Dear Participants of BERMUN 2025,
Welcome to BERMUN, and congratulations on earning your positions as either an advocate or a judge. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has been my favorite Model UN forum, and I hope you find it just as rewarding. The ICJ offers a unique opportunity to explore how international courts operate, while allowing participants to apply legal principles to the world of diplomacy.
As we approach this year's conference “Building a Rules-Based Order to Withstand Authoritarianism”, I look forward to the committee utilizing ideologies of distributive leadership that supports collaborative decision making to promote a collegial environment supportive of cooperative, respectful, and interactive dialogue. While deliberating on the case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo V. Rwanda on Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo it will be imperative to understand that rules can be used to silence resistance and support autocracy and obedience or they can be used to empower the voice of the people to support and honor the collective. This case originated from the tensions that began between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda with the 1994 Rwandan genocide and further intensified with Rwanda’s repeated military interventions in eastern Congo. With failed diplomatic efforts, the Democratic Republic of Congo has brought the case to the ICJ and accuses Rwanda of armed aggression and multiple violations of international humanitarian law.
I look forward to seeing thoughtful, well-reasoned debate between the advocates on this significant issue, and I encourage the judges to stay actively engaged—challenging the advocates and enriching the discussion with their perspectives.
On a personal note, I’m an 18-year-old student from Palmer Trinity School in Miami, USA. I have a deep-rooted passion for MUN and have taken part in many local and international conferences. Outside of MUN, I play the violin, love Formula 1, and share my home with two cats.
I’m excited to meet all of you this November, and I can’t wait to see how this exceptional group performs.
Warm regards,
Nicole Oeltjen
