Post by Jia Xuan Chua

Last Friday, Natasha Lim Shu En (林淑恩), Basil Chia, Tammie Ong, Jabez Teng, Sonia Maya, and I had the privilege of stepping into the International Criminal Court in The Hague to compete in the finals of the IBA ICC Moot Court Competition. Putting on our headsets and watching our own shocked expressions as our faces appeared on the monitors in front of us was a surreal moment—one that marked the culmination of a long and unforgettable journey. Over the past nine months, we engaged deeply with the legal, practical, and policy questions at the heart of international criminal justice. What began as research notes and draft memorials soon evolved into countless hours of practice rounds, refining arguments, and debating the evolving boundaries of international criminal law. Every round brought something new. Standing opposite students from around the world and presenting before different panels of judges offered fresh perspectives—not just on the case of President Syrax, but on the diverse styles of advocacy. Beyond the courtroom, it was also incredible to connect with peers from around the world, even sharing the dance floor during the farewell beach party! For our team, the final round marked the end of a remarkable nine-month journey. More importantly, however, it was a testament to the mentorship, encouragement, and support of the many people who helped us get there :-) A heartfelt thank you to our amazing coaches, Andrew Chia, John Hoy, Lovein Sui (徐乐盈), Samuel Chan, Allen Chong, and Ian Mah, for volunteering your time, challenging us to think deeper, and guiding us through every stage of this journey. From the written memorials to the oral rounds, your dedication was instrumental to our team. My sincere thanks to Prof Chen Siyuan for making such opportunities possible. Being able to compete on the world stage is a privilege that rests on years of work in building SMU’s mooting programme, and I am incredibly grateful to have been a small part of it. A big thank you to the alumni and seniors who have so generously shared their time, insights, and mentorship with us. Thank you as well to the friends who listened to practice rounds and cheered us on from afar. Your encouragement meant more than you know! Of course, none of this would have been possible without my amazing team. From our very first goal-setting call and days-long memo sessions, to prata suppers, and finally making it to The Hague—we got through every single step together :-) I’ll always remember being crammed in the study room, scrambling to fix footnotes minutes before deadlines, all while enjoying the beancurd our coaches ordered for us ❤️ Cheers to the biggest fans of My Pasta, JST Kebab, & Fat Kee! We are incredibly proud to bring home the following awards: - Best Regional Team in Asia - Best Prosecution Team - Best Government Counsel Team - 1st Runner-Up Best Government Counsel Memorial - 2nd Runner-Up Best Government Counsel Speaker (Basil Chia) Team 110, signing out~