High school students imagine Arab world solutions at Georgia Southern

October 24, 2016

Area high school students visited Georgia Southern to act as representatives from several Arab world countries, and to work together to form diplomatic solutions to the region’s toughest problems.

The Georgia Southern University Model Arab League (MAL) hosted its first regional conference for area high schools on Saturday, Oct. 1. Local high school Statesboro STEAM Academy joined Frederica Academy and Brunswick High School for the event.

During the simulation, Georgia Southern MAL members served as chairs of the Joint Defense and Political Affairs Council, the Council on Palestinian Affairs and the Council of Arab Environmental and Social Affairs, as well as the Secretary General, MAL President Kelsey Ramos, who also oversaw the conference.

The students considered a wide range of topics on The Middle East, including the trafficking of small arms among extremists, exploring options to prevent the weaponization of water and discussing ways to promote women’s involvement in Arab society.

“There was a good discussion and resolution about the creation of a joint Arab armed forces and command to combat ISIS and religious radicalism,” said Jacek Lubecki, Ph.D., associate professor of Political Science, and a MAL faculty advisor.

The conference was officially recognized by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (NCUSAR), who sent two of their representatives from their Washington, D.C., office to oversee the Georgia Southern delegation. The students’ and professors’ work on the conference earned praise from the representatives, who discussed having Georgia Southern serve as an official host for collegiate-level Model Arab League conferences in the future.

Lubecki says the discussion means Georgia Southern has “a wonderful opportunity to become the center for MAL-related events in Southeast Georgia.”