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VOICE-OVER: It might seem obvious
for us to have freedom of speech,

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but that is not the case
in every country.

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Especially bloggers
who write about social or political issues

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face threats
or even worse.

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ANNA ROSALES:
I think that they open the door

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for other people
who maybe don't dare to say things.

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VOICE-OVER:
During the week

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in which the Peace Palace
celebrates its 100th anniversary

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nine bloggers from around the world
were invited to visit the Netherlands

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to report via social media
about the celebrations

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and the ministerial conference
on 28 August.

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Of course they also had an opportunity
to share experiences with each other.

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JACKY MANUPUTTY:
Those who blog, blog for many reasons.

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I mean,
we can learn from one another

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how to maximise
the power of blogs and social media,

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especially
to bring about peace.

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CHRIS BORGEN:
Hearing actual experiences

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is something that lawyers
and particularly academics

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should do
to better understand situations.

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VOICE-OVER:
On the first day of their visit

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they went
to Radio Netherlands Worldwide,

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where they spoke
about their role as bloggers or journalists.

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JANET ANDERSON: If you look at the kinds
of countries that these bloggers come from,

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their media report
what the government wants.

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But they as bloggers
have the opportunity

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to really explain what is going on
in reality on the ground

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and to ask the questions
that need to be asked

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and to really find a way of challenging
what is going on in government

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and make it known
to a wider group of people.

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VOICE-OVER: The second day they visited
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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These bloggers
are important to the ministry as well.

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ALDRIK GIERVELD: It gives us
a better insight about what they're doing

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and it very much
is in line

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with what we deem important
in our foreign policy.

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So these people are working
on peace and justice issues,

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sometimes in fragile states
like the DCR.

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And this really works nicely together
with our policy objectives there as well.

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VOICE-OVER: The celebration of
the 100th anniversary of the Peace Palace

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took place on Wednesday.
The bloggers also attended.

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They met the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Frans Timmermans

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and were given the chance
to ask him questions.

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MINISTER TIMMERMANS: Perhaps also
in the educational system in your country,

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that in schools and universities people
could be taught what it is the Court does.

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VOICE-OVER: On Thursday
the bloggers joined a panel discussion

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on international criminal law
at the Clingendael Institute,

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followed by a meeting
with president Song

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of the International Criminal Court
on Friday.

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FADI EL ABDALLAH:
Now we are in a new and modern society

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where a public opinion
is not only shaped

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by powerful media
and by political statements,

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but also by individuals
like the bloggers.

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And that's why I think it is very important
to provide them with the right information,

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so that they can build
their own personal opinion

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and through that help building a more
supportive general opinion about the Court.

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CARLOS ALBERTO PEREZ BENITEZ:
I think there is a way

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that we can take that knowledge
and the answers of these personalities

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to our blogs and Twitter
and we can share it with our followers.

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That's the way that we have
to tell the world

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what is really going on here
and what we have learnt here.