The International Court of Justice

This book has been published to mark the eightieth anniversary of the inaugural sitting of the ICJ, held on 18 April 1946 at the Peace Palace in The Hague. Produced entirely by the Registry, it has been designed specifically with the general public in mind and describes the Court, its role and its activities in clear and accessible language, with the aim of fostering a better understanding of the institution and providing answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Court. Readers will find information on how the Court functions, with each short chapter covering a different facet of the institution. They will learn about the history of the Court, about its Registry and its judges, about the entities that can participate in proceedings before it, as well as the principles governing its judicial activity and the contribution made by the Court to certain areas of international law. In publishing this new book for the general public, the Registry wishes to shed fresh light on the work of the Court while at the same time celebrating what the institution has accomplished since its creation, and paying tribute to all those who have contributed to its success over the past 80 years.