GU-Q and HBKU Team to Compete in the Jean-Pictet Competition for International Law in Belgium
A team of Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) and HBKU Law students has been selected to participate in the 43rd Jean-Pictet Competition, a training event in international humanitarian law, from February 25 through March 3, 2024, in Bredene, Belgium.
Two undergraduate students from GU-Q, Anam Fatima (SFS’24) and Felicia Masferrer (SFS’24), both majoring in International Politics, will be joined by teammate Safaa Jaber, an SJD student candidate at HBKU College of Law. The trio will be competing against teams from around the world in a series of simulations designed to test their international humanitarian law expertise.
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. 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.”
International Law Training at GU-Q
At GU-Q, 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.
Dr. Aboueldahab also played a pivotal role in the team’s preparation for the competition. The course, which also offers academic credit, began with the detailed application process. During this critical preparatory phase, Dr. 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 will offer 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.”
