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Why did you choose to participate in this contest?  

The Pictet Competition is a prestigious international humanitarian law (IHL) competition, which provides a unique opportunity to put our knowledge into practice in realistic scenarios. For our team, it was a real challenge, but also a springboard for applying international humanitarian law to specific cases and meeting legal professionals.  
Our master's degree allowed us to study the fascinating subject of the law of armed conflict, and we were immediately captivated by its immense richness and complexity. This competition was therefore the ideal opportunity to deepen our understanding of IHL while testing our ability to work in this field and seeing if it really suits us.

How did your team prepare?

We met through this competition, but right from the start, we took the time to share our expectations, motivations, and personality traits. This allowed us to get to know each other quickly and build an effective and supportive group dynamic.
The preparation was not easy, mainly because of our very different schedules, which made it very difficult to organize. However, as soon as we learned in November that we had been selected to participate in the competition, we made sure to meet once or twice a week.  
These working sessions were essential for deepening our knowledge, comparing our points of view, and practicing on real-life cases. We also organized meetings with our team to discuss key legal issues and quiz each other to test our knowledge. These exchanges allowed us to strengthen our argumentation skills and develop the right reflexes when dealing with practical cases.
In addition, we were fortunate to be mentored by the team of students who had participated in the previous edition. Thanks to their experience, they were able to guide us further on the format, drawing on the cases they had encountered. They gave us excellent advice and were extremely supportive throughout our preparation.
We were also coached by Mr. Axel Mélinon, who teaches at the Faculty of Law, whose support was invaluable. His assistance focused more on the substance of the case. He helped us deepen our understanding of the law by paying particular attention to the precision of our arguments. His high standards on certain technical points enabled us to anticipate potential questions and respond to them rigorously, both legally and strategically. Thanks to him, we refined our approach and gained confidence, which proved decisive in the competition.

How did the contest go?  

Every morning and early afternoon, we would find out which case we would be working on. We were given some time to prepare before our shift, but there was still a great deal of uncertainty: we had no idea what to expect. This unpredictability made the exercise all the more challenging, as we had to constantly adapt quickly and draw on our knowledge under pressure.
The competition itself was both a challenging and rewarding experience. Physically, the pace was intense: we slept very little, as we had to deal with two or three cases every day, which meant starting very early in the morning and working late into the evening. Each day brought its share of surprises, and we had to quickly adapt to the different roles assigned to us, as well as the positions we had to defend in response to the fictitious cases.
We were determined to succeed and represent the Grenoble Law School with dignity, which motivated us to give our very best. But we were also up against extremely well-prepared teams from all over the world.
Despite this demanding environment, this experience taught us how to manage our stress, trust each other, and support one another. It was during these tense moments that our team spirit really came into its own, enabling us to move forward together and rise to the challenges of the competition. The key to our success was communication, listening, and patience.

What did the contest bring you?

We had the opportunity to meet participants from all over the world: from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Iraq, from Australia to Brazil, etc. This diversity provided us with a truly enriching cultural experience, fostering fascinating discussions about our different approaches to law and our respective experiences. Some of the participants had directly suffered from the armed conflicts we were studying. Their presence, despite the hardships they had endured, made a deep impression on us. Talking with them made us realize how fortunate we are to live in France, sheltered from such violence, but also our duty, at our level, to help those who are victims of it. These exchanges also reinforced our understanding of the importance of international humanitarian law. Beyond the texts and theoretical principles, we measured its concrete impact on human lives.
We also had the opportunity to talk with IHL professionals from diverse and inspiring backgrounds, which strengthened our motivation and commitment to this discipline.
Ultimately, this competition allowed us to gain valuable experience, both academically and personally. Above all, it confirmed our passion for international humanitarian law and gave us a first glimpse of the challenges faced by IHL practitioners. This experience will undoubtedly remain one of the most memorable of our journey.

What did you learn from this experience?

This competition is above all a human experience. As the Pictétistes kept saying, we were there to learn, practice, and have fun. Before each event, they always reminded us of one motto: "ENJOY," because this adventure is unique and only happens once.
In short, the Pictet competition gave us much more than knowledge and practical experience. It allowed us to forge strong friendships based on solidarity and sincere exchanges. We went through a whole range of emotions, from sadness to joy, frustration to elation, each of which marked a highlight of this unique experience.