Members of the 2021 University of New Orleans' Model United Nations team presented President John Nicklow with their awards from the competition held virtually earlier this year.
Awards for 18 UNO students who participated in the 2021 conference included an honorable mention for the overall delegation and outstanding delegates award for students Maddux Campo and Raven Snow.
Students represented the Republic of the Congo at the 2021 National Model United Nations conference, traditionally held in New York City at UN headquarters and other sites each spring. Due to COVID-19, the four-day event shifted to an online format in April using mass videoconferencing software.
More than 1,300 students from hundreds of universities throughout the world participated, debating and simulating the activity of the United Nation bodies, such as the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UNAIDS Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women.
Led by 2021 Model United Nations president Nina Balan, UNO’s full delegation included Kathleen Mendoza, Rebekah Pearson, Lalibela Walto, Laith Shalabi, Carson Keller, Cooper Lemons, Maddux Campo, Evelyn Taylor, Maggie Mailhes, Italia Ravasio, Jesse Venable, Nick Kleppinger, Raven Snow, Christin Davies, Maryam Izadi, Samaa Selim and Samira Bechara. The club’s adviser is James Mokhiber, director of the UNO International Studies Program and undergraduate international studies major.
The club, with incoming president Jesse Venable and vice president Samira Bechara, is preparing to select a new delegation of students to participate in the 2022 National Model United Nations conference simulation in New York City in April. Students enroll in the credit-bearing class International Studies 3060, “International Diplomacy Simulation,” in the spring 2022 semester.
