The 2024 International Bar Association (IBA) International Criminal Court (ICC) Moot Court Competition has begun with a keynote address by ICC President, Judge Tomoko Akane. Speaking to a packed auditorium of more than 350 participants Judge Akane highlighted the importance of the ICC in the global fight against impunity and the need for state parties, civil society and the world's citizens to work together in support of the Court's mandate to seek justice.
ICC President, Judge Akane said, 'The ICC is entrusted with a noble mandate: to fight against impunity and establish the rule of law by carrying out fair judicial proceedings. This is an enormous responsibility which can only be realised by a lot of committed professionals, both within and outside the ICC, working together. The future of international justice is dependent on aspiring young professionals such as yourselves. I hope that the ICC moot will be an opportunity for aspiring youth to further familiarise themselves with ICC proceedings, acquire advocacy skills and connect with like-minded people. […] [T]he issues contained in the moot problem are actual issues that may arise in real world situations or those that have been relevant in actual cases before the Court. One of the great characteristics of this competition is also that many of the judges who will pose questions to you are familiar with the practice in ICC proceedings. I am therefore confident that in attempting to persuade these judges, you will learn a lot about the actual practice of ICC proceedings, and not just the theory.'
The opening ceremony also included remarks from Kate Orlovsky, Director of the IBA ICC & ICL Programme in the Hague, Dr Carsten Stahn, Professor of International Criminal Law and Global Justice at Leiden University and Chair of the IBA ICC Moot Court Competition Organising Committee; and Professor Michael P Scharf, Dean of Case Western Reserve University School of Law and Chair of the IBA ICC Moot Court Competition Board of Advisors and Rob Schuurmans, Deputy Director for Internal Affairs of the Municipality of The Hague.
In its 11th year, the annual IBA ICC Moot Court Competition, organised in collaboration with the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies of the Leiden University, began on Friday 31 May in The Hague, The Netherlands. This year, the seven-day educational and social programme has brought together 93 teams comprised of 500 law students from 47 countries. As in previous years, through IBA scholarships, teams from the Open University of Sri Lanka, the National Law College of Nepal, the University of Ghana, the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil and the Ukraine Catholic University have been assisted in participating in the Moot Court.
IBA Executive Director Mark Ellis , commented, 'The IBA ICC Moot Court provides students, with diverse backgrounds and cultures from around the world, with an incredible opportunity to develop their theoretical and practical knowledge of international criminal law; and to learn from the best international criminal lawyers in the field. Over the years our Moot Court has contributed to a global community of practitioners who will carry on the fight against injustice and criminal acts into the next generation and beyond.'
The IBA ICC Moot Court is a simulation of the proceedings of the ICC where participants act as the prosecution, defence and victims' counsel. In particular, the competition is designed to enhance law students' knowledge of the Rome Statute - the treaty that created the ICC in 1998 - and support their understanding of the proceedings of the Court in more detail.
The competition consists of a series of written and oral rounds of arguments as the student teams are presented with a fictitious case. This year, The Prosecutor v Lionel Strong - Situation in The Republic of Sirax is the fictional case. Law students will explore the question of whether the destruction of cultural heritage constitutes a prosecutable war crime or is a crime against humanity. The participating teams submit written memorials that are assessed by international law practitioners who have volunteered as judges or evaluators. Of the 300 volunteers, many are IBA members.
Professor Scharf stated, 'Every year, the ICC Moot Court seeks to educate a new generation of international lawyers about an important aspect of international criminal law. This year's case focuses on the protection of cultural objects, which are under attack in conflicts around the globe, threatening identity, memory, and the future of entire populations.'
Participating students are assessed on their pleading structure, knowledge and use of principles of law and rules of procedure, persuasiveness and rebuttals. The achievements of participants and teams will be recognised with a number of awards bestowed at the end of the competition.
The final round will take place on Friday 7 June, in a courtroom of the ICC, where students will present their arguments orally with ICC Judge Althea Violet Alexis-Windsor presiding.
