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Secretary General Insulza Highlights the Role of the OAS in the Defense of Democracy in Inauguration of Model General Assembly for High School Students

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today highlighted the role of multilateral institutions in the defense of democracy in the region, upon opening the 32nd edition of the Model OAS General Assembly (MOAS), at the headquarters of the hemispheric institution in Washington, DC.



Speaking before more than 250 young people, Secretary General Insulza reaffirmed the role of the OAS in promoting democracy in the region, noting that after a long struggle, "all countries participating in the OAS have governments elected by popular vote." "In the Hemisphere there are many problems, but fortunately there have been no major wars during the past three decades, and this is due in part to the success of diplomacy in the region," he added.



The Secretary General noted that although the pillars of the OAS - democracy, human rights, security and development – remain the same as when the OAS was founded in 1948, "the context in which they are applied has changed and now we are in a very different world from that of the Cold War."



The head of the Organization explained to the students the history of the OAS from its predecessor, the Pan American Union created in 1910, to its foundation in Bogotá in 1948. He highlighted the most important documents of the hemispheric institution, among which he first highlighted the OAS Charter , of 1948, which he defined as "a document that highlights the equality of all nations, stands against intervention, supports the autonomy of countries, and regulates how countries should understand one another to solve their problems."

Secretary General Insulza emphasized the value of the agreement that in 2001 allowed for the approval of the Inter-American Charter, the document that defines the "rules that each country should be governed under a democratic administration, beyond simply holding elections." He also referred to the American Convention on Human Rights, "which represents one of the basic roles of the Organization," and which entered into force in 1979 after being signed by all the member countries, though it was not ratified by all. Insulza also referred to the Declaration on Security in the Americas of 2003, which changed the focus of the Organization on issues related to security, moving from fears of external aggression to a focus on issues related to organized crime, drug problems and other issues - , and the Social Charter of the Americas, adopted in 2012, "which holds that democracy and development go hand in hand."

In the 32nd edition of the MOAS, which takes place between now and Friday, December 6, students from 15 schools in the United States -including Puerto Rico- are taking part, and three Colombian schools, who will represent 25 of the 34 OAS member states. In this edition of the MOAS three new schools are taking part: Cesar Chavez Charter Public School (Washington, DC); Colegio Real- Royal School (Barranquilla, Colombia); and Colegio Bolivar (Cali, Colombia).

Secretary General Insulza delivered during the event an award to the Georgetown Preparatory School, which was received by the Acting President, Jeffrey Jones, and Professor Rosita Whitman. An award was also presented to Wilmington Friends School, received by Professor Javier Ergueta.

The MOAS has as its primary purpose the promotion of democratic values ​​among the youth of the Hemisphere through a simulation of the OAS General Assembly in which students represent diplomats from the 34 active OAS Member States. This exercise seeks to familiarize students, faculty, and academic institutions in the Americas with the mission and work of the OAS. The Model OAS for high schools is open to schools in the hemisphere that can work in English, including institutions from English -speaking and bilingual schools.

More information on the thirty-second MOAS is available here.

Reference: E-470/13