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The Hague, 4 April 2008
ICC-CPI-20080404-PR304-ENG
Between 15 – 19 March, the International
Criminal Court’s (ICC) Kampala Field Outreach Unit co-ordinated
school outreach activities at three senior schools in the Acholi
region,of northern Uganda. Altogether, over 3, 500 students and
teachers from St. Joseph’s College in Gulu, Kitgum High School
and Y.Y.Otok Memorial School attended.
The activities were organised in co-operation
with the school administrations and student leaders. Consistent
with the Court’s outreach strategy, the schools outreach
programme is designed to provide accurate information about the
Court amongst school children, thereby promoting a better
understanding of how the Court works and creating a network for
the younger populace.
The sessions were interactive and the students
were encouraged to use role play to act out the roles of the
various courtroom participants during Court sittings to explain
how judicial procedure works. Students were able to raise any
concerns and many asked questions about how the Court treats
children who are victims and witnesses and what roles children
can play before the Court.
Outreach and Victim Participation and
Reparations Section (VPRS) officials gave presentations on the
role of the ICC, highlighting the crimes within the
jusrisdiction of the Court currently being investigated in
northern Uganda.
In their closing remarks, the schools head
teachers thanked the ICC for including children in the outreach
programme and urged the Court to visit other schools throughout
the region. Recommendations were also made regarding the
opportunity to train teachers in each school that would serve as
a focal point for further outreach activities |
