Anam Fatima Named Best Speaker at 43rd Jean-Pictet Competition in Belgium
A team of Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) students participated in the 43rd Jean-Pictet Competition, a training event in international humanitarian law, from February 25 through March 3, 2024, in Bredene, Belgium.
Three undergraduate students from GU-Q, Anam Fatima (SFS’24), Omar Chehab (SFS’24), and Felicia Masferrer (SFS’24), were joined by teammate Safaa Jaber, an SJD student candidate at HBKU College of Law, who served as their coach. The trio competed against teams from around the world in a series of simulations designed to test their international humanitarian law expertise. The team distinguished themselves, with Anam Fatima receiving the Best Speaker Award.
“Being the recipient of the Gilbert-Apolis award (best speaker), in a setting of post-graduate law students truly helped me find my standing in public speaking and my passion in humanitarian law,” said Anam, adding: “I am grateful for the support from my teammates, Feli and Omar, Professor Noha and mentor Safaa – GU-Q’s success at Pictet was truly the culmination of a collective team effort.”
About the Competition
The Jean-Pictet Competition welcomes multidisciplinary teams, reflecting the multifaceted nature of humanitarian challenges that demand insights from political science, international relations, military education, and humanitarian studies. During the competitive application process, the students’ winning application underscored the role of the Education City multiversity in providing a diverse, interdisciplinary academic environment, enriching the study and application of humanitarian law.
“While we are based in Qatar, our team members have diverse backgrounds, representing different nationalities from three major regions of the Global South: Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East,” they wrote. “Our lived experiences in those regions and in Qatar, as well as our interdisciplinary training in international politics and international law, have shaped our educational and cultural backgrounds that animate intellectual discussions within the team.”
Reflecting on the experience, Felicia said “Jean-Pictet was truly a life changing competition. It fully pushed me to my limits, helped me grow as a person and opened myself to new experiences. Additionally, it helped me overcome many fears and doubts about my public speaking and debating skills. Although it was an extremely competitive experience, it was full of caring and supportive peers, not only from other teams but from the staff as well. If you can apply, please do so! You will not regret it.”
For Omar, the benefits of the experience extended far beyond what he learned from the real life scenarios and experienced humanitarian lawyers running the competition. “I got the chance to develop friendships and relationships with some of the brightest future legal minds in the world. What Pictet does best is not merely allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge or compete over legal arguments. Its most valuable contribution is creating a global network of lawyers and advocates who want to make the world a better place, bit by bit, and I am proud to be a part of it.”
Preparing for Success
To prepare the team for the competition Dr. Noha Aboueldahab, a scholar of public international law, transitional justice, and the laws of war, developed a course specifically designed to prepare the team for the competition by enhancing their practical skills and deepening their theoretical understanding of laws governing armed conflict.
The course, which also offers academic credit, began with the detailed application process. During this critical preparatory phase, Aboueldahab met frequently with the students, providing them with critical guidance, constructive feedback, and essential academic resources.
“I am very proud of the team for their selection to participate in the Jean-Pictet Competition, which is one of the most prestigious international law competitions in the world. In addition to enhancing their knowledge of international humanitarian law in practice, the competition offers them an excellent opportunity to establish and develop life-long networks of mentors, friends, and peers,” she said. “In a world where war crimes are being committed on an unprecedented scale, it is crucial that budding international lawyers receive advanced training to help prepare them for the real world.”