The success of the Center and its activities can only be ensured by the ongoing support of the Palestinian and international communities. The Center is pleased to have welcomed the following guests as well as making the following visits abroad.
January
- Professor Sharif Bassouni of Illinois University, who presented a lecture in January as part of the Law Center's "Birzeit Legal Encounters" series
- Professor Bernard Botiveau, who gave a lecture on the role of the judiciary. Professor Botiveau will be teaching in Birzeit's Master of Laws program next year
- Guy Mazet, from IRETIJ in France, who helped the Center to develop its abstracts of all the laws in force in Palestine;
February
- Dr. Ghassan Faramand, Haytham Al-Zubi and Mohammed Olwan traveled to the University of East London and the Free University of Amsterdam in February and met with law professors there to discuss teaching methodology and the development of a Master of Laws program. All three will be professors in the Law Center's Master of Laws program which will begin the fall of 1996. The trip was sponsored by the European Consortium for Birzeit Law School.
March
- Professor Peter Schuck, and a delegation from Yale Law School, who visited with members of the Law Center in Ramallah in March (as the roads to the University had been closed by the Israeli military) to discuss areas of cooperation between Yale Law School and the Law Center.
- Ghassan Abdullah Information Systems Coordinator, traveled to England for 2 weeks in March to meet with legal informatics experts there. Ghassan is helping to develop the Law Center's legal databank project. His trip was sponsored by the British Council.
- Omar Sahili, our computer systems engineer, traveled to Egypt for 2 weeks in March, to meet with computer companies in order to assist with the development of the Law Center's legal databank project.
April
- Anne Bourlond and Camille Mansour met with the European Univeristies Consortium on April 27th at the Free University of Brussels, to discuss the professor exchage program between the Consortium and the Law Center.
- Justice Harry Bauer and Justice Einfeld from New South Wales, Australia, met with staff of the Law Center in April to discuss ways the Australian legal community can support the Law Center, specifically with its legal training program, Master of Laws program and legal databank project.
- Professor John Strawson, of the University of East London, who met with the Law Center staff regarding ways to develop cooperation between the two Master of Laws programmes;
May
- Dr. Najib Nu'aimi, the Qatari Minister of Justice, and an official delegation from Qatar, in May 1996. The Minister came on behalf of His Highness Sheik Hamad Ben Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar who has generously supported the Center by providing funding towards the construction of a second floor for the new Law Center building, a professorship in international law, and international law materials for the library.
- Ruba Shuabi and Ihab Sama'an went on a working visit to France for 2 weeks in May to look at legal documentation methods in Paris and the University of Montpellier;
- Professor Jean Salmon, of the Free University of Brussels, who presented a lecture on "Politics and Law" as part of "Birzeit Legal Encounters"
- Phillip Adams, librarian at Demontford University in England, who gave a workshop for West Bank librarians on what is and how to use the Internet
June
- Mr. Salim Za'noun, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council;
- Professors Philippe Leboulanger and Bernard Fillion-Dufouleur, from the University of Saint Etienne in France, who participated in our conference entitled "Investment and International Commercial Contracts";
- Hussam el-Din Al-Ahwani, professor from the University of Ein-Shams, who participated in our conference entitled "Investment and International Commercial Contracts";
- Ali Mezghani, professor from the University of Tunis, who participated in our conference entitled "Investment and International Commercial Contracts";
- Ali Khatar, professor from the University of Jordan, who gave a workshop concerning administrative contracts for Palestinian legal professionals working in various government institutions;
- Ernest Schmatt, Chief Executive, and Murali Sagi, Senior Systems Officer, of the Judicial Commission of New South Wales, Australia, who helped the Center with the development of its legal databank project;
- Mr. Yves Schemeil (Law Professor from Aix-en-Provence University in France) who discussed areas of cooperation regarding our Master of Laws program;
- Mr. Pierre Catala, legal Information system specialist from France who helped us with the conceptualization of our legal databank;
- Mr. Mike Slade, law professor from East London University, who is part of a European Consortium of law professors helping the Center to develop its Masters Program. We discussed the possibility of sending four Palestinian legal experts to England for teacher training.
- Mr. John Hall, Executive Director of Australian International Legal Resources, which is helping the Center to develop its legal training programs, library, and legal databank;
- Mohammed Alwan, professor from Yarmuk University in Jordan, who will be teaching in our Master of Laws Program starting in the fall of 1996;
- Mona Rishmawi, member of International Commission of Jurists;
- Elizabeth Bouri, from the University of Austin, who helped the
Center with the Internet and developing this home page.