Frits Kalshoven International Humanitarian Law Competition

The Netherlands Red Cross and Belgian Red Cross-Flanders are pleased to announce that the 14th edition of the Frits Kalshoven International Humanitarian Law Competition will be organised from Monday 8 to Friday 12 February 2021.

Because of the COVID-19 measures this edition will for the first time be partly held online. Taking into account the uncertainties of the pandemic we, as the organizers of the competition, want to maintain the FKC spirit as much as possible and try making it an equally challenging and educational experience.

This unique, English-spoken competition aims to bring international humanitarian law to life through role plays, lectures and a moot court. As in previous years, the competition is open to teams composed of three students from the same institute. Participants are required to:

• Be enrolled in a law program at a Dutch or Belgian university or military academy (Master level);
• Have a good knowledge of public international law and a keen interest in international humanitarian law;
• Have a good command of the English language;
• Pay a modest registration fee per person.

The Competition is composed of many different elements, including roleplays and simulations. Through these activities, students have the opportunity to enhance and improve their knowledge of international humanitarian law (IHL), and to see how the IHL is applied in practice.

The core element of the Competition is the moot court, which will take place on the final day of the Competition. Through a fictional case, students are encouraged to rise to the top of their abilities and demonstrate their acquired expertise in IHL in front of a highly respected and experienced jury.

The Frits Kalshoven Competition is named after one of the world’s most renowned experts in international humanitarian law. Prof. dr. Frits Kalshoven (1924 – 2017) was Emeritus Professor public international law (University of Leiden) and of international humanitarian law (University of Groningen).

Besides academic work, professor Kalshoven was an advisor to the board of the Netherlands Red Cross (1971-1993). Many students know Frits Kalshoven as the author of the book Constraints on the Waging of War, which is for many their first acquaintance with international humanitarian law.

We were very pleased to announce that during the 13th edition of the Frits Kalshoven Competition, no less than 10 teams of Dutch and Belgian universities competed against each other. These are the universities that were represented during the competition by a team of 3 students:

• Universiteit van Amsterdam
• KU Leuven
• Universiteit Leiden
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel
• Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
• Maastricht University
• Universiteit Utrecht
• Universiteit Gent
• Nederlandse Defensie Academie
• Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam