RIYADH: Confidence comes from competence, and competence comes from experience, Martin Camp told a panel discussion at the International Conference on Judicial Training held in Riyadh on Tuesday.

The mantra is central to Camp’s teaching approach as a professor of practice and assistant dean for graduate and international programs at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in Dallas, Texas, where he teaches property and business law.

In the conference’s sixth session, titled “Understanding Culture and Social Context in Judicial and Legal Training,” Camp, with other legal experts, discussed the significance of incorporating cultural awareness into the judicial system.

The panel included Rodrigo Alves, professor of law at the Federal University of Uberlandia, Mark Sweet, a partner at the Finnegan law firm, Jamal Haroun, secretary-general of the permanent secretariat of the Euro-Arab Judicial Training Network, and Henry Gao, professor of law at Singapore Management University.

Camp said that despite each nation’s cultural identity, we all, as a collective society, desire the same things.

“Then I realized that under this veneer difference, we are the same. People want the same things. They want work, family, security, peace, everything they want depends on the rule of law.

“It does not matter what label we put on what systems people choose or what is chosen for them, in the final analysis, whatever system, people still want justice. They want the general application of the principle of rule of law and those are the rules that people are expected to follow.”

To have a flowing judicial system, training needs to be a regular part of the life of the judiciary and sometimes specialization is preferred to provide competence, Camp said.

“The role of the judiciary is ensuring that the rule of law, that the courts, are preachers of our constitution and our legislature … by understanding the law, practicing the law, and having the confidence that comes from that,” Camp added.

Fabricio Da Cruz, a federal judge in Brazil, told Arab News that he is attending the conference because he is fascinated by its theme, which explores the future of judicial training.

“Everybody here has something to tell and something to teach, but there is a lot to learn ... sharing knowledge is the main benefit from a conference like this.”

With 20 years of legal experience, Da Cruz has served as a professor of social sciences and law for undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. students.

“I give this advice to my students and children: stay hungry for knowledge and focus on developing (your) skills ... knowledge and skills, together, make a huge difference in the future for the person, community, and country.”

The conference, which began on May 6, focused on the many aspects of judicial and legal training. Gathering law professionals from more than 40 countries, it explored how modern technologies and artificial intelligence can be integrated to enhance judicial and legal training methodologies.

Workshops and panel discussions covered challenges in developing training content during digital transformation, the impact of cultural and social contexts on the judicial training process, and key methodologies for evaluating training outcomes.

RIYADH: The Heritage Commission kicked off day one of the International Workshop on Industrial Heritage in the JAX district to promote awareness of industrial heritage, its preservation, and diversification. 

The workshop, which runs from May 7 to May 8 in Diriyah, will cover topics such as industrial heritage on a global scale, industrial heritage within the Kingdom, and case studies of the revitalization and restoration of industrial heritage sites. 

The workshop features global experts who will lecture and share their case studies, including Tosh Warwick from the UK, Mitsuko Nishikawa from Japan, and Mirhan Damin, who will discuss her expertise in industrial heritage in Egypt. 

The opening remarks for the workshop were delivered by Jasser Al-Harbash, CEO of the Heritage Commission, who highlighted some of the Kingdom’s notable industrial heritage sites, particularly in the mining sector.

Following the opening remarks, several participants and speakers at the workshop were honored with plaques for their contributions to the field, including Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Khalifa from the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage in Bahrain, Amal Al-Harbi from the JAX district, and Dr. Massimo Preite from the International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage, among others.

The first session of the workshop provided a broader overview of international industrial heritage, with panel members sharing insights from Germany, Latin America, and the UK. 

Marion Steiner, secretary-general of the TICCIH, gave a lecture on the interpretation and global perspective of industrial heritage. 

She stressed that a global understanding of industrial heritage leads to a better understanding of each other and sparks peace-building in the minds of men and women.  

Steiner told Arab News that gatherings like the workshop hosted by the Saudi Heritage Commission serve “as an element in a process which could lead to a better understanding of what connects us across places and people through history and time.”

Miles Oglethorpe, president of the TICCIH, discussed the broad definition of industrial heritage and the extensive list of sectors that fall within this category, such as agriculture, mining, oil and gas, heavy industries, and water desalination.

He explained that industrial heritage comprises sites, structures, and complexes, as well as their associated documentation and history.

“It includes both material assets and immovable and movable and intangible dimensions such as know-how, the organization of work and workers, and the complex social and cultural legacy that has shaped the life of communities and brought major organizational changes to entire societies and the world in general,” said Oglethorpe.

As part of the workshop, the commission set up multiple VR stations that allow users to explore the Kingdom's industrial heritage sites, including oil and gas projects. These stations provided information on engineering feats such as the Tapline, dating back to the oil boom in the 1950s.

By hosting this international workshop, the Kingdom aims to take a proactive approach to documenting its industrial heritage. The workshop invited participants to share international expertise, exchange insights, and engage in debates on strategies for industrial heritage preservation.