VZCZCXRO5688
PP RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHQU RUEHTM RUEHVC
DE RUEHBU #2014 2831242
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101242Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9442
INFO RUCNMRC/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002014
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO KSUM PGOV AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINE EMBASSY SUPPORT FOR "JUDGES GO TO SCHOOL" PROGRAM
WIDELY PRAISED
1. AMBASSADOR WAYNE ON OCTOBER 3 GAVE REMARKS AT THE ARGENTINE
SUPREME COURT DURING THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY OF A MOCK TRIAL
ORGANIZED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF JUDGES AND JUDICIAL OFFICIALS OF THE
NATIONAL JUDICIARY AND THE NGO ASOCIACION CONCIENCIA AS PART OF
THEIR "JUDGES GO TO SCHOOL" PROGRAM. FOUNDED TWO YEARS AGO, "JUDGES
GO TO SCHOOL" BRINGS JUDGES TO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS TO TEACH STUDENTS
ABOUT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THEIR RIGHTS UNDER THE LAW. TECHNIQUES,
CASE STUDIES, AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ARE TAILORED TO EACH SCHOOL
AND ARE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, CONSENSUS
BUILDING, AND PARTICIPATION IN THE SCHOOL AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY.
FUNDED BY THE US EMBASSY SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE PROGRAM HAS NOW
REACHED 900 STUDENTS IN THE CITY AND PROVINCE OF BUENOS AIRES AND
THE PROVINCES OF SANTA FE AND CHUBUT. ORGANIZERS HOPE TO EXPAND THE
PROGRAM SOON TO OTHER PROVINCES.
2. DURING THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY, THE EMBASSY4S SUPPORT FOR THE
PROGRAM WAS PRAISED IN THE OPENING REMARKS OF ALL PARTICIPANTS,
INCLUDING VICE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT ELENA HIGHTON DE
NOLASCO, THE VICE MINISTER OF JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS, AND THE VICE
CHAIRWOMAN OF THE ASSOCIATION OF JUDGES LIDIA SOTO. THE "JUDGES GO
TO SCHOOL" PROGRAM IS PART OF A BROADER, LONG-TERM EMBASSY EFFORT
(LAUNCHED IN 2001) TO WORK WITH A CONSORTIUM OF ARGENTINE
ORGANIZATIONS (BOTH GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE) INVOLVED IN IMPROVING
THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN ARGENTINA. THIS EFFORT, INVOLVING
SPEAKERS, VOLUNTARY VISITOR AND INTERNATIONAL VISITOR EXCHANGE
PROGRAMS, AND DVCS, OPERATES UNDER THE RUBRIC OF "JUSTICE UNDERGOING
CHANGE" AND HAS PRODUCED NOT ONLY GOOD PRESS AND GOOD WILL, BUT ALSO
POSITIVE RESULTS. AS A CONSEQUENCE OF CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT IN
PROMOTING JUSTICE REFORM, WE HAVE SEEN CONTINUED MOVEMENT BY THE
ARGENTINE JUSTICE SYSTEM TOWARDS INCREASED ACCESS TO JUSTICE THROUGH
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND MORE EFFICIENCY IN MANAGING CASES
AND TRAINING JUDGES.
3. THE MOCK TRIAL EVENT WAS WIDELY COVERED BY THREE MAJOR DAILIES,
CLARMN, LA NACISN AND LA PRENSA (ESTIMATED READERSHIP 700,000), A
REGIONAL WEB PORTAL INFOREGION, TWO WIRE SERVICES, GOVERNMENT-OWNED
TELAM AND PRIVATELY-OWNED DYN (BOTH WITH COUNTRY WIDE REACH), THREE
RADIO STATIONS, CONTINENTAL, RIVADAVIA, AMERICA (COMBINED ESTIMATED
LISTENERSHIP 300,000), AND GOVERNMENT-OWNED TV CHANNEL 7 (NATIONAL
PENETRATION) AND PRIVATE TV CABLE SIGNAL C5N. ALL REPORTS WERE
POSITIVE, AND MOST CARRIED QUOTES FROM THE AMBASSADOR'S REMARKS.
4. TO SEE MORE BUENOS AIRES REPORTING, VISIT OUR CLASSIFIED WEBSITE
AT:
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SQOV.GOV/P/WHA/BUENOSAIRES
WAYNE