More than 150 Arkansas high school students are expected to participate in the Model Arab League at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Friday and Saturday, March 4-5.

The Model Arab League is a student leadership development program created by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations. It is a simulation of an international organization, the League of Arab States, which represents 22 countries.

“The Middle East is an area of critical importance to international politics,” said Dr. Rebecca Glazier, director of the UALR Model Arab League and associate professor of political science.

“Many of the issues there — from religious extremism to water shortages to gender inequality — are issues that matter for the whole world. Thinking through potential solutions to these problems is a great way for students to get engaged and feel hopeful about the future of the Middle East and the world,” she said.

During the two-day event, high school students from across the state will serve as delegates on committees. The conference will be run by UALR students, who will chair committees, organize awards, and serve in key roles, such as secretary general.

“The simulation is a great hands-on, experiential learning opportunity for the students,” Glazier said. “They get to research, practice public speaking, and work with other delegates through diplomacy to reach a solution. These kinds of skills are difficult to learn from lectures alone, and our UALR students benefit, too, from teaching and running the conference. It is a great experiential service-learning opportunity for them as well.”

UALR has hosted the Model Arab League since 2008. The event is sponsored by the UALR Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Program, the League of Arab States Information Office, and the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations.

For more information, visit the Model Arab League website.

In the upper right photo, past participants of the 2015 Model Arab League visit UALR.