Signing Ceremony Held Between the Italian Embassy in the Netherlands and the Academy

The Academy was honoured to receive His Excellency the Ambassador of Italy, Mr Giorgio Novello, and Mr Lorenzo Ermacora, at a ceremony to formalise Italy’s support, in the form of a voluntary contribution, for the Academy’s work, held on 18 February 2025 at the Peace Palace.

The ceremony gave the Secretary-General the opportunity to receive Ambassador Novello once again at the Peace Palace, home to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, whose Administrative Council includes Italy as a member, the International Court of Justice, before which Ambassador Novello was his country’s co-agent, and the Academy. Ambassador Novello stressed the importance of international law and of the Academy, recalling that he himself attended the Academy’s courses in the summer of 1991, during which the former President of the International Court of Justice, Dame Rosalyn Higgins, gave a memorable lecture. He passed on to the Academy the congratulations of the Foreign Secretary for the excellence of its work.

The Secretary-General of the Academy, Professor Jean-Marc Thouvenin, and the Treasurer, Ms Andrea Kramer, reviewed the Academy’s activities and plans, thanked their guest warmly and asked him also to convey the Academy’s sincere thanks to the Italian Government for its unfailing support every year.

The Academy is honoured by the trust that Italy has placed in it, and extends its best wishes to Ambassador Novello for the years ahead.