Model International Criminal Court (MICC) is a simulation of actual trials that took place under the ICC, where the participants are school and university students. MICC includes three projects, namely MICC School, MICC World and MICC University. The Kreisau-Initiative e.V. along with its Polish partner-organisation Fundacja Krzyżowa dla Porozumienia Europejskiego (Foundation Krzyżowa for Mutual Understanding in Europe) has been organising MICC since 2005. 

MICC World 2016 took place last month drawing in participants (school students) from 11 different nations; Bangladesh was among them for the first time. Five school students - Mohammad Muntasir Islam, Taskin Ahmed Eera, Mashaekh Hassan Samudra, Jannatul Isma Moni and Nafisa Tabassum Piya – were chosen to participate. The selection process was carried out by Onuronon, the local partner organisation of MICC, and consisted of filling up forms and undergoing various interviews. The team of five law enthusiasts accompanied by one chaperone set out for the all expenses paid trip to Berlin, Germany and Krzyżowa, Poland on May 20, 2016. They returned on May 30, 2016. 

The programme consisted of training sessions, workshops and model court trials for which participants were divided into four groups, assuming roles as prosecutors, members of the defence, members of press, and judges.

Participants attended workshops on human rights and international criminal law and had background training sessions on conflict zones such as former Yugoslavia or Germany during World War 2. They had to read up and attend classes on backgrounds of cases prior to the trials. Classes to improve understanding of war and the Syria crisis were offered as well. 

The content of the trial simulations were final pleadings of actual cases that were heard before the ICC, such as the Nuremberg Tribunal, providing hands on, realistic insight into the world of criminal law.

Mohammad Muntasir Islam, an SSC candidate of Dhaka Residential Model College, shares his experience, "One of our sessions was called 'Human Rights Revisited'. I particularly enjoyed this workshop because of its different interpretations of human rights. There was one part, where we were told of a certain case and asked to decide on whose rights took precedence. Deliberating on the different opinions at this stage was very intriguing."

When they weren't busy learning about law they had cultural shows where participants portrayed their own culture through dancing, singing and poetry and socialised during a bonfire night. 

"Attending MICC was an incredible experience. I was privileged enough to be given a glimpse into the world of criminal justice by brilliant trainers, and befriend immensely clever individuals from all over the world who have interests similar to mine. I feel as if I see things differently now, from a prosecutor's point of view. I'm no longer apprehensive to speak out against injustice," explains Taskin Ahmed Eera, grade 10 student of DPS STS School. 

MICC World 2016 encouraged these bright young students to study human rights and humanitarian law, harnessed their love for law, all the while providing an unforgettable experience with people from other cultures and social backgrounds. 

Salma Mohammad Ali fears she is becoming a crazy cat lady and uses writing as a means to grasp on to sanity. Send her your views/hate/love at fb.com/salma.ali209