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IHL Competition: Moot Court 2023

A group of people sitting in a court chamber
A group of people sitting in a court chamber
Home IHL Competition: Moot Court 2023

The International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Moot Court Competition is usually held once a year in Wellington, New Zealand and seeks to raise awareness of the laws or war.

IHL Moot Court Competition 2023

The New Zealand Red Cross will hold the IHL Moot Court Competition in Wellington from 1 to 2 December 2023. The competition is open to teams from each of the six New Zealand law schools.

The purpose of the IHL Moot Competition includes enhancing students’ knowledge and understanding of IHL, developing students’ capacity to apply the law in a practical and relevant manner to real-life situations, supporting the teaching of IHL in New Zealand universities, and preparing participants for IHL-related professional endeavours.

Entry criteria

The competition is open to students studying law at New Zealand law schools. Mooting societies select their team and registration is at the discretion of the Dean of the law school.

Read more about entry criteria in the IHL Moot Rules 2023

For more information, contact your Dean or Rebecca Dudley, International Humanitarian Law Advisor via ihl@redcross.org.nz.

Preparing for the Moot

New Zealand Red Cross coordinates with the Dean of each law school to organise and pays for travel and two nights' accommodation for participants. Participants can request different travel arrangements but must pay any difference in costs. 

To prepare for the Moot, you’ll need the 2023 Moot Problem (which is fictional but deals with real issues) and the Moot Rules:

Teams must submit a Synopsis of Argument (separately for prosecution and defence) by 23:59 Friday 24 November 2023 (one week prior to the competition). Email your synopses to ihl@redcross.org.nz.

Key timings during the Moot

Friday 1 December

  • Participants arrive that morning in Wellington.

Saturday 2 December

  • The Moot preliminaries start in the morning, judged by IHL experts from wide-ranging professional backgrounds.
  • At lunchtime the finalists are announced.
  • The final is held in the afternoon in the Old High Court. It is judged by a panel of distinguished senior judges.
  • In the evening, there is a reception for all the participants and the award for the best speaker is given. This is the formal end of the competition.

Sunday 3 December

  • Participants travel home.

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