On 20th September 1972 Dr. Wolfgang G. Friedmann, professor of international law and director of international legal research at Columbia University, was robbed and stabbed to death three blocks from the Columbia campus. This sad news rapidly spread all over the world, and caused a heavy shock to those who had got to know this outstanding lawyer from his publications, and above all to those who, like the present writer, had the privilege to become his friend through personal contacts with his charming and inspiring personality.

In November 2010, the Netherlands Society of International Law (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Internationaal Recht, NVIR) celebrates its centenary. The NVIR was established in 1910 as the first national branch of the International Law Association (ILA). From 15 to 20 August 2010 the Netherlands Society will host the 74th Conference of the ILA, which is to be held in The Hague. It is for the fifth time that the ILA will have assembled in the Netherlands and the fourth time that The Hague has been chosen to host the ILA members from its 45 branches all over the world. The theme of the 74th Conference ‘De Iure Humanitatis, Peace, Justice and International Law’ very well reflects the present nature and essence of international law and its development from interstate law into law for humanity.