11th International Disaster Law Course by IIHL Sanremo, Online (30 October - 27 November 2026; Apply by 25 October 2026)

The International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL), Sanremo, Italy, runs the 11th International Disaster Law Course online from 30 October to 27 November 2026. The course is organised by the Institute's Special Projects Department in collaboration with IFRC Disaster Law (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) and the Italian Red Cross.

The course gives a comprehensive overview of existing international provisions and key regulatory issues in disaster risk reduction and management. Exercises and case studies focus on the real-life application of international legal standards and on best practices of humanitarian actors on the ground.

• The Treaty on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters
• The interplay between Disaster Law, Human Rights and IHL
• Refugees, migration and displacement in the event of disasters
• Disaster mitigation, prevention and preparedness, including climate change adaptation
• Regulatory issues in disaster response and management
• The regional dimension of Disaster Law in Europe, Asia and Africa
• The role of international organisations in disaster risk management

• Module 0, 30 October: Opening Session and Course Overview (approx. 90 min)
• Module 1, 3 November: International, Regional and Domestic Legal Frameworks
• Module 2, 6 November: IDL, IHL and Human Rights Law
• Module 3, 10 November: Refugee, Migration and Displacement
• Module 4, 13 November: Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation
• Module 5, 17 November: International Disaster Response and Management
• Module 6, 20 November: Disaster preparedness, response and management at the EU level and EU external action in International Humanitarian Aid (approx. 150 min)
• Module 7, 24 November: Regional disaster preparedness, response and management at the ASEAN and AU levels
• Module 8, 27 November: Online roundtable on the role of International Organisations in Disaster Management

Every live session starts at 2:00 pm CET (6:30 pm IST) and runs approximately 120 minutes unless noted. Self-paced sessions run alongside the live ones, and thematic assignments must be delivered to complete the course.

The course is co-directed by Prof. Giulio Bartolini (Professor of International Law, Roma Tre University; Editor-in-Chief, Yearbook of International Disaster Law) and Isabelle Granger (Global Lead, Disaster Law and Auxiliary Role, IFRC). It is coordinated by Edoardo Gimigliano (Coordinator, IIHL Special Projects Department) and Dr. Tommaso Natoli (Head of Humanitarian Diplomacy and IHL, Italian Red Cross; IFRC Disaster Law Focal Point for Europe). The agenda lists speakers from the UN Office of Legal Affairs, OCHA, WFP, the European Commission (DG-ECHO), IFRC and several universities.

The official page states the target audience as "governmental and military personnel, international and regional organisations staff, personnel from different NGOs, Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, academics, civil protection officers, international lawyers, legal advisors, graduate and post-graduate students with interest in humanitarian assistance and disaster risk management issues." No nationality restriction is stated, and the official registration form accepts Indian nationality.

The course is conducted in English with no simultaneous translation; reasonable proficiency in English is required. Applicants are selected on criteria such as the quality of the CV, learning needs, current position and affiliation, country of origin and motivation.

• Registration fee: EUR 750. It covers private access to the IIHL E-Learning platform, course materials (presentations, readings, media, self-assessment tools, exercises and feedback), tutoring throughout the course and the course certificate.
• Payment: the course page says the fee must be remitted before the start of the course, and also that it must be paid within 30 days from the notification of selection, by bank transfer or by Visa or Mastercard on the Institute's website.
• Discount: staff and volunteers of the Italian Red Cross, staff of the IFRC, and staff and volunteers of other Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies get a 25% discount; state your affiliation clearly when applying. The discount cannot be combined with other offers.
• The course page does not mention scholarships; the Institute's general information says no scholarships or financial aid are provided unless the course page states otherwise.

The official Certificate is released to participants who attend the course in full, including live and self-paced sessions. Under the Special Projects Department's general rules, a cancellation received more than 14 full days before the course begins carries no liability (bank charges may apply), one received 8 to 14 full days before costs 50% of the fee, and one received within 7 full days costs 100% of the fee.

Submit the official online Registration Form (Special Projects, course "11th IDL (EN) 2026") by 25 October 2026. All applicants receive a response whether or not they are selected. Queries on registration and administrative matters go to Ms Eleonora Tranquillo at eleonora.tranquillo@iihl.org.