As part of the International Law Seminar's 60th Anniversary commemorative project, former participants from across the decades were invited to reflect on their experience and share how the Seminar influenced their professional and personal journeys. The testimonials below, from participants of the 40th (2004) to the 49th Session (2013), offer unique insights into the lasting impact of the Seminar and its role in shaping careers in international law.
Silvina Aguirre, 46th session (2010), Argentina
"I participated in the International Law Seminar in 2010. I have to say that I totally recommend the course not only because of the experience of seeing the ILC work first hand but also because of the colleagues you met. In my case, I consider the seminar help me advance in my career as international law specialist. In 2012, I was posted to the Argentine Embassy in the United States as legal Officer, then in 2026 got my LLM in international legal studies from the Washington College of Law of American University, and then worked as legal officer in the office of the Legal adviser in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina. All that background experience, contributed to my appointment in 2022 as first female Consul-General of Argentina in Sydney. Now, that I am back in Buenos Aires, I am working in my SJD dissertation on State immunities. As you can see, even now the seminar has lasting and important consequences in my professional and academic life."
Rodrigo Polanco Lazo, 46th session (2010), Chile
"I have only good memories of the International Law Seminar. Highlights included undoubtedly meeting members of the International Law Commission and having dedicated sessions with them, as well as with renowned scholars. I particularly remember the sessions with Prof. Giorgio Gaja, Georg Nolte, and Marcelo Kohen. But most importantly, the Seminar was a wonderful experience in which I met people I have continued to connect with over the years, both professionally and personally. We don’t see each other very often, but with many, we keep in touch online, knowing we have a close connection after the experience of the seminar. An important actor who contributed to this great professional and personal environment was the staff, in particular, Mr. Vittorio Mainetti.
I had the honor of addressing the Commission on behalf of the Seminar participants at the Seminar’s closing ceremony, where I recalled that the word "Seminar" derives from the Latin seminarium, meaning "seed plot" or "plant nursery,” which then became a place where the seeds of faith and knowledge are cultivated in students, particularly for training clergy, and later an academic term for specialized, research-focused group study. The ILS embraces all these elements: it’s a nursery of sorts that cultivates the faith and knowledge of participants in international law in general, as well as in specific topics."
Rampyari Sunuwar, 46th session (2010), Nepal
"I had participated International Law Seminar in 2010 from Nepal. It was my first international seminar attended as a government officer.
Perceiving the international law making process and experiencing Seminar Working Group during the Seminar were very fruitful to understand practical norms and value of international law making process and its application.
Learning from the Seminar supported a lot in my career during my posting in International Law and Treaty Division at the ministry. My changed perspectives towards international law and its domestic execution encouraged speak on importance of domestic mechanism for implementation of international obligation created through international law. I found this Seminar is genuinely useful for young legal officers for the enhancement of their profession."
Zeeshan Adhi, 47th session (2011), Pakistan
"I attended the International Law Seminar at the United Nations in Geneva in 2011. I was fortunate to receive a full fellowship. This program provided me with a unique perspective on international and the role of the International Law Commission. The faculty was simply amazing and my peers who were attending the program were upcoming experts of international law. It was due to this attendance that I have established a name in international law in Pakistan, and continue to be a professor at SM Government Law College teaching public international law. Attendance at ILS also provided me with the training which resulted in me being appointed as Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Karachi in 2025. Finally, while I appreciate all the faculty and staff at International Law Commission, I am particularly grateful to Prof. Dr. Shinya Murase, who has played a pivotal role in my professional development and continues to be my mentor. Thank you to everyone for letting me be part of such an exceptional program."
Yuriko Kuga, 48th session (2012), Japan
"My experience at the International Law Seminar is one of the fun memories of my time working in the International Legal Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I worked again in the Bureau from summer 2021 to summer 2023 as a Director of one of the Divisions in the Bureau. It was during COVID time but I negotiated an agreement with the United States and got that approved by the Diet (Parliament) of Japan. During the negotiations, I had to come up with new ideas and transfer those into actual language of the agreement. Creativity and coming up with new ideas through discussions are what I had learnt at ILS so the experience impacted my career working on legal issues.
I kept in touch with a Filipino diplomat through Facebook. I had not seen him directly since ILS, but in the summer of 2025, I ran into him at the ASEAN related Foreign Ministers Meeting in Malaysia! My colleagues were surprised I could recognize him after more than 10+ years but I recognized him right away and was really happy that our paths crossed again."
Marcos Nelio Molar, 48th session (2012), Argentina
"I have the pleasure of participating in the forty-eighth Session of the International Law Seminar which was held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 2 to 20 July 2012 when I was a young assistant professor specialized in international law.
I was truly excited to participate in the International Law Seminar, as it would provide me with a unique and highly valuable opportunity to broaden my understanding of the work of the International Law Commission and, consequently, of the codification and progressive development of international law. I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the seminar discussions and exchanging views with ILC members, as well as with other officials from the United Nations and lawyers representing diverse legal systems and cultures. Therefore, participating in such a prestigious seminar was not only beneficial to me and my career but also had a positive impact on and contribution to the local international law academic community in my country.
For the past 20 years, I have taught public international law and worked as a legal advisor on international law for the National Social Security Administration of Argentina. The ILS provided me with significant experience in international law, which I have applied professionally to the negotiation of international social security treaties.
In addition, my participation in working groups and the drafting of brief reports on one of the topics included on the commission's agenda - the protection of people in the event of disasters - inspired me to participate in an academic research group on this topic at the University of Buenos Aires (2012-2014). The results of this research were published in the book “International Law Responses to Disasters and Other Consequences of Natural Phenomena”. From 2016 to 2024, I taught the course "International Law Relating to Disasters" in the undergraduate law program at the University of Buenos Aires, and since then, I have been teaching this new field of study in the Master's Program in International Relations at Austral University in Argentina. All of which would not have been possible without my participation in the ILS.
I remember the long conversations with members of the ILC and other participants of the ILS, discussing various topics of international law during the memorable dinners and lunches featuring diverse ethnic cuisines. These gatherings forged bonds of friendship and camaraderie that endure to this day; in particular, with my dear friend, Dr. Eduardo Valencia Ospina, then Special Rapporteur on the topic of “Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters”.
I am grateful to have participated in such an enriching experience, which has undoubtedly marked a turning point in my academic performance and career.
I hope that the Commission's educational work continues for many more years and can be extended to many international relations professionals, particularly during these times when international law must be strengthened and promoted as an essential tool for peaceful coexistence."
Lucia Solano, 48th session (2012), Colombia
"The Seminar was a very important moment in my life and I think I really became an international lawyer after the ILS.
I still remember everything I learned, and I keep in touch with some of the colleagues I did it with. Somehow incredibly, in my current job I am working on two topics we discussed in the working groups we had arranged during the 2012 session of the ILS (the one on the protection of persons in the event of disasters directed by Mr. Valencia Ospina, and the one on crimes against humanity directed by Prof. Murphy). In the General Assembly we are now negotiating treaties in those two areas and Colombia - which I have the honor to represent in those processes - is an active participant in these negotiations thanks in no small part to the role I have had the chance to play since I participated in the ILS in 2012."
Olga Voronovich, 49th session (2013), Belarus
"I would like to take this opportunity to express how the Seminar has significantly influenced my career and shaped my moral values. The insights and connections I gained have played an essential role in my professional journey and my commitment to the principles of international law."
If you are an alumnus of the Seminar and would like to share your story about the impact the Seminar has had on your career and your life trajectory, and have it featured on this page, please contact us at ils@un.org.
