The Europe and Central Asia Regional Rounds of the World Moot on International Law and Animal Rights (wmilar.com) has concluded with resounding success and hope for the future of legal protections for non-human animals. The event took place at The Faculty of Law Osijek (PRAVOS), Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek between 3 and 6 March 2025, and brought together legal experts, moot court specialists, and student and teacher participants. In total, WMILAR @ PRAVOS benefitted from the participation of 10 teams across the various components, from Croatia, Finland, Germany, Kazakhstan, and Poland.
Watch our highlights video.
WMILAR @ PRAVOS offered careers-oriented training courses, high-profile speakers, and lively simulation of a courtroom battle over the legal complexities of animal rights and international law.
As well as high-quality training courses and the competition, participants enjoyed an Opening Ceremony, featuring an Opening Address titled ‘Global Peace through Global Justice: How the Law Can Secure a Better Future for Us All’ from Mr. Anees Ahmed, Chief of the Rule of Law and Security Institutions Section of the UN Mission in South Sudan. By highlighting the absence of animal rights in International Law, this talk demonstrated the dire need for animal rights on the global plane, which the WMILAR believes is the next logical step for International Law, peace, and justice.
The opening ceremony also included Welcome Messages from the WMILAR’s Ms. Ankita Shanker and Mr. Çağrı Şahin, and from Dean Tunjica Petrašević and Prof. Boris Bakota (PRAVOS).
The competition was judged by legal and animal rights experts, Prof. Mirela Župan, Dr. Marina Lostal, Dr. Saba Pipia, Ms. Ankita Shanker, Mr. Chad Osorio. The training courses for students and coaches were delivered by Dr. Eduardo Kapapelo, Dr. Laura Ausserladscheider Jonas, Ms. Shama Abbasi, Ms. Ankita Shanker, and Mr. Chad Osorio.
Scooping the title of WMILAR @ PRAVOS Regional Champions was the University of Leipzig team (Josephine Götze, Marie Kolb), with the University of Lapland team (Ida Nurmi, Nelli Vilhelmiina Niva, Vilma Swahne, Severi Eera Matias Lehto) finishing as Runners-Up. For the individual prizes, the Best Oralist was awarded to Marie Kolb from the University of Leipzig, while the Best Memo went to the University of Lapland (Ida Nurmi, Nelli Vilhelmiina Niva, Vilma Swahne, Severi Eera Matias Lehto). Congratulations, all!
Prizes included two internships with the International Research Institute of Animal Law (Kazakhstan), one internship with Tier Im Recht, four internships with the WMILAR, five memberships of the UK Centre for Animal Law (United Kingdom) and one place at the Animal Law, Rights and Representation Summer School at the University of Antwerp (Belgium).
Taking part in the closing ceremony, Dr. Marina Lostal, Senior Lecturer at the University of Essex Law School, Dr. Raffael Fasel, Assistant Professor in Public Law at the University of Cambridge, and Dr. Katharina Braun, of the Freie Universität Berlin, came together for an enlightening panel discussion on a range of topics including ecocide, sentience-based constitutionalism, and animal rights activism for global justice.
Finally, the closing address was delivered by Prof. Dr. Markus Wild, Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at the University of Basel, who gave an illuminating talk on ‘Fundamental Rights for Primates—the Basel Experience’.
Thanks were then given from the WMILAR’s Ms. Ankita Shanker and Ms. Lu Shegay, and from Prof. Boris Bakota of PRAVOS.
In-person attendees enjoyed delicious plant-based catering from Yes Rebel Bites Bistro, Osijek.
Participants raved about the event on social media, which brings us great satisfaction. See what some participants had to say here, here, and here.
