HIGH POINT, N.C., April 29, 2015 – Student members of High Point University’s Model United Nations Club recently traveled to Houston to serve as delegates to the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber of Commerce Model Arab League.
During the conference, which took place at the University of Houston, HPU students became diplomats for the weekend while representing Iraq and Morocco at simulated meetings of the League of Arab States. They participated in a variety of councils debating real issues and working toward resolutions that affect the Arab World.
Eric Medore, sophomore and president of the Model United Nations Club at HPU, says the conference allowed participants to see issues from another party’s perspective while illuminating the differences between American political philosophy and the ideology of nations in the Arab League. He was a part of a committee focused on Palestine’s border. While representing Morocco, he was able to learn how people in the Middle East view the conflict with Palestine.
“I feel that everyone should try to be more fluent in international issues,” says Medore. “Putting yourself in another mindset is a great way to understand another culture’s perspective on an issue and is a great strategy for both educating youth on other cultures and a great tool that politicians and adults can use for trying to come up with a solution to any issue, whether it be a small interpersonal problem or a larger international problem.”
Several HPU students were recognized for their outstanding participation in the conference. Hunter Edwards and Brayden O’Brien were named Honorable Mention Delegates for the Joint Defense Council of the Arab League for their representation of Iraq. Jay Bishop, along with his Arab Council of Ministers of Economic Affairs, was named Best Model Arab League Council at the conference.
Since its founding in 1983, Model Arab League has been the leading program in the United States for giving students hands-on experience with the regional and international politics of the Arab World. Tens of thousands of students have graduated from the program, and many have gone on to leading positions in business, government and academia.