Visit to the Hague

On Tuesday, we traveled as a group to The Hague. The Hague is known as the political capital of the Netherlands and is home to both the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The students were excited to visit these important institutions that they will be learning more about in the coming weeks.

First, we went to the International Criminal Court. The ICC prosecutes individuals accused of war crimes. While, unfortunately, we were not able to attend a hearing as they were canceled for this week, the students were able to attend a presentation that outlined and explained the purpose and structure of the court. 

Next, we went to the Escher Museum. This museum holds the works of Maurits Cornelis Escher, a Dutch artist interested in playing with mathematical principles and illusions in his art. His primary mediums were woodcarving and printmaking. The students enjoyed examining the optical illusions. Additionally, the museum is housed in an old palace which was once a royal palace and the home of the Queen Mother Emma.

Finally, we visited the International Court of Justice. The ICJ is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and the only one not based out of New York. The ICJ is responsible for adjudicating disputes between states and issuing advisory opinions as requested by certain UN agencies. The ICJ is located in the Peace Palace, which was built with money donated by Andrew Carnegie. The students were able to listen to a presentation by an Information Officer of the Court and ask questions. Their questions were very insightful and impressive!