Centenary’s Model Arab League competes at Annual Bilateral Model Arab League Conference
Centenary’s Model Arab League Team (MAL) competed in the 18th Annual Bilateral Model Arab League Conference in Houston on February 22-23. Five Centenary students represented Syria at this year’s conference: Beth Vogler, Braydon Gaston, Arionna Thomas, Jordan Hall, Adonijah McCarty. Vogler, a sophomore, was named Distinguished Delegate for Social Affairs.
“The conference, and Model Arab League in general, was an incredibly rewarding and enriching experience,” said Vogler. “The conference was a great opportunity to meet a ton of different people and to collaborate with them to achieve our mutual goals. I was surprised and honored to be named Distinguished Delegate and to know that my peers in my council, as well as the Chairwoman, recognized my hard work.”
The Model Arab League (MAL) was established in 1983 by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations to put students in the shoes of real-life Arab diplomats and foreign affairs professionals.
“Participating in the Model Arab League as a delegate for Syria was both a challenging and rewarding experience,” said Thomas, a junior. “This opportunity pushed me to thoroughly research Syria's historical and political landscape, which not only deepened my understanding but also honed my diplomacy skills and enhanced my ability to conduct nuanced academic research. The skills I developed in navigating dialogues and collaborating with others will undoubtedly serve me well as I create content that informs and inspires!”
MAL participants are judged on their ability to represent the needs, concerns, interests, and foreign policy objectives of their assigned country. In the process, they deepen their understanding of the Arab world, and develop valuable analytical organizational, writing, and public speaking skills. More than 2,000 students participate in MAL programs each year.