1998 — The Court Is Born

On July 17, 1998, the world finally promised that no tyrant would be beyond the law. After five weeks of negotiations in Rome, 120 nations voted to adopt the Rome Statute, creating the International Criminal Court, the first permanent tribunal for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in history.

Africa's stake was enormous: the court would later put warlords on trial for atrocities in Congo, Darfur, and beyond. The statute entered into force on July 1, 2002, and its promise is simple: justice has no borders. Every year, July 17 is now celebrated as World Day for International Justice.