The 17 October 2019 will remain a memorable day for The Guernica Group as the team travelled to the city of Gernika to reflect upon and learn about how the city, and its people, recovered following one of the most heinous crimes committed in modern day history, that will be remembered as a dark time in our history and a moment that saw the birth of the concept of crimes against humanity.
On the visit to Gernika, the group had the privilege of taking a guided tour around the Gernika Peace Museum as well as having the opportunity to learn about the work that is being undertaken by the museum to deliver and spread the important messages of truth-telling, reconciliation and transitional justice. The group was also fortunate enough to see the way in which the famous Picasso painting “Guernica” is being used to understand the way in which human rights are considered and interpreted within the context of modern-day conflicts.
Following the event, there was a panel discussion on accountability which provided the group with the opportunity to hear from various experts within the field about their experiences in securing accountability and fighting impunity. We were extremely grateful to hear from: Pablo Parenti, Almudena Bernabéu, Manuel Ramiro Muñoz, José Maria Gorroño, Iratxe Momoitio and Maria Oianguren.
The Guernica Group is an international alliance of jurists dedicated to developing and implementing legal strategies to confront, investigate and improve justice for international crimes, contributing to the effective protection of victim’s rights. Since its establishment, three years ago, this initiative has consolidated and strengthened. The Group is comprised of three independent entities that share the same mission and values: Guernica37 International Justice Chambers (London), G37 Despacho International (Madrid) and The Guernica Centre for International Justice (San Francisco, California).