Manama: The Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR) organised the award ceremony of the 16th Middle East Willem C. Vis Premoot in International Commercial Arbitration at the Sheraton Hotel.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the ceremony marked the conclusion of the programme organised by the Chamber in partnership with the Royal University for Women in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and with support from the Singapore International Arbitration Centre and Jus Mundi, in addition to a number of local and international law firms. This reflects a shared commitment to capacity-building and skills development in international arbitration in the Middle East and North Africa.
The ceremony was attended by Reham Abdelhamid Mahmoud Khalil, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Bahrain, and Professor Jan Paulsson, President of the Bahrain International Commercial Court, alongside senior representatives of the legal and academic communities.
This year's edition brought together 19 university teams and 106 participants representing 15 countries. Over five days, the teams took part in simulated arbitration proceedings based on the case under consideration for the 33rd edition of the Vis Moot, presenting arguments before panels comprising leading arbitration practitioners, academics, and legal scholars.
During the ceremony, the most outstanding teams and students were recognised, with the team from Universit© Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth in Lebanon winning first place, while the team from the Royal University for Women in the Kingdom of Bahrain received second place. Further awards and recognitions were given in appreciation of excellence in written and oral advocacy and professional conduct. The awards also included internship opportunities offered by local and regional law firms, as well as scholarships provided by the Royal University for Women.
In a statement, Ahmed Husain, Chief Executive Officer of the BCDR, expressed appreciation to the arbitrators, trainers, academic partners, sponsors, and volunteers who contributed their time and expertise to the program. He acknowledged the Chamber's team, led by Chief Registrar Fatema AlZayed AlJalahma, for providing a rigorous and supportive training environment for the next generation of arbitration practitioners. He also thanked the Royal University for Women for supporting a week of high-level academic and professional engagement.
Following the conclusion of the Premoot, participating teams will continue to benefit from the expertise, feedback, and experience gained in the Kingdom of Bahrain as they finalise preparations for the oral rounds in Vienna and Hong Kong. The BCDR will also continue working with its partners and supporters to strengthen future editions of the Middle East Willem C. Vis Premoot and advance initiatives that contribute to the development of arbitration education and professional training in the region.