Let the Future Generations Escape

*Dutch below

On 18 & 19 November Loevestein castle, in collaboration with Maastricht University and Lab Toekomstige Generaties (Lab Future Generations), will organize a symposium on the human rights of future generations.

This symposium is organized in the framework of the Hugo de Groot (Grotius) year, in which Grotius’ work is commemorated 400 years after his escape from Loevestein Castle in 1621. A question to be discussed is how our legacy will be judged in 400 years from now, in 2421?

A very contemporary idea in this respect is Grotius’ personal motto which may inspire us: Ruit hora, which means: Time is running away! How can we use the present time to the best of our abilities to preserve human life in the future? Important questions that need to be addressed today are: How do we protect, safeguard and restore the commons and natural resources for our future generations if we are not able to use and share these equally and responsibly today? If we can’t, and probably don’t want, to make the people of the past accountable, how can we take responsibility today?

The symposium is a starting point in filling this gap. During the symposium the above questions will be addressed. Maastricht University has taken the initiative to draft a legal expert opinion (the Maastricht Principles) which explains the human rights of future generations so that they powerfully address the severe risks that have been imposed on future people. The idea of a set of Principles will be explained and run as a red thread throughout the symposium. Many influential speakers from home and abroad already agreed to participate. More details on the program will follow soon.

The symposium takes place on November 18th in the afternoon, and November 19th during the day. The symposium will be held at Loevestein Castle, in Poederoijen, the Netherlands. Given the Covid-19 restrictions, we probably can allow only a limited number of visitors to the castle ground. To ensure that as many people as possible can participate, the symposium is also accessible online.

Organised in collaboration with:

Under the auspices of the Netherlands Commission for Unesco:

Program

*Detailed program can be found below

18th November

• 12.00 - Reception with lunch
• 13.30 - Start symposium day 1
• 17.30 - End symposium with closing drinks
• 18.30 - Optional: Walking dinner at Loevestein

19th November

• 09.00 - Reception with coffee and tea
• 10.00 - Start symposium day 2
• 12.30 - Lunch
• 17.15 - End symposium with closing drinks

Costs

Livestream code - € 0,-

This is a registration for the livestream which will be available online. The link for the livestream will be send by email a week before.

Passe-Partout - € 25,-

This ticket includes entry for both days, including lunch and drinks.

Passe-Partout for students - € 15,-

This ticket includes entry for both days, including lunch and drinks. Note: You must be able to show a student card of the study-year 2021/2022.

One day ticket - € 15,-

This ticket includes entry for the day of choosing, including lunch and drinks on that day.

Additional:

Walking dinner on 18th of November, including drinks - € 30,-

This is only possible in combination with a Passe-Partout, or a one day ticket for the 18th of November. The walking dinner will be all vegetarian.

Detailed programme

More information can be found on; Wetenschappelijk Symposium op Loevestein

18th of November

12:00 - Reception with lunch

13.30 - Welcome and introduction to the conference

• Ed Dumrese (Director Loevestein)
• Rianne Letschert (Rector Maastricht University)

13.40 - Presentation Maastricht Principles

• Fons Coomans (Professor holding the UNESCO Chair in Human Rights and Peace, Maastricht University & Director of the Maastricht Centre for Human Rights)
• Rolf Künnemann (Founding Secretary General of FIAN International, Coordinator of the Initiative for the Human Rights of Future Generations)

14.10 - Keynote speech 1 (The ethical aspects of the human rights of future generations)

• Roman Krznaric (Philosopher and founder The School of Life)

14.50 - Break

15.10 - Keynote speech 2 (The legal and political aspects of the human rights of future generations)

• Marcel Szabo (Former ombudsman for future generations between 2012-2016, and currently serving as justice at the Constitutional Court of Hungary)

16.00 - Keynote speech 3 (The political and institutional aspects of the human rights of future generations)

• Stientje van Veldhoven (Vice President / Regional Director Europe · World Resources Institute, and former State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management)

16.40 - Future speaking through us: exercise with focus on climate change.

Moderated by Jan van de Venis (Acting Ombudsperson Future Generations in the Lab Future Generations, founder Stand up for your Rights and JustLaw)

17.15 - Wrap up by Fons Coomans.

17.20 - Reflecting conclusion

• Jan Terlouw (Writer, former politician)

17.30 - Closing drinks

18.00 - End of day 1

18.30 - Dinner @ Loevestein [optional]

19th of November

09.00 - Reception with coffee and tea

10.00 - Welcome and introduction to the program

10.05 - Introduction

• Dineke de Groot (President of the Supreme Court and ambassador of the Hugo Grotius year)

10.15 - Keynote 1 (The European perspective and the Green Deal)

• Tony Agotha (Senior Diplomatic Expert, and Member of Cabinet of the Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

11.00 - Keynote 2 (The Grotian Heritage and the Management of the Global Commons)

• Nico Schrijver (Council of State of the Netherlands and Professor Emeritus Public International Law, Leiden University)

11.20 - Break

11.40 - College Tour

• Aoife Fleming (Campaigner - World's Youth for Climate Justice)
• Simone Filippini (President Leadership4SDGs)

12.20 - Final questions to both speakers

12.25 - Recap of morning session

12.30 - Lunch

13.30 - Visit to Loevestein fortress and castle

14.00 - Welcome to second part

14.10 - Sustainable Speech from the Throne

• Werner Schouten (Chairman Jonge Klimaatbeweging / Youth Climate Movement)

14.30 - Think tank workshops (parallel sessions) . On future questions staying with both Grotius and Human Rights.

Workshop 1: Our Common Heritage

• Kathleen Ferrier (Chairperson at Netherlands Commission for UNESCO)
• Fons Coomans (Professor holding the UNESCO Chair in Human Rights and Peace, Maastricht University & Director of the Maastricht Centre for Human Rights)

Workshop 2: Rights of Nature

• Tineke Lambooy (Professor of Corporate Law at Nyenrode Business Universiteit)
• Jessica den Outer (Director Earth Advocacy Youth)

Workshop 3: Indigenous approach

• SeMUel Sahureka (Founder and spokesperson Saka Mese Nusa AllifURU foundation)
• Dorine van Norren (Strategic advisor for the Western Hemisphere at MFA and associate researcher at The Van Vollenhoven institute for Law, Governance and Society at Leiden University)

15.10 - Break

15.30 - Workshop recap - Think tank workshops

15.45 - Panel discussion . Looking ahead towards 2421; how to operationalize human rights for future generations?

• Cees Flinterman (Professor International and European Law, Maastricht University)
• SeMUel Sahureka (Founder and spokesperson Saka Mese Nusa AllifURU foundation)
• Bahia Tahzib (NL Human Rights Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• Aoife Fleming (Campaigner - World's Youth for Climate Justice)
• Kathleen Ferrier (Chairperson at Netherlands Commission for UNESCO)

16.30 - Keynote 3 (Concluding lecture)

• Shlomo Shoham (First Commissioner for Future Generations and as a legal advisor to the Constitution Law and Justice Committee Israel)

17.00 - Spoken word

• Marieke Lucas Rijneveld (Writer and poet)

17.10 - Wrap up and closing remarks

17.15 - Drinks

18.00 - End of symposium

COVID-19

For the symposium the current covid-19 measurements will be taken into account;

Every visitor needs to be able to show a ‘European Digital Covid Certificate’. You can only enter the symposium if you; (1) are fully vaccinated a minimum of 2 weeks before the symposium, (2) can submit a proof of a negative test, or (3) submit proof of recovery.

Please note that you must install the 'CoronaCheck'-app, any other 'European Digital Covid Certificate', or bring your printed certificate with you. Without a valid QR and your ID we cannot give you access to the symposium.

Op 18 en 19 november organiseert Loevestein, in samenwerking met Maastricht University en Lab Toekomstige Generaties een symposium over de mensenrechten van toekomstige generaties.

Het symposium wordt georganiseerd tijdens het Hugo de Grootjaar. In dit themajaar wordt het gedachtegoed van Hugo de Groot herdacht, 400 jaar na zijn spectaculaire ontsnapping uit Loevestein in 1621. Tijdens het symposium wordt door invloedrijke sprekers uit binnen- en buitenland stilgestaan bij de vraag hoe onze nalatenschap over 400 jaar wordt beoordeeld, in 2421.

Hugo de Groots persoonlijke motto is hierbij immer actueel: Ruit hora, de tijd vliegt! Hoe kunnen wij onze tijd zo goed mogelijk besteden om het menselijk leven in de toekomst te behouden? Vragen die tijdens het symposium worden besproken zijn: hoe beschermen, bewaken en herstellen we onze gedeelde hulpbronnen voor onze toekomstige generaties, als we deze vandaag de dag niet op verantwoorde en gelijkwaardige manier kunnen aanspreken? En, als we onze voorouders hiervoor niet verantwoordelijk kunnen en niet willen maken, hoe kunnen wij dan nu wel onze verantwoordelijkheid nemen?

Het symposium is een aftrap om deze leemte op te vullen en bovenstaande vragen te bespreken. Maastricht University heeft het initiatief genomen om een deskundig ​​juridisch advies op te stellen waarin de mensenrechten van toekomstige generaties worden uitgelegd. In deze ‘Maastricht Principles’ dienen om krachtig op te treden tegen de ernstige risico’s die dreigen voor onze toekomstige mensen. Het idee van een reeks principes zal worden uitgelegd en als rode draad door het symposium lopen. Meer details over het programma volgen binnenkort.

Het symposium vindt plaats op 18 november in de middag en 19 november overdag, op Loevestein, in Poederoijen, Nederland. Gezien de mogelijke beperkingen door Covid-19, kunnen we waarschijnlijk slechts een beperkt aantal bezoekers op het kasteelterrein toelaten. Om ervoor te zorgen dat zoveel mogelijk mensen kunnen meedoen, is het symposium ook online toegankelijk.

De voertaal van het symposium is Engels.

The Hugo Grotius year has been realized with the help of the following funds: