Univates Law Students Cristian Weber Hachmann and Vinícius Christ will be the representatives of the University at the 23rd Simulated Trial Competition of the Inter-American Human Rights System. The duo, along with their supervisor professor Renato Luiz Hilgert, is one of 90 participating teams at the American University Washington College of Law event in Washington, DC.

Held annually, this year's edition takes place between May 20 and 25 and brings together competitors from 24 countries. Hachmann and Christ were selected after winning the First Univates Human Rights Competition held in the first semester of 2017. "For us, participating in a competition of this size and international level is a very enriching experience. There we will have the opportunity to know how the inter-American human rights system works. It will be a great learning that later we can pass on to the other students too", says Hachmann.

The boarding to the United States took place on May 18th. In the suitcase, besides the responsibility of representing Univates, who participates for the first time in the competition, is the knowledge acquired in months of preparation. According to Christ, the preparations began shortly after the victory in the internal competition of the University.

“We started with jurisprudential researches, since the competition is based on the international jurisprudence. In December 2017 the case was launched and, from that, we began to focus on the doctrinal contents that are part of this year's theme, which is gender violence. As we will represent the victims during the competition, in January we wrote the memorial, which was delivered in March, and since then we are preparing for the oral rounds”, says Vinícius Christ, law student.

According to the American University, the competition trains law students to use the inter-American legal system. Since its inception in 1995, more than 3,000 students and professors from more than 300 universities from the Americas and other continents have participated. In 2018, the mock trial, which reproduces the systems of the Commission and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, is based on the Case of Maria Elena Quispe and Mónica Quispe v. Republic of Naira, based on gender violence and international human rights law.

The hypothetical case functions as the basis of the competition and addresses issues currently debated in the inter-American system. Oral sessions will be presented in English, Portuguese or Spanish. The students debate the case through a written memorial and oral arguments presented to human rights experts who act as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

For Univates Associate Coordinator of the Law Program of Univates, Junior Willig, the University's participation in the event demonstrates the fruits that are being harvested through long-term work. "The dedication of all those involved in the process, from the two competitors, who will certainly represent us very well, other fellow students, professors, especially Fernanda Marders and Renato Luiz Hilgert, who coordinate the activities of the project, makes us proud and also demonstrates that we are on the right track", Willig concludes.