Stand Tall for the Rule of Law Summit was held December 7-10 at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and organized by the American Society of International Law in partnership with the Ukrainian Association of International Law, Ukrainian government, legal community, and civil society leaders. The goals of the conference were to reaffirm commitment to fundamental principles of international law, respond to the call of the Ukrainian legal community for partnership, and reflect on the role of international law at this historic inflection point.

Panel discussions at Stand Tall included representatives from various Ukrainian governmental bodies, the United Nations, European Union and academics from law schools around the world.

McMahon said she will use the information she gained to enhance the programing at the Robert H. Jackson Center, supporting the mission of advancing international humanitarian law through the lens of Jackson’s service on the U.S. Supreme Court and Chief Prosecutor at the International Tribunal in Nuremberg. His legal legacy forms the foundation of modern prosecutions of war crimes for which the President of Russia is currently indicted.

McMahon said she felt safe during her travels and treasured her time there and with colleagues.

The Stand Tall for the Rule of Law Summit in Lviv, Ukraine consisted of many panel discussions from the Ukrainian Government, international law academics and human rights experts.

“Lviv is about 45 miles from the border with Poland and more than 500 miles from the eastern front. Besides public monuments being covered for protection, a large glass dome removed from the conference room, and one national alert about encroaching fighter aircraft, life felt ‘normal’ there. It was an amazing opportunity to speak with, learn from, and contribute to the conversations of those doing such meaningful work.”

Although her schedule was tight, McMahon did save some time to reconnect with Hordii Sytnyk, a student at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and 2022 intern at the Robert H. Jackson Center.

“Until this trip, we had only ever met through video teleconference during his internship; it was nice to finally spend time with him in person. Like most people his age in Ukraine, he is in the military reserves. We chatted about how his family has been impacted by the war and the resiliency of the Ukrainian people,” she said.

The Jackson Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 305 E. Fourth St., Jamestown. Docents are available to provide tours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturdays between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and by appointment. Donations are welcome to support the free programs the center provides to all ages throughout the year. For more information, visit roberthjackson.org.

Because windows were removed from the building to minimize injury in the event of a military strike, the conference environment was quite cold.

Robert H. Jackson President, Kristan McMahon finally met 2022 summer intern, Hordii Sytnyk, in person. Photo courtesy of Hordii Sytnyk