Two Weeks in Sanremo: Strengthening My Commitment to Refugee Protection and International Humanitarian Law 

As a Pathways International-uOttawa Refugee Hub Fellow, Omer Malikyar attended the International Institute of Humanitarian Law's Sanremo Summer School to deepen his understanding of the legal foundations underpinning humanitarian action and refugee protection. Bringing together practitioners, policymakers, humanitarian workers, legal experts, and academics from around the world, the program explored how international humanitarian law and refugee law are applied in practice through case studies, simulations, and discussions grounded in real-world crises. For Omer, the experience reinforced that effective protection depends not only on strong legal frameworks, but also on political will, cross-sector collaboration, and the collective commitment of those working to translate international legal principles into meaningful protection and durable solutions for displaced communities.