A Maltese-born former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Igor Judge, will deliver this year’s Mabel Strickland Memorial Lecture in a double event being held by The Strickland Foundation at the Grand Ballroom of Hotel Phoenicia on Thursday.
He will be speaking on ‘Human Rights, Today and Tomorrow’, a subject that falls in line with the theme chosen by the foundation for its journalism internship scheme, now in its second year, and a writing competition.
Immediately after the lecture, the foundation will be presenting prizes to the winners of the writing competition and certificates to the first two interns who completed their internship under the internship scheme.
Lord Judge was given a grand farewell when he retired as Lord Chief Justice last September. Described by Lord Dyson, Master of the Rolls, as one “of our greatest chief justices”, he is credited with being responsible for leading the judiciary of England and Wales during a period of unprecedented difficulties and challenges.
His speech at a Commonwealth law conference in South Africa last year earned him great acclaim, for the incisive way he spoke about inequality and discrimination.
“A human right that is not universally available to every citizen in the country is a contradiction in terms.
“It is equality before the law that underpins the concept and ultimate achievement of the rights bestowed upon us by our common humanity.”
When he was appointed Lord Chief Justice, he was appointed a life peer as Baron Judge of Draycote in Warwickshire.
Lord Judge was born in Malta in 1941. He was educated at St Edward’s College and studied history and law at Magdalene College, Cambridge. Lord Judge’s mother is Rosa Micallef Judge.
He was appointed as the first president of the Queen’s Bench Division in October 2005 when the post was split from that of Lord Chief Justice.
The Strickland Foundation is a public benefit organisation set up by Mabel Strickland, journalist and politician, in 1979. It aims at promoting the observance of human rights, democratic principles, and free press.
Attendance to the public lecture is free. It starts at 6.30pm.