Partner-Led Events - Highlights

Croatia

On November 8, 2008 the Oregon/Maryland/Delaware/Croatia/Brazil Civitas partnership held its first mock trial showcase for high school students in Zagreb, Croatia. With Chief Justice Paul DeMuniz from the Oregon Supreme Court presiding, eighty students from six different high schools in Croatia argued two court cases using both the U.S. and Croatian legal procedures. Judge Marcella, as well as additional judges from the Zagreb Criminal Court, served as judges during the simulated court hearings. During the visit, the delegation also had the pleasure of meeting the President of the Croatian Supreme Court, Branko Hrvatin, for the first time. The Center’s partner in Oregon, Classroom Law Project, has been using mock trials with U.S. students since 1979 and now works with Croatian students to teach them about the similarities and differences between the two legal systems. 

Honduras

On November 10, 2009 the first National Project Citizen Showcase took place in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and was organized by the Center’s country partner, the Federation of Non-Governmental Organizations for the Development of Honduras (FOPRIDEH). The students that participated in the showcase represented the regions of Camasca, Juticalpa, and Tegucigalpa. Over 100 participants were in attendance, including mayoral candidates, representatives from the different political parties in Honduras, and the 2009 presidential candidate, including the recently elected President Porfirio Lobo Sosa. Since 2008, FOPRIDEH has implemented Project Citizen in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education, State Pedagogy University of Honduras, Peace Corps, and OFALAM, a national NGO implementing the USAID sponsored project, “Promoting Constitutional Rights and Values Program,” which includes Project Citizen.