Category: About the WJA

Colombia Attorney General visits WJA Madrid

On September 20, 2019, the Attorney General of Colombia, Fernando Carrillo met with WJA Worldwide President Javier Cremades in Madrid.

During the meeting, topics as the Venezuelan crisis deeply affecting Colombia, the reactivation of the guerrilla in Colombia and how it could damage the peace process, and ways in which the WJA could cooperate to promote the Rule of Law in Colombia were dicussed. Additionally, the posibilities of organizing an event in Colombia were studied.

The meeting was attended by prestigious jurists and entrerpreneur from Spain and Colombia and was held at the Headquarters of Cremades & Calvo Sotelo in Madrid, Spain.

WJA’s Official visit to Vatican & Rome

Last August 21 – 23, 2019, WJA Worldwide President Javier Cremades visited Italy for promoting the World Jurist Association. During his visit to Rome, on August 22 Javier Cremades held an audience with H.H. Pope Francis, accompanied by his wife, Arancha Calvo-Sotelo.

During this audience, WJA Worldwide President presented a WJA gold medal recognition to His Holiness for his “contribution to Peace through Law in the World, reaching far beyond what Justice demands”, and thanked him “for promoting a freer world”.

Likewise, on August 23, our Worldwide President recognized Lucio Ghia, WJA President 1995-1997, with the WJA gold medal for his “contribution to Peace through Law in the World” and for his “outstanding work as President of the World Jurist Association”.

WJA Worldwide President Javier Cremades & his wife Arancha Calvo-Sotelo awarding His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican

Welcome, Euro Latam Lex members

As part of the World Jurist Association plan to expand its membership around the world, members of Euro Latam Lex have been invited to join our association.

EURO LATAM LEX is a network of independent law firms from Europe and Latin America. Each firm excelling in its own jurisdiction and providing top tier legal and business services, which make them excellent partners for the World Jurist Association.

The WJA and Euro Latam Lex have previously cooparetated in the organization of events. First, during Euro Latam Lex’s first international Congress in October 2016, entitled Civic Capitalism: Towards a new Relationship with the Investors. Later, during the World Law Congress Madrid 2019, where Euro Latam Lex fully organized two panels along with International Financial Litigation Network that were sponsored by international law firm Herbet Smith Freehills

The WJA welcomes its new members!

The WJA in Mexico

Last May 5 – 8, 2019, WJA Worldwide President Javier Cremades visited Mexico for promoting the World Jurist Association. During his visit to Mexico, Mr. Cremades held an audience with Andrés Manuel López Obrador, current president of Mexico, who showed his interest in hosting the next Ibero-American Law Congress in his country.

Likewise, our Worldwide President held meetings with Alejandro Getz, Attorney General of Mexico, Ángel M. Junquera Sepúlveda, President of the Mexico Bar Association (INCAM), President of the WJA Mexican Chapter and speaker at the World Law Congress Madrid 2019, among others, strengthening the WJA presence before the Mexican institutions, media and legal community, targeting this country as the possible venue for the XXVII WJA Biennial Congress.

Furthermore, on May 7, Ángel M. Junquera Sepúlveda, hosted the re-launching of the WJA Mexican Chapter, which count with the presence of the WJA Worldwide President as well. The event was organized with the cooperation of the Mexican Institute for Justice (IMJUS) which hosted the event in its facilities.

This event was attended by 100 distinguished Mexican jurists and was presided by Ángel M. Junquera Sepúlveda, as President of the WJA Mexican Chapter. The presentation was performed by Javier Cremades, WJA Worldwide President, Juan Araujo Riva Palacio, President of IMJUS, Antonio Navalón, notable journalist and speaker at the World Law Congress Madrid 2019, Baltasar Garzón, former Spanish Magistrate and speaker at the World Law Congress Madrid 2019, and María de los Ángeles Fromow, distinguished Mexican lawyer.

WJA’s Official visit to President of Argentina

Last Monday March 25, 2019, WJA Worldwide President Javier Cremades held an audience with the President of Argentina Mauricio Macri. The meeting was held at the Casa Rosada, the Official Office of the Argentinean Government.

The meeting was also attended by Juan Luis Cebrián, distinguished Spanish journalist, founder of Diario El País of Spain and WJA member, and by Iván Pavlovsky, Presidential Spokesperson of Argentina.

During this official visit, the attendees discussed about Human Rights in Latin America, especially regarding the Venezuelan migratory crisis that greatly affects Argentina, the entire hemisphere and Spain, as main European destination for Venezuelan migrants, and how could the WJA collaborate with reinforcing Human Rights and the Rule of Law throughout the Latin American Region. 

As the WJA Worldwide President presented the work of the World Jurist Association and how Congresses and Conferences provide information to jurists, professionals and students on the importance of the Rule of Law and the relevance of finding Peace Through Law, they agreed on exploring dates for the organization of an Ibero-American Law Congress in Buenos Aires, with the assent of the Argentinean Government.

World Law Congress Madrid 2019

The World Law Congress

On February 19 – 20, 2019, the World Jurist Association made Madrid the World Jurist Capital during its XXVI Biennial Congress at Teatro Real. Presided by Franklin Hoet-Linares for the period 2017-2019, the WJA organized the World Law Congress under a renovated format ideated by Javier Cremades-García, President of the Organizing Commission and WJA Vice-President for Europe. This edition gathered together different guilts within the legal profession, serving the WJA as umbrella organization for Human Rights, notaries, constitutionalists, registrars, and religious organizations, among others, to co-organize the World Law Congress (WLC).

The presentation of the WJA World Peace & Liberty Award to H.M. King Felipe VI of Spain, in presence of H.M. Queen Letizia of Spain and H.E. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal, represented one of the most iconic activities of the World Law Congress Madrid 2019.  On February 20, a 1750-pax plenary at the main room of Teatro Real recognized His Majesty for his unwavering commitment to the Rule of Law and his defense to Democracy and Freedom. During the Ceremony, congratulation videos sent by President of Colombia, H.E. Iván Duque, and former President of East Timor and Peace Nobel Prize Winner 1996, José Ramos Horta, were presented before His Majesty.

A total of 2,300 jurists and personalities from around the world attended the World Law Congress Madrid 2019 and its Side-Events. Nearly 230 speakers of the highest level participated during this event, most of them within the 21 panels carried out on February 19, in 7 simultaneous rooms at Teatro Real. The deliberations performed this day resulted in The Declation of Madrid 2019. Furthermore, during the event, the new logo of the World Jurist Association was presented, resulting in a totally innovative branding. 

The decision of holding the WJA XXVI Biennial Congress in Madrid was taken during the WJA Board meeting held on May 4, 2018 in Munich, Germany. The task was given to Dr. Javier Cremades García, President of Cremades & Calvo-Sotelo Lawyers, who presided the Congress with Mr. Javier Solana Madariaga, former Secretary General of OTAN. The coordination of the program was performed by the Director of the WLC and former President of the Constitutional Court of Spain, Dr. Manuel Aragón Reyes. An Organizing Commision of prominent jurists from Spain and other countries, alone with the Co-Organizing institutions, made possible the execution of a magnificent event that made history within the WJA and, furthermore, in Spain.

For Spain, the Congress and the recognition to the democratic institutions through HM the King represented a reason of great pride and transcendence, as well as a unique opportunity to support the evolution of Spanish democracy and its stability, in the framework of the 40th anniversary of the Spanish Constitution. The event had great media impacts, heading all Spanish newspapers and TV news programs, as well as different media throughout the world.

Additional to the main activities at Teatro Real, the Congress included a Side-Event with the Presidents of the European Constitutional Courts on February 18 at the Madrid Bar Association, the celebration of an Ecumenic Act at the Almudena Cathedral with leaders of the main religions of the world on February 19, and the celebration of a WJA General Assambly and the World Law Day at the Malaga Bar Association on February 21.

Finally, and following the WJA tradition, during the WJA General Assembly in Malaga, Dr. Javier Cremades García (Spain), President of the Organizing Commision of the World Law Congress and WJA Vice President for Europe, was designated by the Elections Committee as the new Worldwide President of the World Jurist Association for the period 2019-2021. Additionally, Hon. Jus. Peter Umeadi (Nigeria) was elected as President of the World Association of Judges, Prof. Jesús Becerra (Venezuela-Spain) as President of the World Association of Law Professors, Dr. Javier Lara (Spain), as President of the World Association of Lawyers, and Sven Kohlmier (Germany) as President of the Business Associates Center.

You may visit www.worldlawcongress.com for further information on this fantastic event