YIRA earns three awards at Harvard conference

By Sheela V. Pai

Representing a small African country, the 10-student Yale International Relations Association delegation to the Harvard National Model United Nations Conference last weekend, Feb. 13-16, made its mark by capturing three awards in Boston.

The delegates competed in such forums as a mock General Assembly and dealt with topics including the legalities of extradition and the international
drug trade.

Grace Ryu, BK '98, head of trips and delegations for YIRA, was impressed with the success of the team despite its relatively junior status compared to other participants. "[The delegation] used [its] position very well and gained recognition throughout [the conference]."

Raj Pal, BR '98, president of YIRA, felt the wins reaffirmed the strength of the YIRA program. He commented, "It shows that Yale's [Model UN] is a strong force on campus...we take what we do very seriously."

In the past, YIRA faced funding obstacles, leading to smaller delegations in comparison to the traditional model UN powerhouses at the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Wahhaj, who represented Zambia in the Organization for African Unity committee and dealt with the issues of humanitarian assistance and the management of regional epidemics, noted Yale's junior status at model UN conferences and attributed it to the lack of awareness of the YIRA program on campus.

"Most other big schools send [delegations] of thirty or forty people...at [the University of Chicago], it's a huge thing, like the Political Union here,"
he said.

Ryu agreed that Yale had lower representation at conferences in comparison to other schools, but also commented on the importance of realizing that Yale students still managed to gain the top awards in committees ranging in size from 200 to 300 students. "Even though other schools send delegations with 50 students, our delegates have shown the heart and
endurance to win,"
Ryu said.

The delegation, which represented the country of Zambia, included Sinae Han, PC '00, Emiko Takeno, DC '00, Su Son Seang, SM '00, Marco Wan, CC '00, John Egley, BR '00, Aiyaz Husain, TD '99, David Flechner, PC '00, Aleksi Zervos, PC '99, Chris Glaros, CC '00, and Zaki Wahhaj, BR '99. Zervos and Egley each won awards for "Best in Committee" and Wahhaj received an Honorable Mention honor.

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