The Global Alliance for Justice Education (GAJE) announces that registration is now open for its 5th Worldwide Conference in the Philippines from December 7-13, 2008. The conference fee is $US 350  (which includes all lunches and several dinners) and increases to US $450 after October 1. Persons who cannot pay the full conference fee can request a fee reduction. Options for conference housing range from $5/night to $150/night. A limited number of grants for costs of travel and/or accommodation will be given, generally only to persons playing a specific role at the conference, such as a session organizer, program speaker, or workshop leader.  The deadline for conference proposals and grant applications has been extended to 15 September 2008. (Submissions after September 15 may be approved at the discretion of the Conference Planning Committee.) Registration is on-line through the GAJE web site and offers the option of paying by credit card or mail. Persons requesting a fee reduction can still complete the preliminary registration process. To register, submit a conference proposal, or request a travel grant, go to www.gaje.org 

The Manila Conference will be an opportunity for law teachers, law students, legal practitioners, jurists and social activists to acquire new ideas, models, and skills for the use of education to promote

justice. The Conference will also play a key role in the implementation of the new GAJE Justice Education Initiative. Workshop sessions during the Conference will attempt to define justice education in terms generally applicable in every country of the world, and to produce a model statement of the content and procedures of a comprehensive justice education program, supported by examples of existing justice education programs from around the world. For more information about this initiative, go to the GAJE web site www.gaje.org and select "Justice  Education Initiative" or go directly to www.gaje.org/JEI.

Regarding Conference Structure: The aim of the conference structure will be to facilitate as much participation as possible by those attending. While there will be a small number of plenary sessions, including a few key note speeches, most of the conference will consist of workshops, small group sessions, and other opportunities for sharing ideas, materials, etc.

The Conference Themes

Interested persons are invited to submit proposals on any of following themes:

• New initiatives in justice education;
• Developing and mainstreaming justice education in the law school and other curricula;
• Teaching social justice through experiential learning;
• Clinical legal education, including street law, legal awareness and live-client clinics;
• Justice education and professional responsibility;
• Special areas of concern, such as human rights and violence against women and children.

Presenters are requested to make their presentations participatory and should indicate in their proposal how they would achieve this. Presentations by teams from different regions will be favoured.

The Conference Hosts

The Manila Conference will be hosted by the Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC), a university-based institution engaged in the promotion and protection of human rights in the Philippines, in collaboration with Bridges across Borders (BAB), a non-governmental organization working in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Ireland, the United States, Mexico, Panama and Colombia. The primary venue for the Conference will be the Law School of Ateneo de Manila University, located in the City of Makati in metropolitan Manila.

About GAJE

GAJE is an alliance of persons committed to achieving justice through legal education. Clinical education of law students is a key component of justice education, but GAJE also works to advance other forms of socially relevant legal education, which includes education of practicing lawyers, judges, non-governmental organizations and the lay

public. GAJE has so far successfully organized four worldwide conferences: in India (1999), South Africa (2001), Poland (2004) and Argentina (2006), as well as two regional conferences in Australia and the United States. See the GAJE website www.gaje.org for conference reports from previous conferences.

Submission of Proposals

Forms for the submission of Proposals are obtainable from the GAJE Conference website. (www.gaje.org/Conf08/Participate.htm or by sending an email request to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  Completed proposal forms should be sent to the GAJE General Secretary, George Mukundi, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  on or before 15 September 2008.

Applications for Travel Grants and Fee Reductions

Separate application forms for Travel Grants and Conference Fee Reductions are obtainable from the GAJE website at (www.gaje.org/Conf08/WaiversAndGrants.htm or by sending an email request to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Travel grant applications should be submitted by 15 September 2008.  Travel grants will generally be given only to persons playing a specific role at the conference, such as a session organizer, program speaker, or workshop leader.  Therefore, unless you already have a confirmed conference role, you should submit a proposal to participate before or at the same time as your grant application. Depending upon funding, applicants will be informed of the

decision regarding their application for a travel grant or fee reduction as soon as possible and generally by 30 September 2008.   Completed applications should be sent to the GAJE General Secretary, George Mukundi, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

NOTE: This announcement may be forwarded (or its content reproduced and distributed) to any and all interested individuals or lists.