Week 8
During my eighth week at CEELI, I worked on a grant application for a program to enhance Mongolia's judicial system. Given that much of CEELI's work revolves around supporting judges, my research focused on Mongolia's judicial history and current practices. It was fascinating to research how the judicial system evolved over time. It also showed how international efforts can be well intentioned, but the outcome of assistance is never straightforward. For example, systemic corruption in the early 2000s led the World Bank and USAID to invest heavily in Mongolia's judicial reforms. However, some argue the top-down reforms did little to address the root issue of corruption. According to one study, only 28% of Mongolians believed they would receive fair treatment in court in 2007.
My investigation highlighted three pressing challenges within Mongolia's judicial system: judicial independence, transparency, and public trust. Additionally, I looked into the process of judicial appointments, the judicial code of ethics, recent Constitutional amendments, and the "eJustice'' system that was implemented in 2018. The grant application's background section will comprehensively outline these challenges and articulate how CEELI's proposed program will help tackle these issues. Furthermore, the alignment with CEELI's mission underscores the necessity and potential impact of the program, thereby justifying the need for funding.
On Friday, I moved to Landhaus, the apartment building on the other side of the park. A few of my colleagues live in the building full-time and the other apartments are available for visiting guests like myself. Although I now have a ten-minute commute to work, it's worth seeing the grotto, fountains, vineyard, and people walking their dogs on the way.
I also spent a long weekend in Berlin, Germany, with one of my closest friends from undergrad! We took the train, which follows the Vltava and Elbe Rivers. It was beautiful to see the charming houses along the water.
Our trip mainly consisted of important historical sites such as the Berlin Wall Memorial, Holocaust Memorial, Topography of Terror Museum, Checkpoint Charlie and Museum, Museum Island, Brandenburg Gate, and the Berlin Cathedral. We also visited the dome and roof terrace of the Reichstag Building (German Parliament). Looking out, we used a map to identify the buildings in the skyline.
A highlight of the trip was that Berlin hosted the 2024 Euro Cup final! We saw huge groups of Spanish and English fans chanting at each other on opposite sides of the street. It was a very exciting atmosphere, and at 9pm when the game started, it seemed like the whole city was watching. Because I am not used to watching soccer, we missed the first goal because we were chatting. After that, we paid close attention! Finally, the trip wouldn't be complete without going to a beer garden. It was great to get a sense of the local community and see people of all ages enjoying the fresh air and conversation.
