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2026 Committees
GWCIA 31 is excited to offer a wide variety of committees including International Bodies, Regional Bodies, Historical/Specialized Committees, and Crisis Committees. We are excited to have a wide range of topics including real UN bodies and fantasty committees so that every kid can have an amazing CIA experience. Some committees are specifically marked for novice delegates, and we kindly ask that these committees be assigned within a delegation to delegates who have little or no Model UN experience. These committees will have a more "teaching" approach and a slower committee pace in order to help delegates learn while doing. Additionally, some committee are marketed advanced. These are curated for delegates with extensive Model UN experience. Advisors are welcome to place delegates with little to no MUN experience in non-novice committees, however we kindly ask that novice committees are reserved for novice delegates in order to foster a stress free learning experience for new delegates!
International Bodies
Under Secretary General: Reese Theobald
intl_gwcia@email.gwu.edu
UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Double Delegation
Chair: Mia Sorgie
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) coordinates the economic, social, and environmental work of the UN system, serving as the central platform for sustainable development. This committee gives delegates the opportunity to participate in debate about improving the global system through collaborative means! The topic of this ECOSOC will be focused on animal rights protections and welfare, with Topic A being the legality and protections of animals in war zones or conflict; and Topic B being protections against animal testing and cruelty. These topics are aimed at getting delegates to analyze the world around us and think critically about the role animals play in the international system. Goals of this committee will include utilizing economic and social means to understand the development of international standards, norms, and protections. This committee will be run as a double delegate general assembly.
Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC)
Double Delegation / Novice
Chair: Sarah Strolger
The Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC) is the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly. The Committee focuses on issues related to disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation. Topic A: International Arms Control With the official end of the New START Treaty between the United States and Russia, there are no remaining international nuclear arms control agreements. Countries such as the US, Russia, and China are expanding their nuclear arsenals. What role do international organizations such as the UN play in advocating for (or against) international arms control agreements? What steps can be taken to prevent the growth of nuclear arsenals? Topic B: Nuclear Materials Security Ensuring the security of nuclear materials is crucial to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Nuclear materials are essential for peaceful uses such as power generation, medicine, and scientific research. However, these materials could be used by states or non-state actors to make nuclear or radiological weapons. What role do organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency play in securing nuclear materials? What steps should states take to balance respecting countries' right to peaceful use of nuclear power with the need to prevent proliferation?
UN Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL)
Chair:
The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL) is the fourth committee of the United Nations General Assembly and tackles the widest range of issues around the world. From the legacies of (de)colonialism, UN peacekeeping and the politics of outer space, SPECPOL covers it all. On the agenda for this session of SPECOL are the issues of the ongoing maritime dispute in the South China Sea and ensuring free and fair elections around the world. The South China Sea is home to major international trade routes and holds large resource stockpiles, creating a dispute between China and its neighbors in Southeast Asia. While around the world, election integrity continues to be threatened, creating doubt in the democractic system. Delegates shall tackles both these challenges in hopes to building a more stable and free international system.
UN Environment Program (UNEP)
Chair: Adian Farrell
This General Assembly will explore the challenges posed by climate change and extractive economic activities on oceanic regions globally. Oil spills, global warming, and seabed mining have caused a significant reduction in the population of aquatic species, contributing to ecological decline and the destabilization of maritime communities. Representing coastal states, delegates will be encouraged to cooperate and create solutions to global issues like overfishing, maritime depopulation, and piracy, while simultaneously protecting their national economic interests.
Regional Bodies
Under Secretary General: Marcela Pierre
regional_gwcia@email.gwu.edu
African Union
Novice
Chair: Henry Pandamadi
By 2050, around a quarter of the global population will live in Africa. However, 2026 is set to be a challenging year for the African continent. From ongoing wars to the breakdown of diplomatic ties with the outside world, this will be a challenging year for the whole continent. With geopolitical crises sweeping the globe, elections upcoming and the suspension of aid from the United States, this year is a key time to rethink the ties that bond the African continent. The power of the African Union is often ignored by the international community, despite its legislative, executive and judiciary comprehensiveness. As this committee, it will be imperative for delegates to reflect upon the future of not only internal affairs on the continent but also its place in the shifting global landscape. Delegates must become spokespeople for incredibly diverse nations, as they proudly but diplomatically represent African nations. Are delegates able to arrive at a comprehensive resolution that will satisfy all the members of the African Union? Can the committee strive to reach the African Union’s Agenda 2063 goals?
The Bandung Conference, 1955
Chair: Lucas O'Flanagan
It’s 1954 and delegates from Africa and Asia are gathering in Bandung. Representing nearly 54% of the world’s population, the delegates meet to discuss opposition to neocolonialism and standing together against the Cold War between the western powers. The conference would eventually lead to the non-aligned movement, opposing American and Soviet hegemony throughout the world. In this committee, delegates will discuss how to further African-Asian cooperation and how to strengthen ties between the post-colonial world in spite of challenges from the outside, overcoming their differences for a great show of unity among the people of two continents. Will the delegates be able to capture and improve upon the spirit of Bandung again?
Forum for East Asia and Latin American Cooperation
Chair: Mary Schickedanz
Since the turn of the 21st century, the most rapidly growing industries have turned focus away from the US to China and East Asia, as well as rising powerhouses of Latin America like Chile and Mexico. The global focus on the US has become a tired global stereotype, and crucially underplays the immense growth that free trade and diplomatic relations within organizations like the Forum of East Asian and Latin American Cooperation facilitate. This committee is incredibly relevant to today’s world and facilitating diplomatic and economic relations as countries like the US shun trade deals and slap tariffs onto most nations, now could be a key time for FEALAC to establish dominance on the global scale and prove the importance of multilateral cooperation. But rapid growth has left a trail of problems as countries struggle to adapt, and FEALAC has now convened to find new and creative solutions to gender discrimination, lack of education and technology, and economic inequality.
United States Senate, Committee on Foreign Relations, 1973
Chair: Wyatt Christian
The year is 1973; The Vietnam War has ended in embarrassing defeat, the threat of the Soviet Union looms larger than ever, and the United States must rethink its Foreign Policy strategy. The power of the President to engage the military in conflict has been called into question by Congress and the American people, with many advocating for restrictions and Congressional requirements for military deployments. The nuclear arms race is escalating as well, as the Soviet buildup of warheads is catching up with America’s stockpile, and new nuclear armed powers are beginning to emerge. Delegates must take the role of Senators on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in order to navigate these evolving and complicated circumstances. Can delegates draft a bill that is effective in its content, crosses the political aisle, and lays the foundation for the future of American Foreign policy?
Historical-Specialized Committees
Under Secretary General: Maya DeAndrea
histspec_gwcia@email.gwu.edu
All Roads Lead to Rome: The Roman Senate, 44 BC
Chair: Ethan Teich
It’s March in Rome 44BCE. The funeral of Julius Caesar had just taken place and the tensions among the senate are higher than ever. It is up to you as a senator to weave through the political chaos of Rome. In an ever changing time within the world the actions of the senate plays an even more important role. There are many concerns abound. How will the legacy of Julius Caesar be remembered? What will happen to the conspirators who plotted against him? Who will replace them? All these questions pose struggles for the senators as civil war and famine looms on the horizon. Some senators hope to preserve the republic, others seek their own ambition. Either way a senator that can skillfully navigate these trying times may just be able to gain the power of Rome for themselves.
Major League Baseball Lockout
Advanced
Chair:
Bases loaded. Full count. Major League Baseball is down one run in the bottom of the ninth, and the clock is ticking. If negotiations fail to deliver a breakthrough, the consequences will be felt across the league. On December 2nd, 2021, the Major League Baseball (MLB) lockout began. Following the expiration of the former Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), MLB ownership has halted league operations until a new agreement is reached. Now, players and management alike must come together to negotiate the terms of a new CBA. With player salaries, playoff guidelines, and free-agency regulations on the table, negotiations must reconcile some of the most contentious disputes across baseball. A failure to agree will not only lead to an extended lockout, but the cancellation or postponement of the 2022 MLB season. The stadium is buzzing, the fans are ready, it’s time for negotiators to step up to the plate. Play ball!
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Rescue Commission, 2014
Chair: Terissa Alex
The year is 2014, and a horrific story has grabbed the world's attention. The mystery disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370, which was supposed to be a standard flight for 227 passengers to Beijing. Nations all around the world have offered resources, satellites, and intelligence services to help bring passengers home. All are under intense pressure to bring passengers home, answer questions from the families, and ensure a crisis like this never occurs again. Delegates in this committee will step into the role of government officials, airline administrators, military leaders, and much more. Additionally, they will be given the high pressure task to investigate the causes of this sudden disappearance. Was it an honest mistake, an oversight, or an act of sabotage? Delegates must learn to manage the balance of open communication with the public while also not risking the safety of passengers, as new evidence such as debris reports, satellite imaging, and intelligence reports emerge. The stakes are high and the world has its eyes on you. The fate of MH370 rests in your hands.
The Treaty of Versailles, 1919
Novice
Chair: Souheil Mouhajir
In the aftermath of the Great War, the leaders of the world gather in Paris to decide the terms of peace and the future of Europe. In The Treaty of Versailles, 1919, delegates will step into the roles of these statesmen, tasked with rebuilding a shattered world. Yet peace is far from certain. Should Germany be punished severely, or preserved to maintain stability? How can the demands of nations, empires, and peoples be balanced without sowing the seeds of future conflict? In this committee, delegates will confront these questions in a dynamic but approachable setting. Through negotiation, diplomacy, and crisis, they will shape the treaty that will define the postwar order--and determine whether peace will endure.
Crisis Commitees
Under Secretary General: Andrew Graves
crisis_gwcia@email.gwu.edu
Arctic Monkeys
Chair:
BLACK GOLD FOUND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD! A shocking discovery has been made at the top of the world—a mysterious substance has been found beneath the icy North Pole! This valuable resource could make countries and companies incredibly rich, and everyone is rushing to claim their share. But there’s a big problem: drilling in the Arctic is extremely dangerous, and it could seriously harm the environment. Scientists warn that this could make climate change worse and put animals like polar bears and seals at risk. At the same time, people around the world are protesting, saying the Earth cannot handle more damage. Tensions are rising as leaders, businesses, and activists all fight for what they believe is right. In this high-stakes situation, delegates must work together to find a solution that balances profit, people, and the planet. But be careful…rumors are spreading that someone may already be trying to secretly drill for black gold!
The Cabinet of John F. Kennedy, 1962
Chair:
The world stands on a knife's edge. It’s 1962. The Beatles just released their first record, a man is orbiting the moon, and the United States is in the height of its cold war with the Soviet Union. After the US and NATO jointly agreed to place nuclear weapons in Turkey in 1959, the Soviet Union began a plan to place nuclear weapons of their own in Cuba, in collaboration with the communist ruling Castro government. Both Turkey and Cuba are in range of major population centers within the US and USSR, posing a devastating threat in the event of a nuclear exchange. This presents a massive challenge for the Kennedy government. The world has never been closer to nuclear annihilation, and it is up to a small group of cabinet members to decide whether humanity falls into nuclear oblivion, or can find a peaceful solution. Be careful… the fate of the world is in your hands, one small misstep, and there may not be a tomorrow.
The Peacock Throne: The Mughal Empire, 1640
Advanced
Chair: Pragya Shankar
The year is 1640, and Shah Jahan is emperor of the Mughal Empire. Days at his royal court are filled with feasts, poetry, and stunning architecture. As courtiers in the Red Fort, you enjoy life’s greatest pleasures and privileges. However, the position of the Peacock Throne isn’t as stable as it seems. Across the Empire, there are whispers of revolt by the many small kingdoms, inspired by the Kingdoms of Gujarat. The citizens of the empire also are beginning to fall under the pressure of funding the opulence of the Court. Delegates must advise Emperor Shah Jahan to take action to ensure the prosperity of the Mughal Empire.
The Search for Atlantis
Novice
Chair: Clara Osorio
The legend of Atlantis has been retold through generations. But is it truly just a myth? The year is 1850 and Atlantis is a civilization that remains lost to time. That is, until historians start to delve into the secrets of this ancient civilization and discover the description of a powerful and vast empire that once ruled the oceans. Created by the God Poseidon, Atlantis was rumored to have been immensely rich and technologically advanced with a grand navy and seemingly endless power. Yet, as it grew more powerful, the rulers grew more prideful and greedy. Eventually, blinded by their hubris, they scorned the gods. Atlantis was struck down and sunk to the bottom of the sea, never to be seen again. Delegates will embark on a journey to discover whether this renowned civilization once truly existed or is just legend. They will fulfil various roles that make up a maritime search party such as a captain, crew member, linguist, historian and many more. Delegates will have to run a ship, discover ancient relics, decide upon their route and final destination, and face unknown dangers unearthed during their journey. Did Atlantis ever exist, or is it just another fairy tale? The answer to this question is up to you.
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