The Maldives International Arbitration Centre (MIAC) in collaboration with the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) of the US Department of Commerce facilitated for a team from the Villa College to participate in in the Willem C. Vis East International Arbitration Moot (the Vis East Moot) 2021/2022. The team members included Ms. Nuha Mohamed Didi, Ms. Shazla Riyaz and Mr. Affan Umar Ahmed. The team was led by coaches Ms. Mariyam Anna Shaheer and Ms. Rasaa Ahmed Shameem who were members of the Villa College team that participated in Vis East Moot 2019/2021 and Ms. Gaëlle Tribié from Sidley Austin LLP, New York.

The team participated in several pre-moots and training programs. Notably in the Training for Vis International Commercial Arbitration held from 10 – 12 November 2021 in CrossRoads Maldives and in the 12th Middle East Vis Pre-Moot held from 7 – 9 March 2022 in Bahrain. The team found the experience to profound and valuable.

“Mooting is one of the most exciting experiences in the life of a law student. As such, the Villa Vis Team derived enthusiastically into the 19th Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot. Although it did give the mooting experience desired by the team members, it also proved to be brimful of lesions that would last an entire lifetime.
Six strangers, consisting of 3 team members, 2 student coaches and a full time working coach based in the other side of the world in New York City, came together to work around the challenges that came with online drafting sessions, discussing memorandum over Teams Meetings and finally coming together physically to attend the 12th Annual Vis (East) Pre-moot in Bahrain. After 6 months of blood and tears, what we are left with is a unique chapter in our academic life and a bond of friendship that has been truly tested in every way. It is truly an experience that cannot ever be forgotten.”

- Villa College Team