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MODEL OAS ASSEMBLY FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OPENS IN WASHINGTON

The Model General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) opened at OAS headquarters in Washington today, bringing together more than 300 university students for a weeklong engagement discussing issues relevant to the hemispheric agenda. In addition to the students from 16 United States universities and six foreign-based universities, the April 9-13 Model OAS Assembly (MOAS) also includes 40 faculty advisors.

Director of the OAS Department of External Relations Irene Klinger inaugurated the session delivering greetings from Secretary General José Miguel Insulza and Assistant Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin. She highlighted the work of the hemispheric body, whose objective is promoting “the important values of democracy, justice, peace, and prosperity to the citizens of the Western Hemisphere.” She described it as a significant event on the calendar as it is addressed to the youth—“our future leaders.”

After a brief overview of the OAS history, Klinger told the students about the organization’s focus based on the pillars of democracy, human rights and justice, multidimensional security, and integral development. She also spoke about the Social Charter of the Americas that is being formulated by the member states and, quoting the OAS Secretary General, told the students that the OAS makes policy, which is “not only a matter of values—positive results also count, achieved through public policies that put the principles of our hemispheric community into action.”

The student participants were also briefed at the opening session by Dr. Robert Trudeau of Rhode Island’s Providence College and the Inter-American Institute for Diplomacy, co-sponsors of this year’s MOAS for university students.

The MOAS is a simulation of the OAS General Assembly, and the students represent one of the 34 OAS member states and defend their assigned country’s policies and interests. The main purpose of the MOAS is to familiarize students with the mission and work of the OAS, as well as with the current issues affecting the Western Hemisphere. It is also a valuable tool for teaching the main principles of participative democracy, the benefits of negotiation and the search for consensus, as well as the use of diplomacy in conflict resolution. It is also an effective mechanism for cultural interactions among the youth of the Hemisphere.

Frank Almaguer, the OAS Undersecretary for Administration and Finance, will offer the closing remarks on Friday.

For more information about the MOAS program please visit our web page at www.moas.oas.org; for specific information on this 36th WMOAS please visit www.wmoas.org.

Reference: E-096/07