UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE

Theresa Molitor

Theresa Molitor (22) studies law in the 7th semester. Her interest in human rights stems from her ERASMUS semester at the Universiteit van Amsterdam, where, among other courses in international law, she participated in the course ‘International Human Rights Law’. In April 2023, she completed an internship at the Academy of European Human Rights Protection under the direction of Professor Angelika Nußberger. This sparked her interest in the moot court. Through her participation in the HPMCC, Theresa hopes to both deepen her knowledge of human rights issues and enter into dialogue with students from different countries in order to learn more about their perspectives

Gergana Stoyanova

Gergana Stoyanova (21) studies law in the 5th semester. By engaging with the HPMCC, she aims to enhance her understanding of human rights issues, to strengthen her foreign language skills, to improve her rhetoricalskills and to become proficient at working together in a team. The engagement in voluntary work at nursing homes and a kindergarten in her native land Bulgaria strengthened her interest in human rights issues, since she worked with elderly people and children from minority groups and with different origins.

Matthias Hermes

Matthias Hermes studies law in his 5th semester at the University of Cologne. He became interested in international issues while still at school in the Netherlands, which was reinforced in particular by his participation in two Model United Nations conferences. Growing up in The Hague, a city where international law plays a major role, also had a significant influence on his decision to study law. His interest in international topics has also shaped his studies. Since September 2022, he has been working at the Academy for European Human Rights Protection with Prof. Angelika Nußberger, which has already given him the opportunity to deal with the law of the ECHR. By participating in the Moot Court, Matthias wants to deepen his knowledge in the field of European human rights protection and improve his rhetorical and foreign language skills.

Jannik Hasler

Jannik Hasler (24) is studying law in the 5th semester. 

After graduating from high school in 2017, he completed a voluntary social year in a kindergarten and an apprenticeship at Deutsche Bank. During this time, he realized he wanted to pursue a career where he knew exactly why he got up in the morning. Alongside his studies, Jannik works at the Institute for the Transformation of the Energy System at the FH Westküste, where he supports research on the legal aspects of the energy transition.

After taking part in the Hans Soldan Moot Court last year to strengthen his rhetorical and team skills, Jannik knew that he wanted to challenge himself even further and decided to participate in an international Moot Court Competition in an unknown field of law.

He chose the Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition as he sees human rights advocacy as a perfect fit for his motivation, for which he started to study law in the first place: learning how to use the law as an instrument to achieve a fairer society in which everyone starts on a level playing field.