Samoanopoly: Oceania National Olympic Committee, 2007
The year is 2007, and the Pacific Games have host country Samoa facing almost $92 million in debt after operational issues from cheap infrastructure resulted in the need for replacement roads and bridges. This is not an uncommon issue when it comes to international sports events: many countries agree to host an upcoming ceremony — enticed by the suggestion of economic prosperity — without regard for the eventual economic threat the games may pose to their country’s well-being.
Considering the Oceanic region’s wide variety of cultural practices, another prominent issue is the difficulty in accommodating the religious sensitivities of the participating states, resulting in looming controversy regarding what is and isn’t permitted in the games — from the campaign to issue athletes condoms and advice on sexually transmitted infections, to restricting the traditional bikini-style beach volleyball attire, each country has their own concerns with the ground rules.
The first two sessions of this committee are set right before the South Pacific Games start, and the remaining sessions hit the ground running with the start of the Games. As a member of the Oceania National Olympic Committee, your country must decide whether it’s more important to abide by the traditionality of sports, or evolve the Games into a more inclusive event. Game on!
Chair:
Dhruv Shah
Crisis Manager:
Shrutha Venkatesan
Dhruv Shah is a member of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service’s Class of 2026, majoring in International Economics. Hailing from New Jersey, Dhruv began competing in Model UN in his freshman year of high school and served as Secretary-General of his high school’s second annual MUN conference. Last year, he had an amazing time serving as NCSC LI Director of Programming, and is super excited to continue his involvement as Chair of the Oceania National Olympic Committee! Outside of Model UN, Dhruv is involved in the Asian-American Student Association and Georgetown University College Democrats. In his free time, Dhruv is either taking a nap or listening to a political podcast. Dhruv looks forward to seeing you all at NCSC LII!
Shrutha Venkatesan is a member of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service’s Class of 2026, majoring in Global Business and minoring in International Development. She previously served as the Director of Philanthropy for NCSC last year (plug here: donate to phil!) and the Under-Secretary-General of Contemporary Crisis for NAIMUN, which is NCSC’s sister conference for high schoolers. As a result, she can’t wait to combine her love for what NCSC stands for and the adrenaline of crisis as your CM. On campus, Shrutha is involved with Hilltop Consultants, which is an on-campus consulting group, and Dharmic Life, which is a part of Campus Ministry. In her free time, she enjoys trying new food and watching stand-up comedy or airport documentaries (Ultimate Airport Dubai>>). Shrutha can’t wait to run back another conference with Dhruv and is excited to see you all in the Fall!
USG: Cynthia Gudaitis
This committee is in the Regionals Organ, and your Under-Secretary General is Cynthia Gudaitis. Committees in this organ are regional bodies with 18-25 delegates and full crisis elements.
If you have any questions about your committee, please reach out to c.gudaitis@modelun.org.