Students from Auckland Law School have represented New Zealand in mock International Criminal Court debates in Hong Kong.

The team of three includes Nathan Whittle, Danyon Chong and Adam Hyams, who acted as Counsel for the prosecution and the defence during the debate. They argued a fictional case that involved international armed conflict sparked by climate change and flows of migrants.

“The event was an incredibly rewarding experience, both in having the opportunity to deeply investigate and understand a profoundly important area of international law, and also meeting other students from around the Asia-Pacific region,” says Nathan Whittle.

After making the semi-finals, New Zealand lost to Gujarat National Law University (India), who then went on to beat the University of New South Wales (Australia) in the final round.

At the end of the event, the New Zealand representatives were awarded the prize for writing the best defence memorial.

To view the footage of the team from the first preliminary round featured in China Global’s Television news article, go here.