It is heartwarming to see hundreds of university students gathering to show skills they have learnt through a program their university chose to adopt, for more empowered, tolerant youth.
This took place today, through the inauguration of the 12th GC LAU Model United Nations and 6th LAU Model Arab League, under the slogan “6 years of Excellence and distinction”. “Greenarea.me” interviewed the director of the program, advisors, and student leaders, who told us all about the personal skills they learnt through this program, along with the input they are putting in it.
MAL… Only Student-led program in Arab World
The Lebanese American University’s Model Arab League (LAU MAL) program, in partnership with the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development and the National Council on US-Arab Relations, introduces and discusses social, economic, cultural and political issues facing Arab countries and trains students on management skills, use of parliamentary procedure and the dynamics of debating. The program provides leadership training and creates a culture of dissemination of knowledge about the Arab world.
While LAU holds the only student-led educational and cultural program related to the Arab League in the Middle East, it also hosts more than 1000 High School Students, 300 Teachers, and 500 LAU Students at its simulation program, in the LAU Beirut Campus. What is significant is that this will be the first year that LAW hosts Middle School Students as well.
Advocates of Tolerance
In his opening speech, Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra, LAU president, said: “We are here, the youth of Lebanon and the youth of the world to reject war and discrimination and to strengthen the rule of law,” adding enthusiastically: “We are here to promote justice, because if there is no justice, there is no peace”.
Dr. Jabbra stressed that “the world must understand that we are here to be strong advocates of tolerance and to make the world a better place to live in”. The most important highlight in his words was his talk about hope, and about providing opportunities to young people.
On the other hand, MP Bahia Hariri from “Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development” encouraged students to keep dreaming, because there is no happiness without dreams”.
58% Females in Secretariat
In turn, Elie Samia, Assistant vice president for outreach and Civic Engagement, and Program director for MUN and MAL mentioned that the Secretariat members are 211; 14 Public Relations, 10 public information, 10 Training and educational development, 120 school relations, and 53 for Logistics and operations.
It was great to hear that 58% of the secretariats are females. Samia mentioned in his speech that Arab league not only tackles various issues including environmental issues, but it has also added aspirational leadership this wear.
“25% of our students come from Adnan Kassar school of business, and 15% from the school of engineering”, he said, adding that “Talking about crime justice and human rights is not only for specific majors, especially that 15% of the members come from the school of architecture, and 38% from the arts and sciences, while the rest of the members come from the school of medicine”.
Kafran: Empathy leads to progress
Olga Kafran, Head of outreach and legacy for the special tribunal in Lebanon, said in her speech that “The international justice system is far from perfect, and no one has yet been held responsible in many places in the world for the crimes they have committed”, adding that “1 in 3 people alive are under the age of 30. 90% of them are in the continents that have the biggest problems”.
Kafran mentioned that “Participating in model means believing in a better future for the country, since engraving the students’ characteristics with negotiation skills and diplomacy, leads to achieving personal best and the best of community as a whole”.
She also gave an inspiring example of a student who said that he had to defend something he did agree with, and that was when he made the best of the skills he learnt this way, especially that it is related to empathizing “. “This (empathizing) with others leads to progress”.
“While politicians try to divide the world into us and them, stepping into someone else’s shoes and trying to see things from their point of view is what we need to do”, Kafran stressed, advising students to follow their heart and intuition because “they truly know what you want to become”.
In turn, Elise Salem Vice president at LAU introduced members of the secretariat on stage, and spoke with enthusiasm about the students’ competencies at the moment. Salem assists Dr. Jabbra with everything related to the program.
Stephany maalouf assistant director public relations MAL – Last year she was in both programs. I gained confidence. I know hoe to be a critical thinker now. communication skills now and lots of connections. Embassies and everything. Our main role…. Contact people for sponsorship. Contacting the embassies… Image and link of the program with the outside.
First Female becoming Director of Logistics
It was also amazing to interview Maria Malas, Deputy secretary general at MAL, whose main role is managing the organisation of the five teams. Malas is more into depth of whether tasks have been done and if the director has finalized everything. She works hand in hand with the secretary general.
When asked about the input she’s giving to MAL, the young lady told “greenarea.info”: “We are the image of leaders for delegates and advisors”, adding “This is the youth that we want to grow. Advisors are the people that lead them to become who they are at the end of the year. We have a school relations team, who are the direct contact between schools and the program itself”.
Maria was the First female in the role director of logistics last year. “We want to promote equality between people, and we even got the Malala fund to speak in one of our conferences”.
Throughout her 4 years in the program, Malas has become more organized, and got to meet new cultures and friends.
Programs… far beyond classroom
Sofiane Timtaoucine, Associate director of training and educational development, has been in MAL and MUN for several years. He told us in an interview “We’ve come up with activities in the previous years of the program, and still are”.
Timtaoucine most learnt skills in the programs have been public speaking, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence. “You become more aware of yourself and everyone around you”, he said.
Everything that has been said about the MUN and MAL programs at LAU drives lots of optimism towards a better future in Lebanon, especially that students only care about progress while having fun, as Sofiane told us. “Unfortunately the stereotypes Lebanese give are mostly sectarian, but when we have a program where students work in harmony, each has his/her own political opinion. Students are doing a great job; they only care about progress and fun, and the program goes far beyond the classroom”, Sofiane said. We hope to see such visions like the one LAU is adopting in other educational institutions.
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