Team Addis Ababa needs your help to reach the final rounds of a prestigious world-class competition in Vienna! Addis Ababa University's top law students are participating in the 32nd Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot ("the Vis Moot"). The Vis Moot is the world’s largest annual moot court (mock/simulated legal proceedings) in commercial law and arbitration, with almost 400 universities from all around the world participating. It is a prestigious international event that involves nine months of hard work in preparations and culminates in a week-long event in Vienna, Austria (11 - 17 April 2025), where the students will put all their preparations and oral arguments to the test together with hundreds of other students from around the world.

The Vis Moot experience offers students an excellent opportunity to expand their skills, network, and accelerate their legal careers. It is a game-changer. Unfortunately, African universities are traditionally underrepresented in the Vis Moot, largely due to a lack of financial resources. Team Addis Ababa is one of those hard-working teams facing this challenge. Only in-person participation in Vienna is possible, meaning expenses for flights, visas, accommodation, and meals.

Supporting Team Addis Ababa is about more than just helping a group of law students; it’s about investing in the future of legal excellence in Africa. We’re not just competing; we’re breaking barriers and creating opportunities for future African lawyers to thrive in international legal spaces.

Team Addis Ababa needs your support now so that we can travel to Vienna for the final event and show what we are made of on the global stage! As we are only the third-ever Addis Ababa University team to participate in the Vis Moot in-person, we are building our experience and support, and we are eager to make our school and our country proud, pioneer a new path and opportunities for future law students and lawyers in Ethiopia in the future, as well as raise awareness about arbitration and other relevant legal topics.

Please support us if you are in a position to do so. Every bit helps! Your support will have a huge impact on us as individuals and on the mission of Team AAU and Africa in the Moot. We are very grateful for our existing sponsors who have contributed towards our total budget so far, but we need your help with the remaining costs to reach Vienna.

ABOUT TEAM ADDIS ABABA

Vis Moot Team Addis Ababa University consists of 6 students: Amanuel Birhan, Felicity Feleke, Nahom Melesse Adebo, Nebyat Esubalew Nahusenay, Nigus Sintayehu Geletu; and Roza Woldemichael Wana. Find out more about us here: Team AAU LinkedIn

These students, are supported by dedicated local coaches and Team alumni Awoke Mitku Tamrat, Fiker Engida and Mistere Getnet and satellite coaches Erin Cronjé , Jotham Berhanu and Chioma Menankiti.

EXPENSES AND ALLOCATION OF FUNDS

Contributions will be applied to the following heads of cost (for 7 people):

(1) Flight tickets between Addis Ababa and Vienna (approx. EUR 800 p.p.);

(2) Accommodation in Vienna, 11-18 April 2025 (approx. EUR 2000–2500);

(3) Schengen visa application costs (EUR 80 p.p.)

(4) Local expenses in Vienna, such as meals and public transport (approximately EUR 1000).

(5) Travel insurance (EUR 22 p.p.)

Deadline

Due to our Schengen visa application process, the team needs to demonstrate sufficient funds to the Austrian Embassy (Addis Ababa) by 30 January 2025.

OUR MISSION IS PART OF A MOVEMENT

Team Addis Ababa University is a member of a not-for-profit organization called Africa in the Moot (Africa in the Moot LinkedIn Africa in the Moot LinkedIn), which aims to support African law students through training, coaching, and logistical support to participate in the Vis Moot and other opportunities. This initiative feeds a critical movement towards promoting talented African law students, advancing equal representation in international arbitration, and thereby promoting the development of arbitration in Africa (and African practitioners). Team AAU is one of the 19 African universities with Africa in the Moot this year and is thus part of the largest group of African universities that has ever participated in the Vis Moot. Team AAU was part of the group that broke the record for participation last year; we look forward to breaking that record again!

Thank you for your support!

Logistical and financial notes