The 36th annual National Collegiate Security Conference is presented by the Georgetown International Relations Association, Inc (GIRA). GIRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and located in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1969, GIRA’s mission is to educate global leaders in international affairs through interactive learning. GIRA engages in three primary activities – hosting a collegiate level Model United Nations simulation,organizing North America’s largest high school Model United Nations conference, and funding the Georgetown University International Relations Club.

GIRA promotes youth education in global affairs through the Model United Nations (Model UN) format where students, as delegates, represent people, groups, political parties, countries, and regions in simulations of international political forums. Delegates participate in weekend long Model UN conferences where they act as their assigned persona, defending their positions against their peers from other educational institutions.

GIRA believes Model UN serves as a dynamic and innovative platform for helping secondary school and university students develop the analytic and leadership skills necessary for success in their future endeavors. Model UN is designed to allow students the opportunity to apply knowledge they have acquired in the classroom and in their personal studies to a realistic debate of key international issues.

GIRA executes its commitment to developing youth leadership through international relations education through financing, hosting, and organizing Model UN programs. Every February, GIRA organizes the North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN) conference drawing 2500-3000 high school students from the Americas. To cater to college students, GIRA hosts the National Collegiate Security Conference in October, specializing in simulations of international crises. GIRA’s principle source of revenue is registration fees for conference participation. GIRA additionally provides funding to the Georgetown International Relations Club’s Conferences Program, sending dozens of students to compete in conferences hosted by other universities.