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By Hope Mashozhera
The Model International Criminal Court is an initiative organized by the Kreisau-Initiative along with its Polish partner-organisation Fundacja Krzy?owa dla Porozumienia Europejskiego (Foundation Krzy?owa for Mutual Understanding in Europe). The goal of the MICC is to encourage learners to take interest in Human Rights and consider pursuing careers in Humanitarian Law. The MICC shares with participants the core objective of the International Criminal Court.
The MICC first came to attention at the end of Grade 11 at Graeme College Boys’ High. I was supposed to attend the event organised for High School learners, however I could not as I failed to get my travel papers in order in time. I was hacked that I had missed such an opportunity.
The disappointment wore off as time passed. I matriculated and for my time at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网, last year I decided to run for Student Representative Council to fulfil the portfolio of the Academic Councillor. Around the time of inauguration into office, I also realized that MICC had a programme for 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 students scheduled for 22 – 28 February 2016. I started working on the application process. I called for interested students to apply, applicants were shortlisted and I led the team application process leading to Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 team attendance at the event in Krzy?owa, Poland.
Poland was cold. I was never ready. The event was great. The MICC was very informative, exposed students to a different platform to practice law. There were several sessions held to educate participants about the functions of the International Criminal Court. The students had the opportunity to engage in simulation of the ICC process – preparation, trial and verdict.
Outside the structured programme of the MICC, it was a great opportunity to speak to different people of different nationalities, beliefs, and upbringing. The views people shared were enlightening and gave insight to how different events taking place in the world affected different people. The experiences others shared were so different to my own. I had the opportunity to discuss topics of State governance, gender, race and others with people who did not necessarily subscribe to the same school of thought as me.
I am grateful I had the opportunity to contribute and learn from the activities of the Model International Court. The people were amazing; though they were strangers some felt like I had known them my whole life. I met people with whom we could transition from deep intellectual conversation to unprecedented heights of hilarious inappropriateness. It was fun! A glimpse of life in Berlin, Germany was inspiring. First world vibes. In Krzy?owa it snowed like it rains in Grahamstown. I had my first moot ever. Most important for me was being able to achieve a goal that I had set out for myself. It is never too late to achieve what you want to achieve, you’ve got to keep fighting at it.