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is a diplomatic simulation program based on the Arab League, a regional organization of 22 countries in the Arab world.  Sponsored by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, the MAL program hosts a number of competitions around the country for participating teams.  Each team is assigned a country to represent, and spends the months leading up to the competitions preparing to present resolutions on issues related to its country. Teams are judged based on their representation of and arguments for their country.

A total of nine Hope students participated in this year鈥檚 event.  Competing among seven colleges and universities, the Hope team represented Iraq, Lebanon and Djibouti.

Fakhoury, a freshman undeclared major from Macomb, Michigan, earned the Distinguished Delegate Award for his representation of Iraq on the Political/Palestinian Affairs Council.

Booker, a senior and a political science major from Saint Ann, Missouri, earned an Honorable Mention Award for her representation of Lebanon on the Social Affairs Council.

In addition to Fakhoury and Booker, the Hope students who participated this year were:

• Anna Leah Lacoss, a senior from Windsor, Connecticut, double majoring in global studies and English, who represented Lebanon on the Political/Palestinian Affairs Council;
• Benjamin Vogel, a senior from Scottsdale, Arizona, double majoring in Political Science and Philosophy, who represented Lebanon on the Joint Defense Council;
• Diana Medina, an exchange student from Queretaro, Mexico majoring in international relations, who represented Iraq on the Joint Defense Council;
• Hajar Ahmadi, a freshman from Ithaca, New York, undeclared major, who represented Iraq on the Social Affairs Council; 
• Kiwa Ito, an exchange student from Tokyo, Japan, majoring in arts, who represented Djibouti on the Joint Defense Council;
• Owen Claar, a senior from Birmingham, Michigan, double majoring in political science and music, who represented Djibouti on the Political/Palestinian Affairs Council; and
• Ruth Bena Bakulesh Batavia, a junior from Holland, Michigan, double majoring in political science and communication, who represented Djibouti on the Social Affairs Council. 

The faculty adviser for Hope's Model Arab League team is Habeeb Awad, who is international student adviser with the college鈥檚 Center for Global Engagement.  Hope College鈥檚 team is formed through a class where students learn about the country they are representing and those they鈥檒l interact with, as well as participating in mock debate sessions to prepare for the competitions.  Students receive credit for their participation by registering for the Model Arab League course offered in the spring semester by the Department of Political Science.

鈥淭he Model Arab League is a fantastic learning opportunity 鈥� first, because students get to learn a tremendous amount about the region that you鈥檙e representing,鈥� Awad said. 鈥淪tudents get to understand their economic policy, their foreign policy, their domestic issues.鈥�

鈥淎t the regional conference, students stand up and give persuasive speeches on whatever topic it is they鈥檙e trying to argue for, and so students learn to think quickly on their feet. They learn to make arguments in a succinct, powerful, persuasive manner. Then they also learn how to write in a compelling manner as they draft these resolutions at the conference,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hese types of extracurricular learning experiences help make the classroom experiences more beneficial and are just an integral part of a good education.鈥�

To participate, Awad noted, a student simply has to have an interest in the experience 鈥� one which is deep immersion learning about the Arab world and the countries that inhabit it.

鈥淎ny student who is hoping to learn more about the politics of the Middle East is welcome to join our team; no matter your previous skill or knowledge level, everyone has the potential to go far with this class,鈥� Awad said. 鈥淲e also encourage students who are studying political science, international relations, or have interest in the Middle East to join and apply their classroom knowledge.鈥�

In addition to Hope and Grand Valley State University, the colleges and universities that participated in this year鈥檚 event included Aquinas College, Ashland University, Grand Rapids Community College, Spring Arbor University and the University of Michigan-Dearborn.