Welcome to Disarmament and International Security Committee
Dear Delegates,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the twenty-eighth edition of the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference. My name is Sam Schear and I will be your Chair for this year's Disarmament and International Security Committee.
A little more about me, I am a Senior from Washington DC double-majoring in History and Judaic Studies in the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. I have been involved with Model UN since High School and all throughout my time at Penn. Fortunately, Philadelphia is close enough to New York to keep up with my favorite teams: the Knicks, Giants and Yankees.
This year, DISEC will be debating topics pertinent to the issues of security that the world currently faces. You will have the luck to be delegates for the committee with the best dais team and have a fantastic weekend to look forward to. I look forward to meeting you all in January and a weekend full of invigorating debate. If you have any questions feel free to contact our USG – Stephen Rutman – before then.
Best,
Sam Schear
Chair, Disarmament and International Security Committee
Ivy League Model United Nations Conference XXVIII
Dear Delegates,
My name is João Victor Mokdissi and it is my distinct pleasure to welcome you to the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference. I am extremely excited to serve as your Moderator for the Disarmament and International Security Committee.
Originally from Brasilia, Brazil, I am currently a junior pursuing a triple concentration in Finance, Real Estate, and Management at the Wharton School. Aside from business, I am very interested in political science and international relations, two passions that I explore by participating in Model United Nations. My love for Model U.N. began in my sophomore year of high school and has grown ever since. In high school, I attended various conferences around the world, including ILMUNC, the Iberian Model UN Conference in Lisbon, and the Brazil Model United Nations Conference in Rio de Janeiro, where I had the experience of being a delegate, then chair, and eventually Secretary-General. In college, I continued to participate in Model UN and served as Under-Secretary-General of General Assembly committees at ILMUNC 2011. At Penn, I am also a member of the Wharton Council, the Penn Brazil Club and am a Management 100 Team Advisor. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, exploring the great restaurant scene in Philly, and spending time with my friends and family!
Throughout my Model U.N. career, I have always chosen to participate in General Assembly committees and DISEC has been a personal favorite. This year, DISEC’s hard-working staff and I have carefully selected distinctive topics for debate and prepared detailed background guides to assist you as you prepare for the best conference you will ever attend. Please feel free to contact our USG – Stephen Rutman – if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to meeting all of you in January!
Sincerely,
João Victor Mokdissi
Moderator, Disarmament and International Security Committee
Ivy League Model United Nations Conference XXVIII
Topic Summaries
Topic A: National Sovereignty in Africa
Since the founding of the United Nations following World War II, the organization has remained devoted to protecting each member’s national sovereignty, a right defined in the very first chapter of the UN Charter. Nevertheless, the role of the First Committee—the Disarmament and International Security Committee—is to promote and maintain peace and to protect the human rights of all citizens. In order to fulfill this mission, the UN must, under certain circumstances, support international intervention. Therefore, many critics of the UN argue that actions taken by DISEC violate national sovereignty and the right of self-rule. In particular, African states are frequently the subject of debate regarding the authorization of military intervention by the United Nations or other international organizations. The First Committee is tasked with the challenging responsibility of drawing the delicate line between protecting citizens and respecting national sovereignty; delegates on this committee at ILMUNC will be faced with several particularly problematic instances to debate and resolve.
Topic B: Nuclear Proliferation in Iran
In recent years, Iran has come under great scrutiny for its nuclear weapons development program. This topic will explore the current progress of the nation's program, its implications on stability in the region, the relationship Iran maintains with the West, and what solutions need to be agreed upon going forward.