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MODEL OAS ASSEMBLY FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OPENS IN WASHINGTON, DC.

The Model General Assembly of the Organization of American States (MOAS) opened today at OAS headquarters in Washington, bringing together more than 350 university students from 19 universities in the United States, 9 in Latin America and 1 in the Caribbean for a weeklong engagement to discuss hemispheric issues and negotiate a series of resolutions on issues such as human rights, democracy, security and development.

The Director of the OAS Department of International Affairs, Irene Klinger welcomed the students and praised their commitment to the study of regional issues and to the practice of diplomacy. OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, talked about the work of the hemispheric body whose objective is promoting “the important values of democracy, justice, peace, and prosperity”. He also highlighted the 60th anniversary of the OAS, and its significant contribution to problem solving among member states. The students will adopt a resolution on this topic.

Dr. Joan Andorfer and by Dr. Robert Trudeau, of the Inter-American Institute for Diplomacy (IAID), which co-sponsors the WMOAS briefed the students on their responsibilities as diplomats representing the nations of the Americas.

The MOAS is a simulation of the OAS General Assembly, where students represent each of the 34 OAS member states and defend their assigned country’s policies and interests. The main purpose of the MOAS is to promote democracy among the youth of the Hemisphere by familiarizing students, faculty and academic institutions of the Americas with the OAS as the premier political forum, as well as with the current issues affecting the Americas. It is also a valuable tool for teaching the main principles of participative democracy, the benefits of negotiation, the search for consensus, and the use of diplomacy in conflict resolution. It is also an effective mechanism for cultural interactions among the youth of the Hemisphere.|

In recognition of the importance of this program, Ambassadors from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Mexico attended the inaugural ceremony, and Ambassador Héctor Morales, Permanent Representative of the United States to the OAS, will offer the closing remarks this Saturday.

On May 21-23, Colombian university students will participate in a MOAS in Medellin, just prior to the OAS 38th General Assembly. On July 14-17, hemispheric students will gather in Santiago, Chile for another MOAS.
The MOAS is a program of the Department of International Affairs of the Secretariat for External Relations of the OAS. For more information please visit the MOAS program web page at www.moas.oas.org; for specific information on this WMOAS please visit www.wmoas.org.

Reference: E-117/08