Having trained over 3,000 participants, the LAU Simulation Models closed their biggest year yet with a ceremony on June 18 on the Beirut campus.

The event honored 351 delegates with awards, including 171 who earned LAU scholarships, as it marked the end of this year’s Global Classrooms Model United Nations, Model Arab League, Model European Union and Model Good Governance programs.

“By willingly participating in these programs, you are making a statement to older generations: that you believe in dialogue and reason as the only means for solving problems, and that you are rejecting violence and declaring your respect for diversity and inclusion, as well as advocating for evidence-based discourse,” said LAU President Michel E. Mawad, addressing the delegates and secretariat.

“You are giving your elders a lesson in citizenship, civic responsibility and in the true meaning of community spirit,” he added.

Coming from more than 200 schools across the country, the middle and high schoolers practiced diplomacy, public speaking, conflict resolution, teamwork, research and writing, among other invaluable skills, as they gained a unique view of the inner workings of those governing bodies.

The trainees “just took their first step toward becoming active change-makers in their community,” said Secretary-General Shady Abi Fares, an LAU student double-majoring in Economics and Political Science/International Affairs. He thanked the school advisors, parents and family members in attendance for supporting the delegates throughout their journeys.

He noted how, in eight months, the LAU student leaders had organized six training sessions, two mock conferences and two final conferences on both campuses. Recently, some of the secretariat and alumni of the programs helped organize the Global Classrooms International Model United Nations Conference in New York.

In a recorded message, Project Director of the Freidrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) for Lebanon and Syria Kristof Kleeman noted how the collaboration between FNF – a partner organization that promotes liberal values through civic education, political counseling and political dialogue – and LAU started with the launch of the Model Good Governance model back in 2020 and extended to include all the university’s simulation models.

“We are very proud to be part of this exercise because we believe in working with reform-orientated youth in Lebanon and to equip them with the right skill sets to become future leaders and to take on responsibility for this beautiful country,” he said.

Vice President for Student Development and Enrollment Management Elise Salem extended warm gratitude to all those in attendance for another successful year of the simulation models. She congratulated the winning delegates, whom “we have watched transform as you embarked on your journeys of growth at the training sessions, week after week.”Recognizing the unfaltering efforts of Lead Outreach and Leadership Programs Manager Ghina Harb, she expounded on the scope of this year’s programs in numbers.

“You are our hope and our future,” said Dr. Salem.

The winning delegates went up on stage to receive the Secretary-General Award, Best Delegate Award, Diplomacy Award and the Position Paper/Country Statement Award.

The high schoolers who were granted scholarships could have up to 50 percent of their tuition waived – on top of other scholarships or financial aid earned – if they attend LAU.