Committees 2022
Radium Girls
Set after World War I, each delegate will assume a role from those involved in America’s deadly radium-dial factories and discuss its subsequent repercussions. Radium, a cancer causing substance, has caused several radium-dial painters to die. Delegates will work towards several objectives: they will identify those liable, define adequate compensation for the victims, and draw up improved workplace standards. In this committee survivors, experts, business executives and others will come together to discuss the disaster. How will delegates attempt restitution and can safety standards ensure this never happens again?
CRISPR 2030
Since 2012, scientists have begun utilizing CRISPR/Cas9 technology to disable, or even substitute existing DNA. Once thought impossible, these processes have allowed humanity to assist in preventing genetic diseases and learn more than ever believed; however, scientists are beginning to push the limits of genetic editing, requiring explicit guidelines to be set, as well as define the future for genetic manipulation. Like all research, discoveries require substantial finances, yet at the same time, results from further experimentation will undoubtedly lead to lucrative practices. CRISPR/Cas9 is advancing at a rapid rate; without immediate action, the human species will face drastic consequences in the name of science. Set in the year 2030, delegates in this committee will represent scientific, financial, and other parties in the International Summit on Human Gene Editing and ponder the ethics of genetic modification at all stages of life facing the futuristic possibilities of this technology, as well as establish regulations for scientists to experiment with lab-made CRISPR/Cas9 systems.
Mass & Cass
This fast-paced crisis committee will take place at a meeting of the Boston City Council and be based on the ongoing struggle with homelessness and inequality in the “Mass and Cass” area in the South End of Boston. Here, poor living conditions and drug abuse are severe problems for the homeless, trapping them in a cycle of poverty. Furthermore, nearby communities are concerned about the implications of having large numbers of homeless residents in their area, citing safety concerns and rising crime rates. Delegates will be tasked with finding creative, relevant, and humane solutions, specifically regarding the potential clearing of encampments, and they will examine the specific situation at Mass and Cass, along with the broader issues of narcotics and housing. This committee will expand each delegate’s understanding of the intersection of our daily lives with the broader struggles of society.
Cuban Council
Following the triumph of Fidel Castro’s guerrilla army in the Cuban Revolution of 1959, many things are still up in the air. As the Cold War rages on, Castro’s Council of Ministers must decide Cuba’s place in an increasingly divided world and determine how to stabilize a country that has faced decades of corruption, sugar imperialism, and authoritarianism. Each delegate will assume the role of a Minister in the Council, and although all the Ministers are committed to a free and self-governing Cuba, moderate and radical blocs will have divergent and sometimes conflicting priorities. The committee will be structured in a historical crisis format, where delegates will pass directives concerning international and military affairs, as well as domestic policies and internal improvements. As the work of the committee unfolds during the period 1959-1962, delegates will need to address pivotal crisis events that will drastically change the course of the committee.
Polish Border Crisis
In 2025, the diplomatic relationship between Belarus and the European Union (EU) is strained. Disputes center around the suspected fraudulent election of Belarusian President Alexander Lukshanko which sparked political unrest in the nation. In response to President Lukashenko’s harsh treatment of political dissidents, the European Union (EU) imposed sweeping economic sanctions on Belarus. An additional area of conflict surrounds the ongoing refugee crisis where thousands of hopeful Middle Eastern migrants are trapped along Belarus’ border with Poland and other EU countries. Delegates will come together in Geneva, Switzerland and assume the roles of prominent world leaders and diplomats. Delegates will navigate the ongoing disputes and refugee crisis between the European Union and the Republic of Belarus. In addition, delegates will be presented with various crisis events that require swift and immediate action during committee sessions.
