Mock Trial at Emmanuel College Simulates 1999 NATO Bombing Case
Between April 10th and 22nd, 2024, Ambassador Vesko Garčević, Professor of the Practice of International Relations at Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies, led a three-session mock trial simulation in cooperation with the Institute of Eastern Mediterranean Studies (IEMS) at Emmanuel College.
The workshop involved 20 students participating in a simulated hearing at the International Court of Justice to examine the legal legitimacy of NATO’s bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999. Prior to the full classroom simulation, students received instruction on the workings of the International Court of Justice and the proceedings that take place before the Court.
Garčević has served as the IEMS Ambassador in Residence since 2018. The IEMS, formally established that same year, has a mission to promote and support the study of the Eastern Mediterranean and neighboring regions. It builds upon Emmanuel College’s liberal arts mission while leveraging the academic and innovative resources of Boston. The Institute sponsors academic programs, research, and educational opportunities for students, scholars, policymakers and practitioners locally in Boston as well as throughout the Eastern Mediterranean region.
By simulating a high-profile case before the International Court of Justice, the mock trial provided students with valuable insight into the Court’s procedures and processes for adjudicating disputes between nations. The workshop allowed participants to explore the complex legal and political issues surrounding the 1999 NATO bombing campaign from multiple perspectives.
Ambassador Vesko Garčević dealt with issues pertinent to European security and NATO for almost 14 years during his diplomatic career. In 2004, he was posted in Vienna to serve as Ambassador to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He was Montenegro’s Ambassador to NATO from 2010 until 2014 and served as Montenegro’s National Coordinator for NATO from 2015 until he joined the faculty at the Pardee School. Learn more about Ambassador Garčević on his faculty profile.