ASHLAND, Ohio — Ashland University’s Model Arab League team won first place at this year’s Ohio Valley competition held at Miami University. Area residents Joey Barretta and Tyler MacQueen were among those who won an “outstanding delegate” award in addition to AU students Rick Platt, Jackson Yenor, Josh Frey, and Naomi Sims.
Barretta is majoring in political science and is the son of Michael and Ruth Barretta of Mansfield. He is a 2013 graduate of St. Peter’s High School. MacQueen is majoring in history and is a 2015 graduate of Loudonville High School.
Model Arab League, similar to its bigger sister Model UN, recreates a summit meeting of an international organization, in this case the Arab League. Each university team is assigned one country and represents its interests on five different councils, ranging from defense to economic affairs. The aim in each council is to write a resolution in response to a pre-set agenda on which all countries agree, which, however, should also reflect one’s own interests.
The councils are presided over by a chairperson whose task is to move the debate along while observing common rules of parliamentary procedure. Needless to say, conflicts over the precise wording arise. Those teams, which are well prepared on the issues at hand, who are eloquent, persuasive and effective advocates for their country, and who are able to create cooperation and consensus, are chosen as the “outstanding delegates.”
MacQueen and fellow AU student, Josh Frey, prepared for the Council on Palestinian Affairs representing the Republic of Tunisia. Barretta and fellow AU student, Naomi Sims, prepared for the Joint Defense Council. Each team began gathering information on Tunisia’s interests since the beginning of the spring semester.
Now in its fifth consecutive year participating in Model Arab League, this year’s delegation from AU was the most successful of any Ashland University teams, superseding even last year’s second place finish and eight “distinguished delegate” awards. Next year, Ashland University hopes to participate in the national competition held in Washington, D.C.
