Spotlight on Ioana Moraru
Ioana Moraru is in charge of organising the International Criminal Court Moot Court Competition in The Hague, one of the largest competitions in International Criminal Law worldwide. Registration for the upcoming edition just opened. A good time to ask her a few questions.
What is your role at the Grotius Centre in The Hague?
As of September 2017, I am in charge of organising the annual International Criminal Court Moot Court Competition. I also coordinate the massive online open courses (MOOCs) that are currently developed by the Grotius Centre. In the past four years I was mainly involved in the organisation of the summer courses that are offered by The Grotius Centre.
What is the value of the ICC Moot Court Competition?
The ICC Moot Court Competition welcomes law students of diverse backgrounds and cultures from all over the world. Their participation in the Competition enables them to improve their knowledge of international criminal law and to challenge their skills as future international lawyers.
Through the competition, students are able to familiarise themselves with well-known international legal institutions. While they are in The Hague, they get to visit international courts and tribunals, such as the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and the International Court of Justice.
The ICC Moot Court Competition has proven to be an effective tool to disseminate knowledge about the Rome Statute, especially within countries that have yet to ratify it, by providing the top legal minds of the future an opportunity to learn about the International Criminal Court.
What are your plans for the coming year?
This year, my focus will be on the expansion of the Competition. I will reach out to students from universities that have never participated in the Competition before. Additionally, with the International Bar Association - the main sponsor of the Competition - we seek to fund one or two teams from a low-income country to allow them to participate in the upcoming edition. Ultimately, my long-term goal is to transform the ICC Moot Court Competition into the cornerstone of international criminal law education.
Do you have a message for students or universities who consider participating in the competition?
Participation in the Competition is an unforgettable experience. It bridges theory and practice of international criminal law and involves interaction with judges from international courts and tribunals, professors of international (criminal) law, and other legal professionals. Law students united by a common interest in international criminal law learn from each other, while forging strong international bonds which facilitate their future career and create new friendships.
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