The Challenges of Modern Public Law, the inaugural annual scientific conference of ICON•S Georgia, dedicated to the 30th Anniversary of the Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University (BSU) Faculty of Law, took place from June 23-25.

The conference received support from BSU, the USAID Rule of Law Program, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara.

Over the course of two days, the conference hosted more than 100 speakers from Georgian and foreign universities who presented a range of intriguing topics. Notable participants included two international experts from the USAID Rule of Law Program: Professor Bridget Arimond from Northwestern University and Professor Richard Grimes from the University of Edinburgh.

Levan Jakeli, the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at BSU, provided an overview of the faculty's achievements and challenges over the past thirty years. He expressed gratitude to all the partners for their continuous support in the faculty's development and also presented a certificate of appreciation to the Program and the governmental bodies of the Adjara region for their assistance.

During his welcome remarks, Giorgi Chkheidze, the Chief of Party of the USAID Rule of Law Program, reaffirmed the Program's commitment to supporting BSU and expressed appreciation for the thirteen years of cooperation with the faculty. He emphasized that strengthening legal education and supporting academia were among the Program's priorities. Chkheidze recognized the significant role of BSU in promoting human rights protection, raising legal awareness, and supporting access to justice both within the region and beyond. He cited the conference's diverse and captivating agenda as an excellent example of this commitment.

Throughout the two-day conference, delegates from various universities in Georgia and abroad engaged in stimulating discussions on a wide range of topics, including anti-discrimination policies and legislation, LGBTQI+ community rights, gender equality and women's rights, the right to education, clinical legal education, judicial activism, constitutional control, and more.

A keynote speaker from the USAID Rule of Law Program, a Professor from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, USA, highlighted the challenges to democracy in the present era and provided an overview of the events surrounding the 2020 Presidential elections in the United States, emphasizing the threats faced by democracy in the country.

ICON•S Georgia, a global academic organization established in Georgia the previous year, serves as a unifying platform for the academic staff of various Georgian universities, including BSU. The organization's objectives encompass promoting the development of public law in Georgia, fostering research activities, and strengthening international academic cooperation.