Topic Summary

In the year 2029, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has undergone a radical transformation. Traditional political structures have crumbled, giving rise to a new form of governance, one ruled by music icons. From Cairo to Casablanca, Beirut to Riyadh, the region is now divided among powerful musical dynasties, each led by a chart-topping artist commanding vast fanbases and cultural influence. The stability of this new order is shattered when a mysterious cyberattack leaks the entire MENA Music Archive, exposing artists' secrets and igniting scandals. Fans riot, record labels collapse, and Western music conglomerates see an opportunity to assert control.

Delegates must navigate this volatile landscape, balancing cultural diplomacy, media strategy, and ethical considerations to protect their domains and influence. And will be challenged to engage in fast-paced, strategic decision-making, blending real-world cultural contexts with imaginative crisis scenarios. And when music becomes politics, who writes the next verse?

Director’s Letter

Dearest Darling Delegates,

Welcome to the 72nd iteration of Harvard National Model United Nations and to the Crescendo of Chaos: The Arab Pop Power Struggle, 2029 committee where I am so very thrilled to serve as your director!

By way of introduction, my name is Malak Sannoun and I am a sophomore pursuing a joint concentration in Government & Philosophy. I am from Anderson, South Carolina but my family is from Morocco, where I spend almost every summer! With MUN, I compete on Harvard's Intercollegiate Model UN Team (where I may have met some of you). Outside of the MUN world, I am the student manager for the D1 Harvard Women's Lacrosse team and am the Vice President of the Harvard Society of Arab Students. In my free time, I love exploring new places, shopping, trying new food, sipping on an ice-cold Ginger Ale, or hopping on the Peloton!

I am so excited to meet you all and have you engage with the chaos and thrill of this committee. Being an Arab American, this topic is something I find near and dear to my heart and I can’t wait to share it with you. I encourage you to lean into the absurdity, build compelling character arcs, and most importantly, ground your actions in the real cultural and political complexities of the MENA region. Music is power. Now prove you're worthy of the mic.

Let’s make some noise.

So intrigued to see your creativity and innovation shine through as you tackle the topics of this committee and ones that facilitate meaningful debate that drives solutions and partnerships. If you have any questions (or just want to share your eagerness) please don't hesitate to reach out!

Wishing you all the best,

Malak Sannoun

Director, Crescendo of Chaos: The Arab Pop Power Struggle, 2029

Director’s Letter

My wise and wonderful Delegates,

I’m honoured to welcome you to the Crescendo of Chaos: The Arab Pop Power Struggle, 2029 committee for Harvard’s 72nd National Model United Nations Conference.

My name is Mae Weir, I’m a member of the Intercollegiate Model United Nations team pursuing a double concentration in Government and Film, with a citation in French. I am a junior at the college, living in Eliot House. I’m originally from the north-west countryside of Ireland, but I have loved my time in Boston so far! At Harvard, when not competing for our collegiate team, I enjoy staffing our High school and collegiate conferences. Outside of MUN, I’m a little bit of a film buff, and I’m addicted to putting outrageous bids on eBay.

As a crisis director, I’m hoping to be bombarded with your chaotic ideas that can drive debate in committee. I’m excited to see the dynamic partnerships you will create and how you use them to have a positive impact on the committee, while leveraging your own personal agenda. I love to see delegates fully committing to the topic in crisis committees, and researching it further to find niche angles for their character’s arc. But most importantly, crisis is fun, and incredibly fast-paced, so I hope you all enjoy yourselves this weekend!

Looking forward to seeing you all,

Mae Weir

Director, Crescendo of Chaos: The Arab Pop Power Struggle, 2029