Legal luminaries from across the world are converging here today to discuss, among other things, legal ways to tackle some of the challenges being posed by the world financial crisis. And, more importantly, the event brings into world focus the significance of Islamic laws in preventing irregularities that led to the crisis. The first-of-its-kind two-day Qatar Law Forum (QLF) kicks off at the Ritz-Carlton this morning, bringing together chief justices from several key countries around the world, including the head of the International Court of Justice (ICC). Organisers of the event told reporters yesterday: “On the legal side, the rule of law would be brought into focus while the financial aspect of the dialogue would be geared towards international and financial governance.” “In focus will also be legal status of world financial institutions,” H E Mohammed Abdullah Al Rumaihi, Assistant Foreign Minister for Follow Up Affairs and Chairman of the QLF Organising Committee said at a news conference. Over 300 legal luminaries from 35 countries registered for the forum and 400 legal experts from Qatar coming from the Emiri Diwan, Qatari Bar Association, universities and companies are attending. Malik Dahlan, Chairman, Quraysh Institution for Law and Studies and Director of QLF Organizing panel, said that apart from the forum’s focus on international governance, the event will provide platform to deal with the financial crisis. “Never in the history of law forums such an array of international leaders in law with chief justices from various countries around the world and presidents of bar associations from five continents have come together,” said Professor William Alford, Vice Dean, International and Graduate Programs, Harvard Law School-USA. He said common, civil and Islamic laws would be considered in tackling pivotal issues in the forum consisting of how to respond to challenges brought about by the crisis, how legal reform is advancing around the world and resolution to disputes on international borders among others. Plenary sessions will start today at 9am, but the official opening will be at 6.30pm with the inaugural address of Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani. Aside from the Qatar Financial Centre, the organizing committee involves the Permanent Committee for Conferences at the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Justice, the Qatari Lawyers’ Association, the Quraysh Institution for Law and Policy at the United Kingdom and the law faculty of Harvard University. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=May2009&file=Local_News2009053025023.xml

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