(Peace Palace)It was a week I was at first somewhat dreading, but at the same time excited to face. But it went by, despite the exhaustion, meagres hours of sleep, and running around--at times like headless chickens from place to place-- amazingly quickly.
The big moot court competition my colleagues and I have been planning and organising finally came, and went. Quite smoothly, besides the occasionally glitches and mishaps here and there, on the whole. It was not easy taking care of 25 teams from 25 different European countries, with around 200 attendants, assistants and staff members. Getting the whole moot court competition running and according to our tight schedule of court sessions, dinner and fun activities was a headache, but in the end we managed to pull it off.
The students who came were impressed, and delighted at how great an experience it was for them all. From the accomodation to the travel arrangements, from the catering to the closing party, from our carefully selected judges to the carefully chosen teams from many of the top universities of Europe. Everything and everyone came together like they were supposed to, and for close to four days, we roamed the hallways and court rooms of the Peace Palace, deliberating, engaging in deep discussions about this hypothetical case of HIV/AIDS, and becoming more enriched by the experience of it all.
It isn't anyone who can wander the Peace Palace freely like we could. But for the thirtieth year running since the start of this Competition, the building that houses the International Court of Justice itself was our home and office. Aspiring international lawyers, both organisers and attendees, in smart suits and in the companies of some of 'the best of the best' legal scholars and experts in the field... I've not felt some 'powerful' and proud of myself in a long, long time.
(The bench of the International Court of Justice)Being international law students, it was being inside the 'mecca' of our studies, and we could not resist the temptation of posing next to those 'sacred' seats of the great judges inside the Great Hall of Justice, from where all these cases have been pronounced. We walked around, snapping pictures of this room and this ornament-- all donations from one country or another-- all arranged in such grandeur and style remiscent of a medieval castle.
Of course it wasn't just sightseeing, despite the fact that each time I walked down those grand staircases and corridors my breath was held in awe. There was a lot of running around to be done, making sure that students and special guests knew where they are supposed to be, and behind-the-scenes work that needed to be done so that everything clicked together like clockwork. I also managed to 'network' a little, and acquaint myself with some professors and students, and finalise a number of places to visit for my next holiday.
At the end of four days, I was exhausted... it didn't help that the night before we partied into the early hours at a beach club , and had a bit too much to drink that a number of people kept on buying to show their appreciation of my hardwork.
I went home, sat down and soon enough plopped myself into bed and lay there sleeping for the next day or so.
For rare pictures from inside the Peace Palace, go to:
- Peace Palace- New Academic Building
- Peace Palace VI
- Peace Palace IV
- Peace Palace III
- Peace Palace II
- Peace Palace
Disclaimer: All views expressed are personal, and do not reflect the actual position of the Competition or of its official organisers.
