The research group Observatory of European Foreign Policy has organized the seminar ‘Humanitarianism and International Relations. Between institutional challenges and normative controversy’ in the framework of AEPDIRI seminars, the Spanish association of International Relations and International Law professors. The session took place at IBEI (Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals) the 28th of April.
The issue of humanitarianism has become especially salient in the European agenda in the last years. Europe is facing humanitarian issues such as the refugee crisis and the Ebola outbreak; and also the first World Humanitarian Summit will be held next May in Istanbul. In this context, the seminar aimed at pooling reflections on the conceptual debat and the controversy generated by humanitarianism on the international order; and also at discussing the role of humanitarianism as a transformation factor in International Relations.
The seminar was welcomed by Carlos Esplugues (AEPDIRI president) and Jacint Jordana (IBEI director) and organized in several panels. First, it started with a theoretical and conceptual debate around humanitarianism in International Relations. Second, it tackled the institutional dynamics and political agendas on civilian protection and responsibility to protect. The third panel was focused on the emergence of local level and private initiatives on humanitarianism. And finally, the last panel tackled the humanitarian agenda of the European Union. Esther Barbé, head of the Observatory of European Foreign Policy, closed the event.