General Assembly, ECOSOC & Specialized Committees

Third Committee - Social, Humanitarian & Cultural (SOCHUM)
The Committee on Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian Affairs (SOCHUM) will be focusing on two topics: the basic human right to the Internet and gender based violence in war times. For the first topic, delegates will be faced with the task of deciding whether the United Nations should enforce Internet usage as a human right and what the potential consequences will be of individual country’s actions. As for the second topic, delegates will be tasked with figuring out ways to promote gender equality and safety in armed conflict and war zone regions, while keeping in mind the precarious positions these countries are in and the difficulties they will face in enforcing any action to promote women’s safety.

The Assembly of the African Unions
The Assembly of the African Unions is one organ under the larger umbrella of the African Union, which is the governing body with representatives from nearly each country. In this session of the Assembly, discussion will be focused on two important topics central to the future of Africa:  the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the issue of internally displaced persons. Many solutions for HIV/AIDS have been proposed and implemented, with varying levels of success, but it is time for the Assembly to decide on a pan-African program that addresses the larger scale causes and effects of the pandemic. As for internally displaced persons, this topic should be heavy on the minds of all African heads of state, as they must develop a two-pronged attack that both considers the security problems that cause the problem of internal displacement and protects those Africans who are presently displaced. Big challenges confront the continent, but as we convene, we hope that those challenges will help us to emerge stronger, more confident, and prepared to face the sociopolitical and economic realities of the modern world.

Sixth Committee - Legal
The Legal Committee will debate two very serious and current topics. Delegates will first debate the International Law of the Seas, which has recently become more prevalent as global climate change becomes more eminent and our non-renewable resources dwindle. It is necessary to re-examine the Law of the Seas in order to determine the future of the animals and the ecology of the oceans, as well as the maintenance and governance of our seas for the future. The second topic delegates will discuss is the topic of children in armed conflict. The United Nations needs to become more involved and proactive as the trend of the utilization of children as instruments for violence becomes more prevalent. For both topics, delegates will work to change existing legal documents passed by the United Nations to make them more applicable to our current situations.

International Monetary Fund (IMF)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) shall be debating two important topics: the Global Financial Crisis as well as globalization and emerging markets. In the ongoing financial crisis, the IMF works to assist countries in their recovery by giving policy advice and money to help the emerging market improve. The IMF and its delegates will closely observe particular case studies to determine what sort of advice or monetary assistance will be necessary. As for the second topic, globalization has been an important driving force for world economic growth, yet international trade has shrunken significantly. At the same time, globalization includes significant risks. Delegates will discuss particular case studies of protectionism and preventing the risks of volatile capital movement by international regulations and policies in order to fight against the risks of globalization, protectionism, and other issues.

Durban Summit on Climate Change
The Durban Summit on Climate change will be addressing two important topics: the criteria determined by which each country should commit to reducing carbon emissions and the Green Climate Fund. For the first topic, compromise is difficult, as developed nations tend to be high emitters whereas developing nations tend to be low emitters. The committee will also address past issues, such as lack of fulfilled agreements, lack of ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, and the lack of accountability held over countries that have yet to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. For the second topic, the efforts of the Green Climate Fund are meant to help poorer countries experiencing the effects of climate change despite having little emissions. The committee shall determine where the revenue for this fund shall come from, and how it shall be spent. For both topics, delegates should keep the global financial crisis in mind when determining the revenue, as every nation will respond accordingly to their own economic status.

Crisis Committees

United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
The Security Council serves as the United Nation’s primary organ responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It consists of five permanent member states and ten rotating, non-permanent states elected out of the General Assembly on two-year terms.  The Security Council is unique in the breadth of powers awarded to it in the United Nations Charter.  The body posses powers that the General Assembly does not, such as the ability to deploy troops or impose sanctions.  These powers, outlined in Chapter V of the UN Charter and exercised through issuing resolutions, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action.

The Fourth Crusade
Venice. The year is 1201. The soldiers of Christendom are restless with anticipation, called east by the drums of war. For the most part the Holy Lands lie in the hands of the Saracens. It is the will of God that we reclaim them—that is the task set before us. We gladly embark on this holy crusade, the fourth since his Holiness, Pope Urban II, stood upon Clermont. All that stands before us is the Mediterranean. Prepare yourselves, for we will free Jerusalem at any cost.

Irish War of Independence Joint Crisis
The year is 1916. England is marked by unrest, as stirrings of revolution in Ireland are becoming an all out roar and words are transforming into actions. In this joint crisis we will investigate the ways in which Ireland, one of the world’s most famous countries, became a nation. We will see how scattered uprisings and protests transformed into a full out movement that ultimately resulted in war, which although small in scale, had drastic consequences for the very fabric of the United Kingdom, Catholic-Protestant relations, and what it means to be Irish. So bring your minds, your hearts, and your best debate skills. Whether you find yourself fighting for the right to self-rule, or the preservation of the King’s empire, the results of your deliberation will have drastic consequences for history.

Year 2020: United States National Security Council (NSC)
Every major foreign operation of the United States involves multiple instruments of foreign policy, from the diplomatic efforts of the State Department to the force leveraged by the Department of Defense. Since 1974, the President has relied upon the National Security Council (NSC) to form the unified response expected by these agencies today. Officially a forum for advising the President on national security and foreign policy matters, the NSC has risen in influence with each successive administration. Delegates will assume the positions held by various members of the Council, and step into their roles immersed in a dynamic environment; the ability to think on their feet and take creative action will be essential to success against the challenges that await them.

Year 2020: European Defense Initiative
The European Financial Crisis that began in 2010 forced the states of the European Union to further integrate both their economies and policies in the later half of the decade. By the year 2020, the European Union has developed a common security organization, known as the European Defense Initiative. This council of European defense leaders will face security challenges similar to those encountered by the US National Security Council. The leaders of the EDI will have to formulate policies that are most effective for both Europe as a whole, as well as individual states in the EU. As a fairly new organization still struggling to establish its credibility within the EU, the EDI must be careful and thorough in its decision-making. As a new power in the international playing field, the EDI must be prepared to face any and all global security threats in the year 2020. This committee will run tangent to the National Security Council. Delegates are encouraged to bring their creativity and critical thinking skills into this fast-paced and exciting committee!