On Friday, 23 August 2019 at 17.26 hrs., Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, as Executive Vice-President of the Thai Red Cross Society, presided over the Ninth Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Lecture on International Humanitarian Law  at Vithes Samosorn, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. For this Ninth Lecture, Dr. Hassan Wirajuda, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, who has played important roles in promoting humanitarian diplomacy and peace-building process key facilitator of the peace talks between the Government of the Republic of Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front and Chief Negotiator on the Dialogue between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (First Phase), delivered his lecture entitled “Aceh Peace Process (1999-2005) : Keys to Final Solution”

 

The Lecture focused on the root cause of conflict in Aceh, and the key to  success of the dialogue as follows: (1) the Government of Indonesia, at the time, welcomed new ideas and initiatives, which allowed the society to move towards participatory democracy; (2) empathize with the opposite side who are also Indonesian nationals; and (3) not leaving any problems to the next generation in order to prevent more aggravated and complicated situations as well as subversive activities. These factors led to a conducive atmosphere for negotiation and finally to the peaceful resolution of the Aceh conflict.

 

Approximately 300 attendees joined the Lecture, including government officials, experts and practitioners in humanitarian field, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of international organisations and non-governmental organisations, academics, professors and students from various universities. 

 

The Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Lecture was first launched by the Thai Red Cross Society and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2003 to promote and disseminate knowledge on international humanitarian law to the general public as well as concerned authorities. Since its inception, eight lectures have been organised once every two years.