IV. Kırımlı Dr. Aziz Bey
IHL Competition & Summer School
September 2024
Heybeliada, İstanbul, Türkiye


Kırımlı Dr. Aziz Bey


Kırımlı (Crimean) Aziz Bey was a famous medical doctor who was born in 1840 in Istanbul. Although he died at a very early age, he played a significant role in the history of Turkish medicine as well as the development of humanitarian action in the Ottoman Empire.Dr. Aziz Bey, along with his colleague Abdullah Bey, worked in the promotion of humanitarian ideas such as the moral duty of every doctor to protect human health and to treat wounded soldiers. Aziz Bey played a leading role in establishing the Association to Help and Rescue the Sick and Wounded Soldiers, the predecessor of the "Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti" (The Red Crescent Society; the Turkish Red Crescent today).

Later on, Aziz Bey took the lead in the formation of the Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti in the Ottoman Empire, the first national red crescent society, by drawing the red crescent emblem and enabling the change from the red cross emblem to the red crescent emblem. He continued to participate in the activities of Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti both as a president and as a delegate until he died in 1878.Aziz Bey is also renowned as the founder of the first modern medical school taught in Turkish and as the author of the first medical book written in Turkish along with being the translator of the first medical dictionary in the Ottoman Empire.Kırımlı Dr. Aziz Bey is still remembered as one of the leading persons who initiated humanitarian principles and activities in Turkey.

The Aziz Bey


The Kırımlı Dr. Aziz Bey IHL Competition & Advanced IHL Summer School (The Aziz Bey) is an educational program that is organized by Istanbul Center for International Law (ICIL) and Türk Kızılay (Turkish Red Crescent) with the support of the ICRC. It aims to promote international humanitarian law (IHL) among advanced undergraduate and master's students and assist them in broadening their knowledge of IHL as well as improving their ability to apply the law in practice.
The Aziz Bey consists of the Advanced Summer School and the IHL Competition.
The Advanced Summer School is a preparatory step for the IHL Competition and predates the Competition. The Advanced Summer School covers the main themes of the IHL Competition and allows participants to get more familiar with the relevant legal issues before the commencement of the Competition.
The IHL Competition is based on role-playing exercises and built on a fictional case study that consists of an introductory part, which is being shared at the beginning of the Competition, and additional sections, to be shared before the subsequent rounds. The participants receive directives regarding their roles and tasks for each round. The evaluation of the participants mainly depends on their legal knowledge and their ability to role-play.
The IHL Competition differs from regular moot courts, as the role-playings are not limited to court settings but also include other alternative legal settings that require the application of IHL, be it an internal discussion of a government, or a fact-finding inquiry.
The first and second editions of the Aziz Bey were organized entirely online due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The program holds a unique position as the first entirely online IHL competition.
Starting from the third edition, the Aziz Bey takes place in person in Heybeliada, İstanbul, Türkiye.


Third Edition - 2023

Advanced Summer School
Date:
4-6 September 2023
Lectures (in chronological order):
- Classification of Conflicts by Gökhan Güneysu
- Protection of the Prisoners of War by Raphaël Gonçalves Alves
- Role of National Societies in Armed Conflicts by Kaan Saner
- Interplay between IHL and Human Rights by Jure Vidmar
- Protection of Animals by Saba Pipia
- Autonomous Technologies & AI Technologies under IHL by Daniele Amoroso & Mustafa Can Sati
- Cyber Attacks in IHL by Eitan Diamond
- Prohibition of Terrorism in IHL _ by Onur Dur_
- Protection of Medical Personnel by Raphaël Gonçalves Alves
- Protection of Environment in Armed Conflicts by Nilüfer Oral (delivered on 9 September as the Closing Lecture)
IHL Competition
Date:
7-9 September 2023
The application for the third edition was made individually, and the teams for the IHL Competition were set up via a draw among the participants of the Advanced Summer School.Jury Members (in alphabetical order):
Beyza Arslan, Eitan Diamond, Gökhan Güneysu, Khalil Dewan, Mustafa Can Sati, Raphaël Goncalves Alves, Riccardo Pavoni, Saba Pipia, Şeyda Kahraman.


Second Edition - 2021

Advanced Summer School
Date:
30 July – 3 August 2021
Lectures (in chronological order):
- Classification of Conflict by René Värk
- (Geographical) Scope of Application by Katja Schöberl
- Protection of Cultural Property by Riccardo Pavoni
- Protection of Environment by Anne Dienelt
- Humanitarian Access in Armed Conflict by Elżbieta Teresa Mikos-Skuza
- Aerial Warfare by Mateusz Piątkowski
- Child Soldiers by Noëlle Quénivet
- Weapons Law by Daniele Amoroso
- IHL Implications of Arms Trade Treaty by Valentine Azarova
- State Support to Belligerents in Armed Conflict by Nele Verlinden
- Hybrid Warfare by Aurel Sari
- Interplay Between Human Rights Law and IHL by Marco Sassòli
IHL Competition
Date:
4-8 August 2021.
Participating Teams (in alphabetical order):
Iranian Red Crescent (Iran), Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (Georgia), Kazan Federal University (Russia), MEF University (Türkiye), Utsunomiya University (Japan).
Jury Members (in alphabetical order):
Anne Dienelt, Aurel Sari, Daniele Amoroso, Elżbieta Teresa Mikos-Skuza, Gökhan Albayrak, Gökhan Güneysu, Julie Tenenbaum, Marco Sassòli, Mateusz Piątkowski, Nebile Pelin Mantı, Neda Dojcinovic, Nele Verlinden, Noel Trew, Noëlle Quénivet, René Värk, Riccardo Pavoni, Saba Pipia, Şeyda Kahraman, Valentina Azarova.

Prizes
Finalists:
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Team (Georgia), Utsunomiya University Team (Japan).
Winner:
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Team (Georgia).
Dr. Abdullah Bey Prize for the Best Speaker of the Competition Winners:
Suliko Zhghenti (Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia).
Ömer Lütfi Pasha Prize for the Most Progressed Team of the Competition:
MEF University (Türkiye).
The Fatma Aliye Hanım Prize for the Best Performing Participant of the Summer School:
Mohsen Ebrahimi (Iranian Red Crescent, Iran).
The Safiye Elbi Prize for the Most Progressed Participant of the Competition:
Vladislav Koval (Kazan Federal University, Russia).


First Edition - 2020

The first edition of the Aziz Bey was held online and holds a unique position as the first entirely online IHL competition in the world.Advanced Summer School
Date
29 July - 28 August 2020
List of the Lecturers (in alphabetical order):
- Emerging Weapon Technologies under IHL: The Case of Autonomous Weapons by Maya Brehm
- Classification of Conflict by Sergey Sayapin
- Naval Warfare by Bruno Demeyere
- Protecting Healthcare by Alexander Breitegger
- Law of Occupation by Valentina Azarova
- IHL and Terrorism by Sadi Çaycı
- Direct Participation in
Hostilities by Lokman Çetinkaya
- Detention in NIAC by Alessandra Spadaro
IHL Competition
Date:
7 – 11 September 2020
Participating Teams (in alphabetical order):
Belarusian State University (Belarus), Birzeit University (Palestine), Galatasaray University (Türkiye), Kathmandu School of Law (Nepal), Lloyd Law College (India), National University of Malaysia (Malaysia), Plovdiv University (Bulgaria), University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands).
Jury Members (in alphabetical order):
Agnieszka Jachec-Neale, Anna Petrig, Anne Quintin, Àquila Mazzinghy, Etienne Kuster, Gökhan Güneysu, Julie Tenenbaum, Nele Verlinden, Ömer Keskin, Rebecca Sutton, Sadi Çaycı, Şeyda Kahraman, Valentina Azarova.

Prizes
Finalists:
Belarusian State University (Belarus), University of Amsterdam (Netherlands).
Winner:
Belarusian State University (Belarus).
Dr. Abdullah Bey Prize for the Best Speaker of the Competition Winners:
Todor Rogoshev (Plovdiv University, Bulgaria) & Nurbanu Hayır (Galatasaray University, Türkiye).
Ömer Lütfi Pasha Prize for the Most Progressed Team of the Competition:
National University of Malaysia (Malaysia).

IHL Forum for Early Career Researchers


The next IHL Forum for Early Career Researchers will take place in September 2024. Further details will be announced soon.
Follow our social media accounts or subscribe to our mailing list to be kept updated.

2024 Edıtıon


IV. Kırımlı Dr. Aziz Bey IHL Competition & Advanced Summer School will be take place in September 2024 in Heybeliada, İstanbul, Türkiye.
Further details will be announced soon.
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Kırımlı Dr. Aziz Bey Collected Courses on International Humanitarian Law


Starting from the second edition of the Kırımlı Dr. Aziz Bey, ICIL and Türk Kızılay publish volumes of "Kırımlı Dr. Aziz Bey Collected Courses on International Humanitarian Law", which consists of lectures delivered at the advanced summer school each year.
The first volume of the collected courses was published in August 2023, and the second volume is planned to be published in August 2024.
The volumes of the collected series will be open-access and translated into Turkish.


- Volume I -

Table of Contents

Chapter TitleAuthor
Child SoldiersNoëlle Quénivet
International Legal Protection of Cultural Heritage in Armed ConflictRiccardo Pavoni
Humanitarian Access in Armed Conflict from the Legal PerspectiveElżbieta Mikos-Skuza
Protection of the Environment by International Humanitarian LawAnne Dienelt & Franziska Bachmann
International Weapons LawDaniele Amoroso
Aerial WarfareMateusz Piątkowski
Hybrid Warfare and the Law of Armed Conflict: Much Ado about Nothing?Aurel Sari

Download the First Volume

Frequently asked questions


General Information

QuestionsAnswers
Who is organizing the Aziz Bey?The Aziz Bey is organized by Istanbul Center for International Law (ICIL) and Türk Kızılay (Turkish Red Crescent) with the support of the ICRC.
When will the Aziz Bey take place in 2024?Details regarding the date will be announced at a later stage.
Where does Aziz Bey take place?The Aziz Bey takes place in the Youth Camp run by Türk Kızılay in Heybeliada, İstanbul, Türkiye.

Application & Registration

QuestionsAnswers
How do I apply to the Aziz Bey?Please see the Call for Applications.
Should I apply individually or as a part of a team?Each applicant must apply individually.
We have formed a team already. Can we submit a joint application?No, only individual applications will be accepted. Each of you can apply individually.
Can several participants from the same country participate in the Aziz Bey?Yes, there is no limit on the number of participants from the same country.
Can I apply only for the Advanced Summer School?We do not accept separate applications for the Advanced IHL Summer School.
Can I apply only for the IHL Competition?No, attending the Advanced IHL Summer School is a prerequisite to compete in the IHL Competition.
Can I apply without an academic advisor/coach?Yes, having an academic advisor/coach is not a requirement for the application.
Can I apply with an academic advisor/coach?You can work with an academic advisor/coach until the commencement of the Advanced IHL Summer School. Academic advisors/coaches will not be admitted to the program venue.
Do I need to pay an application fee to apply?No application fee applies to anyone.
I submitted my application. Did you receive it?Probably, yes. We aim to send the confirmation e-mails within 48 hours of the receipt of an application. Please check your inbox and spam box. If you have not received a confirmation e-mail, contact us directly via azizbeyihl@icil.org.tr or our social media channels.
My application has been accepted. How do I finalize my registration?Congrats! The details should have been shared via e-mail with you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have further questions.
My application has been accepted. Do I need to pay a registration fee?A registration fee applies to everyone. The registration fee covers the Advanced Summer School tuition, participation in the Competition, accommodation, and meals during these programs. For further details, please see the Call for Applications.
Is any financial assistance available?No, we try to keep the registration fee minimal but cannot offer any financial assistance.
How do I know that my registration is finalized?If you completed the registration steps, a confirmation mail should have been sent to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us directly via azizbeyihl@icil.org.tr or our social media channels if you do not hear from us within 48 hours after completing all the steps.
I missed the payment deadline. What should I do?In case of non-payment of the registration fee by the given deadline, the application will be deemed invalid. The Organizing Committee strictly respects the deadlines.

Travelling & Accommodation

QuestionsAnswers
I need to get a visa to enter Türkiye. Can the Organizing Committee help?Participants are solely responsible for the validity of their travel documents and managing the visa application process, if necessary. The Organizing Committee may provide an invitation letter to participants for visa purposes upon request.
Does the registration fee cover my accommodation expenses in Türkiye?Yes, the participants of the Aziz Bey will be offered to stay at the venue, the Youth Camp run by the Türk Kızılay in Heybeliada, İstanbul.

The Modus Operandi of the Aziz Bey

QuestionsAnswers
I applied individually. How will I take part in a team during the Competition?The teams for the preliminary rounds will be formed through a draw by the Organizing Committee at the end of the Advanced Summer School. The finalist teams will comprise the six highest-scoring participants in the preliminary rounds.
Will the teams submit a written memorandum?No, the Competition is based on oral rounds.
Are the exercises open to all participants?No participant shall attend other teams' exercises as an audience except for the final round.
I didn’t pick my teammates. How will I be evaluated based on their performances?Each participant will be evaluated individually throughout the Competition. The finalist teams will comprise the six highest-scoring participants in the preliminary rounds.
How can I receive feedback without an academic advisor/coach?The Organizing Committee holds feedback sessions during the Competition.
What are the criteria for evaluation?Please see the Call for Applications.

Contact


Please e-mail us if you need to share or ask something.

azizbeyihl@icil.org.tr

Or you can just submit your query via this form.