History will be created next week when the Inter-American Court of Human Rights holds its 44th Extraordinary Period of Sessions in Barbados from October 10 - 14, the first of its kind for the region.

Seven Judges of the Court and six members of the ICHR's Secretariat staff will lead the contingent at the Period of Sessions which will hold public hearings on contentious cases or provisional measures under consideration.

The decision of the ICHR to hold one of its Extraordinary Period of Sessions in Barbados presents a unique opportunity for the local and regional publics, particularly legal practitioners, law students and other interested persons to get a greater understanding of the work of the Court, while at the same time sensitising the Judges and Secretariat of the ICHR about Barbados' legal and judicial systems.

According to a Senior Official: "Government is committed to raising public awareness on issues of human rights within the context of the Inter-American System and it is hoped that this visit would contribute to the development of a more collaborative and cooperative working relationship between the two legal bodies."

The ICHR is based in San Jose, Costa Rica, and to date, has convened only 14 Extraordinary Period of Sessions, all of which were held in Latin American Countries.

The seven Judges of the ICHR are: President, Diego Garcia-Sayan (Peru); Manuel E. Ventura Robles (Costa Rica); Margarette May Macaulay (Jamaica); Rhadys Abreu Blondet (Dominican Republic); Alberto Perez Perez (Uruguay); Eduardo Vio Grossi (Chile) and Registrar, Pablo Saavedra Alessandri (Chile).

Barbados ratified the American Convention on Human Rights in 1981 and accepted the jurisdiction of the Court on April 4, 2000. It remains to date the only Anglophone Caribbean State that recognises the jurisdiction of the Court.

The late Honourable Oliver Jackman, served as a judge of the Court from 1995 to 2006. He is to be honoured by the Court during the Opening Ceremony of the Extraordinary Period of Sessions, on Monday, October 10, beginning at 5:30 p.m.