Date:

Monday 26 May 2008

Time:

1.00-2.00pm

Location:

Building DA9 (campus map, pdf file), Room DA9-001, JCU Douglas Campus, Angus Smith Drive, TOWNSVILLE

Video conferenced to: Room A21.002, JCU Cairns Campus, McGregor Road, Smithfield, CAIRNS

Summary:

India is a nation that is largely committed to the principle of ‘ahimsa’ or ‘non-violence’. It is also one of the few countries in the world that has enshrined animal protection in its Constitution. Despite this, animals in India continue to suffer enormously and in staggering numbers.

In this presentation, leading animal advocate Raj Panjwani will provide an overview of the status of animal protection in India and shed light on some of the big issues facing legal advocates for animals. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience and his work as Legal Counsel for India’s peak environmental and animal protection organisations, Mr Panjwani will discuss his first-hand experience as a voice for wild and domesticated animals used in entertainment, food production, scientific and teaching purposes and hunting. He will also examine the implications of the global expansion of agribusiness for India’s farm animals.

The aim of Mr Panjwani’s talk is to provide his audience with an in-depth account of the status of the animal law movement in India, its achievements and the challenges that lie ahead. The talk will also demonstrate that animal law crosses jurisdictional boundaries and that Australian animal lawyers have much to learn from their international colleagues. The lecture will be an interactive one, with plenty of time allocated for questions from the audience.

Speaker:

Raj Panjwani

Mr Panjwani has had over 25 years of experience in the High and Supreme Courts of India where he has advocated for a range of animals including turtles, antelope, tigers, deer, goats and buffalo. Mr Panjwani has also been instrumental in drafting legislation relating to the protection of animals.

Sponsored by:

Voiceless

Contact:

Everyone welcome. For further information and to RSVP, please email: events@voiceless.org.au