The Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition is one of Europe’s leading human rights competitions. Organised by the European Law Students' Association (ELSA) in cooperation with the Council of Europe, the competition simulates real proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). It challenges European law students to develop their written and oral advocacy skills when confronted with complex human rights issues.

As the home country of the previous year’s winners, the Czech Republic had the honour of welcoming all participants of the final oral round to Strasbourg during the opening ceremony on Monday. Held at Lieu d’Europe, the event opened its doors to students, coaches, ambassadors of their countries, and other distinguished guests from ELSA, the Council of Europe, and the ECHR.

Official opening speeches were delivered by Ambassador Najmanová, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the CoE, Czech ECHR Judge Kateřina Šimáčková, and Inês Ribeiro, Vice-President in charge of Competitions on the International Board of ELSA. Following the speeches, attendees enjoyed a reception held in traditional Czech spirit. The buffet featured national favourites, including schnitzel, potato salad, and Prague ham, alongside classic Czech drinks such as Kofola and Pilsner beer. After this hospitality break, the official drawing of pairs took place to decide the competition match-ups.

Throughout the week, 18 university teams from 13 countries (Austria, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom) tested their skills. The teams argued a fictitious case focused on criminal behaviour in cyberspace, the use of artificial intelligence tools in the administration of justice, and the right to a fair trial.

The final rounds took place on Friday inside the ECHR courtroom. The Maastricht University Faculty of Law (the Netherlands) and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Ukraine) faced each other in the grand final, judged by a panel of legal experts, practitioners, and the author of the competition case.

Victory in the 2026 Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition went to the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Along with the title, the Ukrainian team took home the main prize: an internship at the ECHR. Additional awards were presented for the Best Written Submission for the Applicant, the Best Written Submission for the Respondent, and the Best Orator of the specific rounds. Awards for the best speakers were once again claimed by members of the Ukrainian team. Ambassador Najmanová represented the Czech Republic at the final, where she personally presented two of these awards to the winning students.

The successful week ended with a final reception hosted by the Permanent Representation of Monaco.