International Children’s Rights (Advanced LL.M.) | Meet the Guest Lecturer: Mr. Philippe Lortie

In each episode, we share a short conversation with an inspiring guest lecturer visiting the Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in International Children’s Rights programme at Leiden University. In this episode, Professor Ann Skelton speaks with Mr. Philippe Lortie, First Secretary at the Hague Conference on Private International Law, who joined the programme for a panel discussion on the 1996 Hague Child Protection Convention and the situation of children in Ukraine as part of the Child and Family in Private International Law course. Mr. Lortie reflects on the value of engaging with students and sharing how the Hague Conference on Private International Law works in practice with States and experts. He also encourages students not to take anything for granted and emphasises the importance of listening to different perspectives when working across diverse legal systems, professional backgrounds, and complex international contexts.