Three conferences in 11 days? No problem for FIU Model UN

The FIU Model United Nations (MUN) Program recently completed the most intense conference schedule in team history by participating in three conferences in just 11 days. FIU delegates took part in the West Point Security Conference, the National Model United Nations (NMUN) conference in New York, and the Chicago Model United Nations Conference.

“Our first-year delegates have raised the bar and taken us to another level,” says Ray Hernandez, program director of FIU Model UN. “They embody everything that makes FIU a great academic institution and are some of the best people I have ever had the privilege of being around.

“Their level of dedication and commitment to team excellence is unrivaled. The Model UN Program continues to be what it is because of the head-delegate position. Ana Portal and Aaron Heria took on the unprecedented challenge of leading us to eight conferences this year and are directly responsible for our success.”

West Point Security Conference

Five first-year delegates traveled to the United States Military Academy to participate in the West Point Security Conference March 29-April 1. All five earned awards. FIU delegates also earned the Best Delegation award (first place overall). The following delegates were individually recognized during the awards ceremony for their substantive contributions:

Best Delegate (1st place):
Nicholas Aquart, United States Central Command
Edgardo Borelly, United States Diplomatic Mission to the Arab League
Ariela Nijamkin, the United States Embassy to Israel

Verbal Mention (3rd place):
James D’Cruz, United States Special Operations Command
Javier Navas, United States Central Command

FIU MUN Pro at the West Point Security Conference: Javier Navas, Nick Aquart, James D’Cruz, Edgardo Borelly, Ariela Nijamkin and Ray Hernandez.

National Model United Nations Conference

After the West Point awards ceremony, the five delegates immediately left West Point, N.Y., for Manhattan and joined the rest of the team to participate in the National Model United Nations Conference on the same day. Representing Chile, 21 FIU delegates earned the Outstanding Delegation award (1st place) for the seventh straight year.

For the second straight year two FIU delegates, Javier Navas and Iohana Sanchez, were chosen as vice presidents of the Economic and Social Council Plenary. In addition to their regular committee schedule, these delegates met three times throughout the week to discuss operations and set the agenda for the plenary session. After reviewing the reports and resolutions submitted by the committee representatives, the bureau set the agenda for the plenary sessions.

Additionally, FIU delegates were chosen as the Best Delegates in 9 out of the 12 committees they represented (16 out of the 21 delegates).

NMUN Conference Best Delegates:

Yesenia Alfonso, UNHRC
Eric Alvarez, CSD
Nicholas Aquart, GA 2nd
Federico Baez, CSD
Edgardo Borelly, FAO
Allison Fay Crummy, UNHRC
James D’Cruz, Arms Trade Treaty
Michael Fernandez, Arms Trade Treaty
Daniela Gonzalez, CND
Aaron Heria, UNESCO Executive Board
Nicolas Jimenez, GA 2nd
Javier Navas, ECOSOC Plenary
Ariela Nijamkin, OAS
Brandon Paquette, CND
Ana Portal, UNESCO Executive Board
Iohana Sanchez, ECOSOC Plenary

Finally, six delegates were also recognized with the Best Position Paper Award:

Nicholas Aquart, General Assembly 2nd Committee
Claudia Carbonero, General Assembly 3rd Committee
James D’Cruz, Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty
Michael Fernandez, Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty
Nicolas Jimenez, General Assembly 2nd Committee
Gabriela Morera, General Assembly 3rd Committee

NMUN 2012 Team (front, left: Iohana Sanchez, Allison Fay Crummy and Ana Portal. Back left: Daniela Gonzalez, Jessica Marin, Federico Baez, Gabriela Morera, Claudia Carbonero, Eric Alvarez, Aaron Heria and Ray Hernandez)

Chicago Model United Nations Conference

Once committee sessions ended at NMUN April 5, half of the team left for Chicago to participate in the Chicago Model United Nations Conference (ChoMUN) while the other half attended the closing ceremonies in the United Nations General Assembly hall at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Overall, six out of the 12 delegates earned awards at ChoMUN.

Delegates earning awards were:

Outstanding Delegate (2nd place)
Cristine Ale and Michael Fernandez, Emergency Summit of the OAS American States

Honorable Mention (3rd place)
Nicholas Aquart, Brazil 2014 Local Organizing Committee
Nassir Aboreden and Javier Navas, Republican National Convention

Verbal Commendation (4th place)
Yesenia Alfonso, United Nations Mission in Sudan (2005)

Aaron Heria, who led the team along with co-head delegate Ana Portal, said “We are always honored to represent FIU on a consistent basis. NMUN is an integral part of what we want our delegates to learn and is an experience unlike any other. We are extremely proud of our delegates and are thankful for all of the support that we receive from  FIU External Relations, the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of International and Public Affairs, Student Government and our professors.”