FIVE EASY STEPS FOR GETTING INVOLVED
IN THE MODEL ARAB LEAGUE PROGRAM
1. Gather a group of interested students.
Model Arab League is a team activity. At most Model Arab League conferences a minimum of 5 students are needed to represent a country.
Most of the schools who currently participate in the Model Arab League Program have their delegation’s organized and led by a member of their faculty, but in numerous cases students have also organized and run successful Model Arab League teams.
Potential Model Arab League participants can come from a wide range of backgrounds. Anyone interested in learning about the history, culture, religion, economics, or politics of the Middle East should be considered a candidate. Successful competitors are not exclusively found in political science or history programs. We gladly welcome people from all backgrounds and experience levels, and we find great strength in having a rich diversity of participants.
2. Register with the National Council.
Registration for Model Arab League is done through the National Council’s Model Arab League Web site, and a Program Coordinator from the Council will contact you shortly after your registration has been received. Part of your registration will include submitting your team’s preference for which of the 22 Arab League member nations you wish to represent. The final country assignments are made by the National Council.
You can learn specific details about upcoming conferences, including dates and locations, on the Model Arab League Web site: modelarableague.ncusar.org
3. Pay the registration fees & book any travel arrangements.
The National Council collects a nominal participation fee to help offset the cost of running the Model Arab League Program. For our University Models, participation fees are $60 per country assigned and $30 per student. For our High School Models, participation fees are typically $30 per country assigned and $20 per student, though some High School Models have a reduced fee structure.
You will need to make arrangements for your delegation to travel to the Model location. Often time discounted hotel rooms are available adjacent to the conference facilities – simply check the Model Arab League Web site or contact the National Council for details.
4. Research your assigned country’s positions and practice using parliamentary procedures.
Before you attend a Model Arab League conference your delegation will want to research your assigned country’s views on the topics to be discussed. It is also helpful to run mock council sessions in order to familiarize yourself with the rules of parliamentary procedure. Each conference will debate issues found in theModel Arab League Agenda, which you will find on the Model Arab League Web site. The Model Arab League Web site also contains links that can be helpful in starting your research.
5. Attend the Model Arab League conference.
Model Arab League conferences begin with a Plenary Session, where delegates adopt a Provisional Agenda for the Model’s five councils. During Council Sessions delegates draft, debate, and vote on resolutions reflecting their countries’ positions. The resolutions that pass through the councils are presented at the Summit Session, a final meeting of all the delegates where resolutions either pass or fail a final review. Awards are given at the conclusion of the Summit Session to both outstanding individuals and delegations.