving rise to a fruitful dialogue involving experts in both disciplines, as was the case recently in the Iranian city of Qom - Article published in the Red Cross Red Crescent Magazine, No 1, 2007

A unique gathering of religious and modern legal experts took place in the Pakistani capital Islamabad at a conference organized by the ICRC and the International Islamic University of Islamabad. The aim was to discuss the protection of war victims in the light of Shari’a (Islamic law) and international humanitarian law. Common values and respect for human dignity were explored from both perspectives – Article published in the Red Cross Red Crescent Magazine, No 1, 2005

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) regional delegation to the United States and Canada and the American University Washington College of Law Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law have produced a study to assess the extent to which international humanitarian law (IHL) is taught at law schools in the United States.

The ICRC and the Harvard Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research will be hosting an advanced training course on international humanitarian law (IHL) for mid-career professionals concerned with the role of IHL in the work of governments, international organisations and humanitarian non-governmental organisations operating in conflict zones. Place and date of the course : Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA, 16 - 21 July 2006