“We must forge stronger ties with the international legal community and other communities to advance solidarity and become more effective in our practice,” Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen stated during the conclusion of the international courses.

Forging stronger ties was highlighted during the two-week advanced courses for international law organized by the The Hague Academy of International Law (THAIL) in Tagaytay City.

Leonen said acknowledging the impact of international law will provide insight and continuously provide reflection on how the court will dispense justice in this country.

“The Supreme Court of the Philippines unanimously accepted the suggestion to host The Hague Academy of International Law courses here because we saw our lawyers’ need to look beyond domestic statutes."

The Supreme Court has announced that the advanced courses of THAIL in the Philippines were a successful professional training program on Public and Private international law. THAIL organized the course in collaboration with the Supreme Court and the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA).

The international law courses concluded on 1 March 2024 at the Judicial Academy Philippines (TJAP) in Tagaytay City.

Leonen also took the chance to thank THAIL, represented by Secretary-General Professor Jean-Marc Thouvenin, for conducting the courses in the Philippines; PHILJA, represented by Chancellor (Ret.) Supreme Court Associate Justice Rosmari D. Carandang, for organizing the event in the Training Center in Tagaytay; the Embassy of the Philippines in The Hague, and the Department of Foreign Affairs for suggesting the activity.

THAIL Secretary-General, Prof. Jean-Marc Thouvenin, also delivered his closing remarks and expressed his gratitude for the Supreme Court and the PHILJA.

In addressing the participants, the THAIL Secretary-General was in high spirits saying, “I will go back with a bit of the spirit of the Philippines thanks to all of you.” He was also hopeful, saying, “a little bit or a lot of the spirit of The Hague was transferred to you.”

After the closing ceremony, PHILJA invited Prof. Thouvenin to a tree planting activity, a symbolic act of memorializing a milestone and important program in the grounds of TJAP.

Tree planting has become a practice of PHILJA, which started in 2017 during the 8th International Conference of the Training of the Judiciary and has been an important part of every international program conducted at TJAP.