East West University Law Team Achieves Historic Participation at the United Nations in the 18th Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition in Geneva
The Department of Law at East West University (EWU) has represented Bangladesh at the 18th Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition held at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Qualifying as the only institution from Bangladesh and one of just 24 universities selected from a global pool of 122, EWU shared the stage with top-ranked law faculties worldwide, including the University of Oxford, Koç University, and the University of New South Wales (UNSW), National Law University of India etc.
Held inside the historic Palais des Nations, the team was coached by Nur-A Ariya Alam (Lecturer, Department of Law), alongside student delegates Md. Salmun Alam (1st Oralist), Shagufta Chowdhury Adrita (2nd Oralist), and Abdur Rahman Jobair (Observer). Together, the team delivered oral arguments on complex issues of international human rights law. In the Advanced Rounds, EWU faced Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo and UNSW Australia, concluding their competitive run after a closely fought round against UNSW.
Beyond the courtroom, the delegation participated in high-level diplomatic exchanges with UN officials, international judges, and foreign ambassadors. Highlights included meetings with His Excellency Ambassador Zaheer Laher, Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations Office at Geneva; H.E. Ambassador Nguyễn Hồng Thao of Viet Nam, member of the International Law Commission and former Ambassador; and H.E. Ambassador Mario Oyarzabal of Argentina, Chair of the United Nations International Law Commission, alongside distinguished jurists including ICJ Judge Dire Tladi, Judge President Ivana Jelić, and Professor Manfred Nowak.
During an exclusive interaction with the EWU team, H.E. Ambassador Zaheer Laher offered a poignant piece of advice directly to the delegation:
"You see, there are so many people on Earth, but you got the chance to represent your country at the world stage in the UN. So, be proud of it and gather as much experience as you can so that those who could not make it do not feel left out."
Throughout the five-day event, the EWU team established strong working relationships with fellow oralists from Oxford, UNSW, Kenyatta University, the University of Allahabad, and Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila. These interactions provided practical exposure to how top international advocates structure arguments, handle judicial questioning, and apply precedent under pressure - knowledge the delegation plans to bring back to enrich EWU’s mooting culture.
The team extended its sincere gratitude to the EWU administration, law faculty, alumni, and mentors whose guidance made the trip possible. By standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the world's elite law schools in Geneva, East West University has set a new benchmark for Bangladeshi legal education on the global stage.
