Further thanks to our sponsors!

T minus 5 days. Thank you to our recent sponsors:

In the Gambia, Trust Bank has generously supported the team's efforts to get to Washington. Outside the Gambia, the team would like to thank Rebecca Aleem, Rima Berns-McGown, Adam Lazier, Mark Overton, Francis Legault-Mayrand, Pierre-Alexandre Cardinal, Kathleen Davis, Maryse Uriodain, Lindsay Stidwill, Catherine Blanchard, Mary Kirton, John Kirton, Madeline Koch, France Morrissette, Clare Crummey, Mark Jewett, PA Henri, Samantha Newton, Allison Sephton, Femke Janson, Renata Colwell, John Michael Picone, Leanne Rasmussen, A J Hilderman, Michael Marin, Howard Yeung, Alexander McKinnon, Jeremy Johnson, and all the attendees of the Magdalene College LLM/PhD dinner held on March 5.

Optimism and opportunities

Things are looking good for these five Gambian students trying to compete in the Jessup mooting competition in Washington.

Yesterday, after their interviews at the US Embassy, the students were told that they would all be getting their visas.

Last night in Cambridge, PA attended a LLM/PhD dinner at Magdalene College. The organizer generously allowed his dinner to be used as a fundraising opportunity. PA told the guests about the team and then collected contributions. A few pounds add up, and all together they raised $700. As PA said, not bad for a Monday night.

Thanks to everyone who donated last night. Special thanks to Alexander McKinnon and Jeremy Johnson for their generosity. And a shout out to PA who has already supported this team in so many ways. Your efforts will change the lives of these students.

PA talking up the team

Notes from the demonstration moot

The 2012 UTG Jessup team held a demonstration moot last Friday, February 24. The point was to publicize our work, draw attention to mooting, raise funds in The Gambia, and practice our arguments.

We had four distinguished judges: Johannes Buabeng-Baidoo, visiting lecturer from the University of Pretoria; Hannah Edmonds, visiting lecturer from Bristol University; Pierre-Alexandre Henri, LLM candidate from Cambridge; and Gaye Sowe, adjunct professor and senior legal officer at the Institute for Human Rights and Development.

The students were confident, persuasive, and poised. The judges were attentive, challenging and critical. The story ran on the radio and in the newspaper. It was a success.

Welcoming the audience

Bubacarr reviewing his arguments

The distinguished panel of judges, from L to R: Hannah Edmonds, Johannes Buabeng-Baidoo, Gaye Sowe, Pierre-Alexandre Henri

Sukai listening to the judges

Patrick arguing for the applicants

Ya Amie answering a question from the panel

After the moot, from L to R: Deputy Vice-Chancellor Omar Jah, Dean A. Senghore, Hannah Edmonds, Ya Amie Touray, Banjugu Nyangado, Johannes Buabeng-Baidoo, Patrick Gomez, Gaye Sowe, Bubacarr Drammeh, Sukai Bangura, Pierre-Alexandre Henri, Heather Keachie

Thank you to our sponsors so far!

We've had great success raising money here in the Gambia and internationally.

From The Gambia, thank you to the University of The Gambia, the Ministry of Higher Education, PURA and Gamcel.

From outside The Gambia, thank you to Ali Bangi, JT, Karen Hamilton, Meredith James, Daniel Loutfi, Gabriel Querry, Caroline Bracht, Ilana Bleichert, Behdad Esfahbod, Jeffrey Haylock, Derry Millar, Dave Kyffin, Andrew Newcombe, Jeremy Sculnick, David McGown, Sabrina & Zachary, Mark Tonkovich, William Bradford, Kerianne Wilson, Marie-Claire Perrault, Catherine Newnham, and others who chose to remain anonymous.