San Diego World Affairs Council Presents
An Insider’s Perspective Series:
"The International Criminal Court, Global Justice & the States' Role: A Conversation with Former ICC Judge Péter Kovács"
Saturday, November 21, 2026
10:00 AM PST / 7:00 PM CET
Virtual Program via Zoom
About this Program
What does international justice look like from inside the International Criminal Court?
Join the San Diego World Affairs Council for a special virtual conversation with Judge Péter Kovács, who served as a judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague from 2015 to 2025.
Drawing on a decade at the ICC and a career spanning international law, diplomacy, human rights, and constitutional law, Judge Kovács will offer an insider’s perspective on the role of the Court and the complex realities of pursuing international criminal justice.
The conversation will explore the ICC’s role in the international system, the opportunities and limitations of international criminal justice, questions of national sovereignty and international accountability, and the complicated relationship between the Court and the non state parties.
At a time when international courts are increasingly part of debates surrounding war, accountability, sovereignty, and the international legal order, this program offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from someone who spent a decade navigating these issues from inside the ICC.
Judge Kovács will share his perspective and experiences, followed by a moderated conversation and audience Q&A.
Free to the public also available via Zoom. Pre-registration required.
About Péter Kovács
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Péter Kovács is a Hungarian jurist, scholar, diplomat, and former judge of the International Criminal Court, where he served from 2015 to 2025.
Prior to joining the ICC, he served as a judge of the Hungarian Constitutional Court from 2005 to 2014. Earlier in his career, he served as a diplomat at the Hungarian Embassy in Paris and as head of the Department of Human Rights and Minority Law at Hungary’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As a governmental expert, Judge Kovács participated in the drafting of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, both developed under the auspices of the Council of Europe.
An accomplished scholar of international law, he has taught at universities in Hungary and served as a visiting professor at universities in France, Germany, Belgium, and the United States. His scholarship includes minority protection, human rights, international humanitarian law, international criminal law, and comparative international jurisprudence.
He is a recipient of France’s Ordre National du Mérite and the Hungarian Order of Merit and is Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Miskolc.
The San Diego World Affairs Council does not endorse any specific political ideology or viewpoint. As a nonpartisan organization, we are committed to presenting a wide range of perspectives to promote informed, respectful dialogue on complex global issues. The opinions expressed by speakers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Council, its board, or its partners.
