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Egyptian students discuss and debate issues in senate simulation

Egyptian students discuss and debate issues in senate simulation

Mary Larkin, Street Law’s director of international programs, spent a portion of March in Alexandria, Egypt, preparing for the 2009 Model American Congress program.  The Model American Congress, which Street Law is coordinating with funding from the U.S. Department of State, will bring 100 Egyptian students together to simulate the U.S. Senate over four days.  The students will each be assigned to represent a U.S. state, and will draft bills and amendments, debate, negotiate, and pass legislation. 

During her recent trip, Mary worked with the students and faculty at the University of Alexandria to develop the program.  The students have selected the following issues to discuss and debate during the simulation:

  • aid to the Middle East
  • a constitutional amendment to repeal the death penalty
  • genocide in Darfur
  • human trafficking
  • the U.S. role in finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
  • when and under what circumstances the U.S. should intervene in the Middle East

The senate simulation will take place in Alexandria in July 2009.  In the meantime, students have been given the current bills in front of the 111th Congress concerning their selected issues and will conduct research on the issues and their assigned state.  The program aims to promote understanding between Egypt and the United States, increase political awareness among participating Egyptian youth, improve students’ skills, and demonstrate one aspect of the American democratic process.

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Topic: Democracy/Human Rights

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