The passing away of Dr. Ugo Genesio

The President, the Council and the staff, as well as members, alumni and the whole community of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law express their deepest condolences for the passing away of Dr. Ugo Genesio, one of the founders of the Sanremo Institute.

His life was marked by great dynamism. Having graduated in law at the Catholic University of Milan, presenting a thesis on administrative law, he became a legal prosecutor in 1959. In the 1960’s he was awarded a scholarship to go to Berkeley University in California where he completed a master degree in political science and improved his knowledge in the field of American constitutional and comparative law.

Having entered the judiciary he reached the highest positions of responsibility. At the Court of Assizes in Milan he was a reporting judge and wrote out the sentence in the trial concerning the dioxin disaster in Seveso (Italy), and the first sentence concerning the Banco Ambrosiano affair. Dr. Genesio concluded his career in the Court of Cassation where he dealt with important cases against organized criminality and administrative corruption.

Over the years Dr. Genesio deepened his studies and developed interests beyond his sphere of expertise and position of a brilliant judge and in 1970 he promoted the creation of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in Sanremo. Dr. Genesio dedicated almost thirty years of his life as Secretary-General of the Institute and in this role his unselfish and unwavering commitment greatly contributed to the Institute’s world-wide reputation as a centre of excellence and forum for impartial humanitarian dialogue among like-minded organisations and experts concerned with humanitarian law, human rights, refugee law and related matters. He will be greatly missed.

The funeral service was held on Tuesday 31^st October at 15.30 at the Cathedral of San Siro, Sanremo.