Military Briefings
U.S. Air Force / Sgt. Shawn Weismiller
Soldiers have to make split second decisions about whether to kill or risk their lives to let the situation develop further. These decisions are informed by the soldiers’ knowledge of the laws governing armed conflicts, their rules of engagement, and common sense. For example, establishing whether a civilian is directly participating in hostilities can be a challenging task even when such a decision is being made from the relative safety of an operations centre; on the ground, it can be a question of life or death, not only for the subject but also for the soldiers themselves.
In this first Military Briefing of the academic year, we will examine how such determinations take place in practice and what are the legal and ethical difficulties involved.
This Military Briefing is primarily open to Geneva Academy’s students, who will be prioritized in the allocation of seats. External participants are also welcome provided there remains adequate seating.
Military Briefings are a unique series of events relating to military institutions and the law. They aim to improve our students’ knowledge of military actors and operations and build bridges between the military and civilian worlds.
Each year, the Geneva Academy sends a team of students to the Jean-Pictet Competition. Participating in this leading moot court is a life-changing experience and an integral part of our programmes.
Applications for the upcoming academic year of our Online Executive Master – MAS in International Law in Armed Conflict - are now open. They will remain open until 30 May 2025, with courses starting at the end of September 2025.
ICRC
Co-hosted with the ICRC, this event aims to enhance the capacity of academics to teach and research international humanitarian law, while also equipping policymakers with an in-depth understanding of ongoing legal debates.
ICRC
As a yearly publication, it keeps decision-makers, practitioners and scholars up-to-date with the latest trends and challenges in IHL implementation in over 100 armed conflicts worldwide – both international and non-international.
The Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts project (RULAC) is a unique online portal that identifies and classifies all situations of armed violence that amount to an armed conflict under international humanitarian law (IHL). It is primarily a legal reference source for a broad audience, including non-specialists, interested in issues surrounding the classification of armed conflicts under IHL.
Geneva Academy ICRC