Questions? Colin Custer, the VAMUN XXX Undersecretary General for Committees, would be happy to answer any questions about committees, preparation, and research, as well as which committees are best suited to different delegates.
Background Guides
Background guides are now posted for all committees. Please email chairs with any specific questions about committees.
Soon after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, armed conflict started in the long-disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Ethnically Armenian but technically located deep within Azeri territory, the region of Nagorno-Karabakh had been given partial autonomy under the Soviet Union, but the succession of Azerbaijan from the U.S.S.R. caused the problem to come back to light. This committee will take place in late-1992, at the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh War's full-scale armed conflict. Your duty is to act as the de facto, new and completely internationally unrecognized government of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The roads to success or defeat are numerous and you will have to deal with pressure from international bodies, acquisition of weaponry, development of an army, and the implementation of that army in the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh War. Will your fledgling government succeed or be crushed? The ultimate path towards war or diplomacy is in your hands.
Welcome to the General Intelligence Presidency of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia! As the members of the GIP, you will be asked to ensure security and stability, and to work towards preserving the gains of the homeland inside and outside the kingdom. You will be working closely with the departments of the government, exchanging information about suspects. GIP not only represents our Holy Kingdom, but the greater Middle East. It is imperative to maintain security and closely monitor our volatile region, but at the same time, is it possible to act honorably at such a political hot spot among numerous illegalities and espionages?
The Senate is the most powerful and prestigious lawmaking body in the United States. As members of the Senate, delegates will be involved in the vigorous debate gripping the nation during the historical period from November 2008 to March 2010: health care reform. Senators will attempt to finally create reform under a new Presidency that will change the lives of millions nationwide – but they will have to do so in a polarized, partisan atmosphere while simultaneously maintaining their relationships with their constituencies as well as members of the media and lobby groups. The US Senate will be working alongside the Association of Health Care Stakeholders in this simulation.
The American Association of Healthcare Shareholders is a small collection of companies and groups who all have interests relating to the healthcare industry in the United States from November 2008 to March 2010. This fictional committee consists not only of representatives from major insurance companies but also of lobbyists, medical care facilities, and drug companies who all have something to gain or lose from the ultimate healthcare decisions made by the government. This dynamic group must work together to effectively handle (and possibly influence) the heated debate rampant in Congress in a way that will not only benefit the party they represent but also the citizens who depend on their services for health and welfare. The American Association of Healthcare Shareholders will be involved in a joint crisis along with the United States Senate in this simulation.
Chinese Politburo will be a joint-crisis committee that goes against the Chinese Nationalists committee. The action starts in September, 1945 at the conclusion of the Second War when China is finally free from foreign domination. However, China is in turmoil; the Japanese occupation has left much of China scarred and it is up to the two main groups in China to propel it into the modern age. The Chinese Politburo is the representative body of the Communist Party of China, whose base of operations is in the north-central town of Yan'an. Throughout the 1920s and 1930, the CCP and the national government of China, led by the Guomindang, have fought with each other for control over China. The Japanese invasion saw a certain respite from the civil war, but with the pullout of Japan, both sides are eager for their own vision of China to be implemented. There are two choices: cooperate with the GMD or fight; it is up to the members of the Politburo to decide what strategies and actions to take to secure the important part the CCP could play in the future of China.
The Central Executive Committee is the highest decision making body of the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party, or KMT) of China. At the end of World War Two, China was in turmoil as the departure of the Japanese Army left a power vacuum. As the leading political party of the Republic of China, the Kuomintang faces challenges including establishing political unity, sponsoring economic growth, and building a strong military in China; to do so it must either cooperate with other political parties or destroy them. The KMT will be working with (or against) the Chinese Communist Party in this simulation of the period immediately following WWII.
The Ministry of Magic, the governing board for the wizarding world in Britain, is concerned with traditional issues of governance like trade, regulations for dangerous and illicit activities, and the rights of certain populations within the community. These issues are often more pressing and complex than corresponding issues in the Muggle world because of the involvement of magic. At the same time, the Ministry of Magic often has to confront larger groups who threaten their very existence and control over the magical community. The chief concern for the Ministry of Magic at this point in time is thus the rising prominence and power of a small group of powerful wizards – Voldemort’s Death Eaters. This means that the Ministry of Magic is responsible for addressing traditional governmental questions as well as responding to any attack or threatening behavior from the Death Eaters.
Death Eaters! Your Dark Marks have been searing for days. The Dark Lord has summoned you, and you can no longer ignore the call. The Daily Prophet, the Ministry and the rest of the magical world is aware of his return, so join him and help him to regain the former glory that was so unceremoniously wrenched from his hands by the Boy Who Lived. Help him to undermine the insidious government that stands in the way of the greatness of pure blood wizards and ultimately to lead the magical world to new heights.
