Sir Jeremy Greenstock

A former diplomat is to deliver the second annual lecture in memory of the late University of Sussex law academic and Nuremberg prosecutor, Professor Colonel Gerald Draper.

The Draper memorial lecture provides an opportunity for key thinkers and practitioners to discuss current legal issues while recognising the contribution of Draper to the field.

Friends and law alumni of the University will be joined at Plaisterers' Hall in London on 23 November by senior representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Home Office, the Immigration Advisory Service and the United Nations Association of the UK 

In his lecture, Sir Jeremy Greenstock will address 'Man's Inhumanity to Man' and ask: "Will the 21^st century be any different?"

Sir Jeremy ended his diplomatic career as UK Permanent Representative at the United Nations in New York (1998-2003) and then, after a suspension of his retirement, as the UK Special Envoy for Iraq (2003-04).

Sir Jeremy's lecture will examine the current state of international politics, including the performance of the United Nations and other world bodies, to try to assess whether the experience of the last few decades - and especially the period since the end of the Cold War in 1990 - suggests that the international community is learning how to avoid violence and improve global standards of human rights.

He will argue that the increasing intensity of globalised economics and communications is to some extent offset by the trend towards the polarisation of identity, culture, religion and therefore politics.

Sir Jeremy will attempt to reach conclusions on the capacity of the international system to address conflict and localised violence and propose ways of focussing international action to make the 21st century a step forward from the insufficient achievements of the past.

Professor Craig Barker, Head of the Sussex Law School, said: "After such a successful inaugural lecture last year, we are very proud to have another highly distinguished speaker honouring the memory of such an important figure in the development of the law of armed conflict, and the history of the Sussex Law School."