On September 10 and 11, 2020, the Rule of Law Collaborative (ROLC) hosted a virtual graduation ceremony to recognize the participants in its groundbreaking Rule of Law Certificate Course. The USAID-funded course was created in conjunction with Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and provided an intensive course on rule of law topics including ethics, corruption, human rights, international law, and access to justice. The course was geared towards actors across the judicial sector, and the 30 participants included a wide range of highly experienced Ukrainian legal professionals.

The graduation ceremony provided an opportunity for more than 30 attendees to celebrate the participants’ completion of the course. Utilizing innovative, simultaneous translation services, the ceremony featured remarks from program leaders and presentations by each of the participants. The participants completed capstone research projects that required each individual to identify a rule of law problem in Ukraine and propose a solution to the problem based on the knowledge they acquired throughout the course. Following each presentation, attendees were given an opportunity to discuss the topic and pose questions. The ceremony exemplified the innovative, collaborative nature of the program and served as an opportunity for attendees to celebrate the achievements of the participants and the course. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the success of the virtual event demonstrates ROLC’s forward-thinking strategies for maintaining commitment to the rule of law.