Dear Advocates & Judges,
Welcome to this year’s BERMUN 2026 International Court of Justice!
This year’s theme, “Resilient & Sustainable Development to Combat Climate Inequality”, addresses the pressing reality that the costs, responsibility, and impact of environmental harm are not shared equally among nations. “Sustainable Development”, in this sense, is a question of fairness between countries at very different stages of development.
In keeping with this theme, the ICJ will be examining the Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros Project. This was a dispute rooted in a 1977 treaty between Hungary and Slovakia to jointly construct a dam system along the Danube River, the second-longest river in all of Europe. Hungary, pointing out serious environmental risks which could potentially contaminate the region’s groundwater and damage Budapest’s water supply, pulled out of the project in 1989. In reaction, Slovakia continued the project by launching “Variant C” and rerouting the Danube River through its own infrastructure with the intent to secure the share of the river’s hydroelectric potential that it stood to gain. Both countries brought the case to the ICJ in 1993 seeking a peaceful solution. Through its ruling, the Court established that states are obligated to balance economic development with environmental protection in the management of shared water resources. The Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros case remains relevant, as it demonstrates how decisions over shared resources can impose disproportionate environmental and economic costs on neighboring nations, one of the very inequalities that sustainable development aims to address.
I have the honor and privilege of serving as an assistant president at BERMUN XXXV’s ICJ. MUN has been a passion of mine for 4 years, and I have been in a diverse selection of committees. This will be my 2nd time attending the BERMUN conference.
On a more personal note, I am 16 years old and attend Palmer Trinity School in Miami. Outside of school and MUN, I enjoy participating in musical theater, playing guitar, producing music, and spending time with my friends. I am very excited to serve as assistant president and cannot wait to meet you all!
See you in November!
Sincerely,
Nathan Ferreira
