DISARMAMENT AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE
topic summary
In modern politics, ethnicity has become a source of violent conflict across countries around the globe, ranging from Northern Ireland to Rwanda. Ethnic conflict can be described as the politicization of ethnicity that results in social, economic, or political turmoil along ethnic divisions. Scholars often attribute ethnic violence as rooted in an international state of fear and insecurity known as the ethnic security dilemma. The ethnic security dilemma encapsulates the idea that a lack of transparency about the other group’s intentions fosters a collective fear and uncertainty that drive ethnic conflict. Furthermore, political leaders such as ethnic entrepreneurs capitalize on this fear and abuse ethnic ties to mobilize political support, causing deep-seated animosity and the outbreak of violent conflict.
Such conflict poses a severe threat to international peace as it often develops into issues of regional instability, economic catastrophe, internal displacement, and ethnic cleansing. For example, the 1994 conflict in Rwanda resulted in the death of 800,000 Rwandans on the basis of ethnic animosity between the Hutu majority ethnic group and the Tutsi minority. Yet, despite such atrocities, the international community often remains disengaged and restricts foreign intervention in addressing human rights violations.
The goal of the DISEC committee is to craft the best global preventative and response measures to address ethnic conflict on the international stage. What frameworks should the UN adopt to institutionalize and streamline the deployment of aid on behalf of the member states in cases of ethnic crisis? How should governments work together to determine the appropriate action and launch targeted interventions in response to ethnic violence? How should the international community uphold state sovereignty, while addressing severe human rights violations?
Director’s Letter
Dear Delegates,
My name is Kaleena Roeva, and I’m excited to be serving as your Director for the Disarmament & International Security Committee (DISEC) at HNMUN LXX! I’m from the D.C. area, but my family is originally from Bulgaria. At Harvard, I’m a junior studying a double concentration in Government and Economics.
I started Model UN my freshman year of high school and have been dedicated to it ever since. I now serve as one of the Head Delegates of Harvard’s intercollegiate competitive team and am the Deputy Director General for HMUN, Harvard’s high school conference. This past year, I served as the Undersecretary General of Business for HMUN 2023 as well as the Co-Director of Training for the competitive team. I was also an Assistant Director for the European Union at HMUN 2022 and an Assistant Director of Administration at HNMUN 2022.
Outside of Model UN, I am interested in politics, business, and languages. At Harvard, I serve as Associate Director of Member Affairs on the Board for the Harvard College Consulting Group and Director of Operations for the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations. I have also been extensively involved with the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School, serving as a Journals Liaison for former Peace Corps Director Dr. Jody Olsen under the Fellows and Study Groups Program. I have a deep interest in languages, with native proficiency in English and Bulgarian and professional proficiency in both Spanish and French. In my free time, you can find me grabbing coffee (feel free to debate me on the Starbucks-Dunkin’ issue) or watching Madam Secretary, Money Heist, and Scandal on Netflix.
Looking back, I can easily say that Model UN has become one of my greatest and most rewarding passions, and I hope to foster that same gratifying experience for you all this weekend. Regarding the DISEC committee, I’ll be focusing on the quality of your solution ideas, particularly their feasibility to be implemented on a global scale. Additionally, exceptional delegates are those who truly grasp their country’s policy and foster a positive, collaborative environment. I hope you all will be able to indulge in a weekend of fruitful debate, bold negotiations, and hilarious chair dares.
Having competed in countless conferences, I’m familiar with the inherent stress that comes with trying new things. My advice for you— do it. Try that new hook. Speak without notes. Write a bold resolution. This weekend, I encourage you all to embody the spirit of innovation, diplomacy, and collegiality that HNMUN has to offer.
I am thrilled to be your Director for DISEC and look forward to meeting you all in February! In the meantime, feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns, or just to say hello!
Sincerely,
Kaleena Roeva
Director, Disarmament & International Security Committee
Harvard National Model United Nations 2024