AUSMUN Board Members: Different Ideas, Backgrounds, and Goals (@AUS_ModelUN)

Introducing the readers to the American University in Sharjah’s Model United Nations (AUSMUN) Board Members for the year 2016.

The American University of Sharjah is a diverse community; the people that make it up have different missions, goals, and visions. As such, it is no surprise that the American University in Sharjah’s Model United Nations (AUSMUN) board is made of students who have different identities, which helps them in forming a brilliant team. You can check the previous articles written on AUSMUN in this link.

The Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, Omar Al Mutawa and Deema Al Shamsi (respectively), who both facilitate decision making and make sure the conference runs smoothly, are Emirati International Studies Senior students. Omar says that he was introduced to the field of International Relations through Model United Nations (MUN). Omar continued pursuing MUN because of the wide range of skills it helps a delegate build, ranging from public speaking to research and diplomacy to networking. Omar, expressing pride in being a part of AUSMUN, believes it is one of the most vibrant student-led initiatives in the UAE. In high school, Deema’s interest in pursuing an International Studies degree motivated her to partake in MUN. When Deema was in grade 12, she aspired to join the American University in Sharjah (AUS); participating in AUSMUN in high school brought her closer to her dream.

The Director of Logistics, who is responsible for registrations, preparing the pre-conference requirements, Mirna Al Degawy, believes MUN is a great learning environment where students learn and practice their knowledge and their analytical skills. She chose to be part of AUSMUN because she believed it had a unique structure and a way of engaging students from different educational backgrounds and levels.

The Director of Human Resources, Hanan Arab, a Syrian International Studies junior student enjoys taking part in MUN because she feels like it challenges people to adopt points of views and look through perspectives that they may not have. She says that since taking part in MUN in 2009, her horizons have been broadened in ways never imagined before.

Alia Al Hazami and Roudha Ahli are both Emirati students majoring in International Studies, who are the Director of Media, responsible for media coverage and marketing the conference, and the Director of Public Relations, basically the face of AUSMUN, respectively. Alia has been participating in MUN since high school. She says that AUSMUN has changed her life and redirected her interests towards politics and international relations, and led her to dream of representing the UAE in the UN one day. When she joined AUSMUN for the first time in high school, Alia felt a connection and a loyalty to the conference in ways beyond description. Roudha first joined MUN in high school when she realized her combined interest in debate and international affairs. She chose to participate in AUSMUN because of its vibrant student delegations and committed organizers team.

The Director of Research, Shahed Abdul-Dayem, who is in charge of preparing the background guides, believes the skills taught at an MUN conference are indispensable. She views AUSMUN as a great way to understand the working of the UN and to gain research skills.

Yonas Ackholm, the Director of International Relations, who is in charge of contacting international students and promoting the conference internationally, is a dedicated board member. It is his second year of being in this position. Through his collaboration with the rest of the board, AUSMUN managed to get international delegates ranging from Asia to Europe.

The Outreach Program provides the attendees a way to give back to the community and feel they are integrated into the AUS community, even if it is their first time visiting. The director of the program, Sarah Zoubi, is a sophomore majoring in Mass Communication. Her participation in MUN stems from her love of meeting new people. She found AUSMUN interesting because it is one of the few conferences she has attended that combines both high school and college students.

The AUSMUN board has the collective goal of teaching students about major global affairs outside the class. It strongly believes that AUSMUN can offer a wide range of knowledge and skills such as debating, public speaking and researching skills that are applicable beyond the students studies, and can be applied in their daily lives and in their careers later on.

Written by Hanan Arab, International Studies student at American University of Sharjah