Nepal: regional competition on humanitarian law kicks off in Kathmandu
20-10-2011 News Release 11/217
Kathmandu (ICRC) – The Henry Dunant Memorial Regional Moot Court Competition, jointly organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Nepal's Judicial Service Training Centre, is taking place from 20 to 22 October in Dhulikhel, near Kathmandu.
Law students from the six countries participating in this seventh annual regional competition gathered in Nepal's capital for today's opening ceremony. This is the first time that the event, traditionally held in India, has been hosted in Nepal.
The chief guest, Dr Amber Pant, dean of the Faculty of Law at Tribhuvan University, inaugurated the event at a ceremony presided over by Dr Trilochan Upreti, secretary in the office of the prime minister. "The principal objective of this prestigious competition is to develop knowledge of and interest in international humanitarian law in academic institutions throughout the South Asia region," said Patrick Vial, the head of the ICRC delegation in Nepal, as he welcomed the participants. International humanitarian law comprises the laws and customs aiming to limit the effects of armed conflict for humanitarian reasons.
The participants are university law students from Bangladesh, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Most of the national teams earned a place at the regional competition after winning similar competitions at the national level. The panel of judges is drawn from Bangladesh, India, Iran, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
This Regional Moot Court Competition, named after Henry Dunant, the co-founder of the ICRC and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, is the most popular academic contest on international humanitarian law in South Asia. The winner and runners-up will compete in the Asia-Pacific Moot Court Competition, organized by the ICRC and the Hong Kong Red Cross, which will be held in Hong Kong in early 2012.
In Nepal, the ICRC promotes international humanitarian law and addresses the residual effects of the past conflict. In addition, it helps the Nepal Red Cross Society, government authorities and others to improve their emergency preparedness and response capacities.
For further information, please contact:
Robin Waudo, ICRC Kathmandu, tel: +977 1 4107285 or +977 98510 34638
Anita Devkota, ICRC Kathmandu, tel: +977 1 4107285 or +977 97510 74295