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After years of representing the nation state of Samoa in front of the International Court of Justice in the Case Against the Bomb and in the United Nations negotiations leading to the treaty setting up the International Criminal Court, Roger finally had the opportunity to visit Samoa!  And of course, Amy had to go along.

 

Roger was greeted like a visiting dignitary: the Attorney General of Samoa met him on his arrival (and later took us on a daylong tour of the island); the Prime Minister gave a formal dinner in his honor and presented him with a kava bowl; the Chief Justice, many of the Samoan Ministers, and members of Parliament were on hand to hear him speak.  He was joined by his good friend, former student, and co-conspirator the Honorable Tuiloma Neroni Slade, former Samoan Ambassador to the United Nations and current judge of the ICC.   [The two of them conspired on the case against the bomb before the ICJ, as well as in the negotiations on the ICC. For the two letters that Roger wrote capturing the spirit of the ICJ proceeding, click here.]  Professionally, it was a great experience.  For pictures of the conference and its participants, click here. And for pictures of the final banquet, click here.

The professional was combined with the recreational: Amy and Roger had a chance to see much of the island of 'Upolo. You know what they say about "mad dogs and Englishmen . . . go out in the midday sun?" In this case, it was Kiwis (Roger and Alan Webb) who dragged Amy up to the top of Mount Vaea to the grave of Robert Louis Stevenson.
			The first day we arrived, the Attorney General (aka Brenda!) took us on a tour of the island of 'Upolo, culminating in a picnic on the beach on the southern shore.  Such a relaxing place that Roger and I decided we had to go back when the conference was over!
Roger and Amy even found their own "treasure island", the lovely Pacific island of Nu'usaf'e, where for an afternoon they (and their three crew members) were the only inhabitants. The ocean waters were great for snorkling, and in the afternoon, they were followed home by a sea of dolphins!