Ms Fatou Bensouda, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has received the special award of the Bled Strategic Forum as she was named a BSF distinguished partner for her contribution to international peace and security. At the same time, the award marked the twentieth anniversary of the ICC.
Mr Andrej Logar, State Secretary at the Slovenian Foreign Ministry, said the award honoured Ms Bensouda, who has dedicated most of her professional career to the ICC, for her contribution to justice and peace, for strengthening respect of human rights, and for enhancing the visibility of the BSF’s aims and objectives.
Mr Logar noted that Slovenia was a staunch supporter of the ICC and committed to strengthening international justice “based on the rule of law, respect for international law and the awareness that lasting peace, security and progress are impossible without respect for human rights, dignity and the prosecution of the most serious crimes.”
Ms Bensouda could not attend the BSF due to illness, which prevented her from travelling, but she addressed the participants via video link. She said that she was deeply moved by the award as well as Slovenia’s “staunch and consistent support for my office and the court.”
Mr Bensouda said it was a privilege to be associated with the forum as a “platform for high-level strategic dialogue and innovative thinking.” She said the event, focusing on bridging divides, celebrated the inherent value and impact of accountability for atrocity crimes as an essential cornerstone of a law-based international order.
The award was handed out at the onset of a reception that also saw addresses by Mr Janez Fajfar, the Mayor of Bled, and Mr Janez Škrabec, the CEO of RIKO, one of the main sponsors of the event.
