Note to Editors: Members of the press are welcome to attend without charge. To arrange, e-mail Kelly Murphy: Kelly.Murphy@colorado.edu. While Coloradans get set to vote on a ballot initiative that would require the use of some renewable energy, populous countries such as India and China are also looking at these power sources as a way to meet their growing energy needs. Energy and other issues facing developing countries will be the topic of discussion at The International Law Student Association's annual fall conference to be held Oct. 21 to Oct. 23 at the University of Colorado at Boulder Fleming Law Building. Called "Challenges Facing Developing Countries," the event will kick off Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. with a welcome reception and introduction by the dean of the CU law school, David Getches. The conference will bring together international scholars from as far away as Nigeria, Chad, Ethiopia, Europe and Sri Lanka to discuss constitution building, the development of legal institutions, international environmental law, cultural relativism and global energy needs. "We want to examine how the conflict between international standards and the needs of developing nations can best be resolved," said Lakshman Guruswamy, CU professor of international and environmental law and a conference panelist. "The United States, the European Union and the United Nations have increasingly sought to assist developing nations regarding such problems, but unfortunately too often their assistance is viewed as culturally inappropriate and ineffective." The Honorable Christopher Weeramantry, former vice president of the International Court of Justice, will deliver the keynote address on Oct. 23 at 3:30 p.m. The conference also will feature discussion on the Energy Environment and Security Initiative or EESI. EESI is an ambitious interdisciplinary proposal that responds to the energy and environmental crises created by global reliance on hydrocarbons. The objective of EESI is to encourage new international initiatives addressing this global problem. The law school, the CU Nicholas R. Doman International Law Society and the Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy, are hosting the event. The Journal is a CU student-run publication published three times yearly and features articles on topics such as global climate change, transboundary water pollution, protection of biological diversity and international environmental conventions. Attendees can register at the door but are encouraged to register online at http://www.colorado.edu/law/ilsa-2004. A registration fee is required, however, CU students, faculty and staff with CU IDs will be admitted free of charge. Attorneys may receive up to eight continuing legal education credits for attendance. For more information, contact Kelly Murphy at (303) 797-3742 or send email to kelly.murphy@colorado.edu. Contact: Lorenzo Trujillo, (303) 492-6682 Lorenzo.Trujillo@colorado.edu Kelly Murphy, (303) 797-3742 kelly.murphy@colorado.edu Dirk Martin, (303) 492-3140