Imagine debating how to prevent armed conflict at an international level. Now imagine you have to do so taking the stance of Russia, a country that’s not known for its mediation strategies.
This is the stance Northeastern University International Relations Council President Aayush Joshipura had to take in a recent Model UN conference the team competed in in London. It was a challenge, Joshipura said, going up against students studying international policy, but he ultimately won an award for his performance during the model Security Council debate.
“It was a very unique experience, given the political climate,” Joshipura said. “But what was really enjoyable and interesting about it was it kind of forces you to think on your feet. … Oftentimes, countries would come at us with very opposite policies and the challenge was navigating through that opposition, finding ways to compromise, and really maintaining the key tenets of Russian policy without being aggressive and confrontational.
“Our biggest challenge was figuring out a way to represent Russia that doesn’t get us slandered. Obviously, we don’t agree with the majority, if not all, of Russia’s foreign policy, but part of the experience is immersing yourself in whatever country you’re playing. The way we dealt with it was also to somewhat dilute some of the more aggressive stances.”
The award was one of two Northeastern’s International Relations Council won during the Model UN Conference. The Boston-based team also won Best Small Delegation for their collective performance during the conference.
