The Secretary-General

“Better to die standing than to live on your knees.” - Ernesto Che Guevara. As an Arab, living on my knees was not an option to begin with, for if I knelt for a second, I would be trampled on, silenced, and buried.

Growing up in Amman, I did not face discrimination as an Arab, so I was blissfully unaware of the true struggle that came with the race. As I grew older, I watched my siblings become more versed in the world of politics, and so I followed suit. Through that, I discovered how deep-rooted the discrimination really was. Even when Western media tries to sugar-coat it, we are still more susceptible to the “random” searches at the airport, stabbings in London and not receiving call-backs from potential work opportunities due to Arab names. As I saw all of this first-hand, I knew I had to do something, I just did not know what.

I was a meek child, shying away often from simple social interactions, but then, a formative experience occurred, my eldest sister joined MUN. From there, a chain reaction happened, and the outcome was me joining Model United Nations. For that, I am beholden to my sibling. MUN helped me find my voice; I had a lot of the information, but I learned to stand up and speak.

That was not all I obtained from MUN, as I gained new friendships, I procured the ability to see from eyes that were not my own. I learned how the same statement can be interpreted a thousand different ways. I grasped the concept that however much I think I know, I know nothing. With that realisation, I researched more, and with that research, I uncovered how much injustice was all around, not just for Arabs, for everyone.

Naturally, I was frustrated and overwhelmed. Once those feelings subsided, all that was left was hope. Nonetheless, hope alone is not enough, resilience and persistence must follow. We can make a difference through everything we do, from donating change to a charity, to spreading awareness, to debates and even starting an organization. The change starts with us. We are the ones that must act, and we must do so together. One voice can be heard, but multiple voices cannot be ignored. This is how we can Turn the Tide.

Welcome to AsriyyaMUN’27, and it is my honor to serve as the Secretary General this year.

Lina El-Jawhari