Vienna, 1 September 2021 Dear Vis Moot Community, Another Vis Moot year and we needed to take a decision on how to proceed with the organization of the 29th Vis Moot in light of the ongoing global pandemic. Covid-19 has become part of our lives for more than one-and-a-half year and will most likely continue to impact our world in the foreseeable future. One of the most important features of the Vis Moot are the social- and network opportunities for students, coaches and arbitrators during the week of the oral hearings in Vienna. The benefits and the educational value of an in-person event are invaluable for the students. However, there remains considerable uncertainty about the extent to which international travel will be possible next year with governmental restrictions being lifted and then re-imposed again. Under these circumstances, we have decided to host the oral hearings of the Vis Moot on an online hearing platform again. For the 29th Vis Moot, however we are also exploring options to create “Social Vis Moot Bubbles” around the world where Moot participants can meet in-person. The idea of having “Social Vis Moot Bubbles” is completely separated from the oral hearings. All hearings will take place virtually like in the last two years. Students will not meet each other in-person for the hearings. Instead the idea is to gather smaller groups for certain events that would be organized with special health safety precautions. We would like to create one main “Social Vis Moot Bubble” in Vienna and some additional ones around the world (e.g. in Northern and Southern America, Asia, Australia, Africa). At this stage, we are not able to provide much more detail.  A lot will depend on the further development of the pandemic and the rules for social gatherings pending next year. Deciding now to go for another Virtual Vis Moot also allows much greater opportunities to deal with planning and logistics from an organisational perspective. More details will be released as they are determined regarding the hearings specifically, such as the platform that will be used. The memoranda competitions will proceed as usual.  There will be again a reduced registration fee of €400 per team due to the remote participation in the oral hearings. Possible additional fees might be attached for social events. We remain very firmly committed to the benefits and the educational value of bringing all participants together for in person-hearings. We therefore hope to be able to set up at least some opportunities for social gathering during the Vis Moot week in 2022. The Vis Moot Directors and the Association for the Organisation and Promotion of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot 29th Vis Moot_Information_3rd_Virtual_Vis_Moot

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