Online training session for students of International law

The UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Tehran and the legal department of the International Institute for Culture and Civilization with cooperation of  University of Tehran (Farabi Campus), Law faculty of Qom University, Center for Comparative Legal Studies of Mofid University and International Center for Developing Peace, Culture and Rationality, held an online training session  on “Finding UN Information and Documentation” for some 50 graduate students of international law on 11 June 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a stark reminder that the UN at its 75th anniversary is as relevant as never before to continue leading the multilateral efforts to coordinate global response to the greatest crisis we are facing since the Second World War and to leave no one behind.

UNIC Public Information Assistant Ms Nazanin Ghaemmaghami asked the participants to fill out the UN 75 one-minute survey, to ensure that voices from Iran are heard by the world leaders.

Then she addressed them on how to retrieve UN documentation and information from the UN website.

Ghaemmaghami introduced the UN Observances page with a focus on World Day Against Child Labour- 12 June. Then the UN News webpage was navigated as well as the UN Radio. 

The students got familiar with UN iLibrary and the Dag Hammarskjold Library’s (DHL) webpage.  They learned about the structure of the UN document symbols and the structure of a UN resolution. There was an overview of important information-searching tools located through DHL resources and databases, including Official Document System (ODS) and the UN Digital Library. Participants also navigated through the UN Treaty Collection webpage. They learnt where to find Glossary of terms relating to Treaty actions as well as a sample convention and its status. 

There was a navigation on the UN Audiovisual Library of International Law and the participants learnt to find two lectures of University of Tehran professor and the former President of International Law Commission of the UN Dr Djamchid Momtaz among the “Lecture Series”. They also learnt to find information about “Proclamation of Tehran” adopted by the representatives of the 120 participating States as the conclusion of the first International Conference on Human Rights, held in Tehran in 1968 at the invitation of the Iranian government, which was supported by the United Nations General Assembly. 

The group was thoroughly briefed with International Court of Justice (ICJ) webpage and was provided with a video on ICJ with Persian subtitles.

Mr Amir Hassan Shafiee and Ms Maryam Gholami Mishvani from the Legal Department of the International Institute for Culture and Civilization who did all the coordination, found the session very useful for themselves and for the participants.

Training sessions “Finding UN Information and Documentation” are regularly organized by the UNIC for all interested groups. For more information about how to attend these sessions and learn how to navigate the UN web site, please contact (e-mail: unic.tehran@unic.org – Tel. No.: 0098 21- 22873837)