LAS 380 - MOAS

The Model Organization of American States (MOAS) General Assembly is a simulation of the General Assembly of the OAS, the 55-year-old regional multilateral organization of the United Nations.

In LAS 380, students learn about the history of inter-American relations, the countries of Latin America, the OAS, and the protocol needed to effectively create, present, and discuss proposals to resolve the hemisphere's most urgent problems. 

Unique to this model is the student's ability to meet, face-to-face, the diplomats that they will be role-playing. Additionally, the delegation will attend meetings and galas with diplomats and other student representatives from various universities who have come to the assembly from all over the American hemisphere. This model opens the door to learn from the inner-workings of regional governmental organizations. The GVSU delegation will have the chance to meet students from all over the Americas who have researched similar topics presented as resolutions. Because the delegation will be traveling abroad, this opportunity also allows for many advantageous cultural experiences, as well as a chance to shape a global perspective and an international and regional attitude towards inter-American issues facing our hemisphere today.

The MOAS is designed to increase awareness of the role, structure, and performance of the Organization of American States. It highlights key economic, social, educational, political, and security issues facing the Americas. It challenges student delegations to work as a team, to build consensus, to develop an awareness of the complex factors that shape the foreign policies of the member states of the OAS, and to construct resolutions that deal with intra-regional diplomacy in search of solutions to pertinent issues. Some of the issues for this year's model include strengthening democracy, combating poverty, the rights of indigenous peoples, multilateral strategies for combating drugs, halting illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms, fighting terrorism, prevention of racism and discrimination, regional trade issues, climate change, and promoting women's human rights and gender equality.

Pictures from MOAS 2009 in Washington D.C.

 

(From left to right) Professor Andrew Schlewitz, Omar González, Javier Cejas, ready for the opening session.

(From left to right) Markanetta Jones, Sara Lowry, MaryBeth Deiters, Jessica Smith, Adriana Alamnza, Javier Ceja, Omar González, Jane Newton

(clockwise)  Javier, Jeanine Anderson, Markanetta, Jessica, Sara, MaryBeth, Jane, Schlewitz, Omar, Lunching at Salvadoran cafe

(From left to right) Jessica, Omar, Markanetta & Sara relaxing after a hard day

For more information, contact Professor Stillerman, LAS Director, at stillejo@gvsu.edu.