NCSC staffers having fun
The trademark of Georgetown’s National Collegiate Security Conference (NCSC) is its dynamic crises. All committees take the conference’s core focus on security and view it through different lenses: politics, media, law, nation-building, diplomacy, war, religion, and terrorism. We have highlights of the crises and photos of delegates in action from every committees. Check it out!
You can see more coverage of the conference at the NCSC News liveblog and more videos at the NCSC 39 YouTube account.
Like always, we feature delegates who were standing out or actively speaking & debating in committee and we try out best to caption the photos with their positions as well. Here are the different videos and photos organized alphabetically by committee name plus several other NCSC News interviews with delegates:
The NCSC Crisis Staff Room... or in the words of a NCSC staffer, "This is where all the magic happens."
Chinese Administration of Press and Publication
NCSC goes all out in decorating the room of the Chinese General Administration of Press and Publication Board
Yang Fei (Mt. Holyoke) speaks in the Chinese General Administration of Press and Publication Board
Pan Junchan (U.Penn) makes a comment in the Chinese General Administration of Press and Publication Board
Democratic Party of Kosovo Caucus
One of the caucus bloc leaders speaks during moderated caucus, but then a crisis erupts (see video below)
Chair Hilary Wong gives some advice to eager candidates for the Prime Minister position
One caucus bloc leader proposes their party to nominate three candidates for the Prime Minister position
Another caucus bloc leader addresses his concerns about rival candidates to his allies
Enron Central Management
Crisis Manager Adam Giansiracusa works on the next crisis for the Enron Central Management as their stock continues to drop
Mr. Forest Hoglund (U.Penn), Ms. Cindy Olson (Mt. Holyoke), and Mr. Lou Pai (Duke) give the look of suspicion toward Mr. Andrew Fastow in the Enron Central Management
Mr. Andrew Fastow (Cornell) defends himself from accusations from the board about his questionable accounting practices. (He would go on to bring down Enron -- and win Best Delegate)
Mr. Rick Causey (Rutgers) explains why he believes he has been framed of wrong-doing in the Enron Central Management
Mr. John Baxter (Delaware) is one of many who blame Mr. Andrew Fastow for Enron's troubles
Horn of Africa Joint Crisis Cabinets
The Chairs of the Ethiopian Cabinet select the next delegate that gets to ask the guest speaker a question
The Eritrean Minister of Foreign Affairs (U.Penn) offers proof on why her solutions would work best for the Cabinet. (She would go on to win Best Delegate).
The Eritrean Cabinet's Minister of Defense (George Washington) discusses an idea during moderated caucus
Delegates listen to Brigadier General Tekle Kiflai's (Elon) ideas
Agent Thunderbird (SUNY Geneseo) of the Eritrean Cabinet isn't in favor of a proposal during moderated caucus
Ultimately the Ethiopian minister “politely secedes” and forms the Islamic Republic of South Ethiopia:
NCSC News caption: “A weapons shipment failure by the IRA has some gruesome consequences. Be sure to watch 0:22. Hilarious.”
Delegates discuss ideas with each other in the IRA
Debate gets intense in the IRA
Delegates debate in the IRA
A delegate reacts happily to a great idea in the IRA
International Criminal Court: Trial of Kim Jong-Il
Kim Jong-Il’s fifth wife testifies at the International Criminal Court:
Judge Thomas Felding (U.Penn) makes his arguments in the ICC: Trial of Kim Jong-Il
ISAF Council on the War in Afghanistan
The ISAF Council staff pose for a photo
The CIA Station Chief in Pakistan (West Point) analyzes the situation on the War in Afghanistan in the ISAF Council. (He would go on to win Best Delegate)
The ISAF Council works hard during unmoderated caucus as the crisis spills from Afghanistan over to Pakistan
Juan Peron’s Senate
Juan Peron's Senate turned into a trial. Here a delegate questions a news reporter on her imprisonment.
Khalistan Joint Crisis Cabinets
Chair Arun Avva, Director Deven Comen, and delegates all listen carefully to the latest crisis update in Indira Gandhi's Cabinet of the Khalistan Crisis
The Minister of Commerce and Industry (UCLA) has a question for the guest speaker as other delegates ponder what to ask
Chair Jagmeet Singh presides over the Bhindranwale's Separatist Coalition in the Khalistan Crisis
Delegates in the Bhindranwale's Separatist Coalition write directives that will lead to their independence
Sukhdev Singh Babbar (Cornell) speaks forcefully to his separatist comrades in the Khalistan Crisis
A militant separatist intimidates the rest of committee in order to get them to take riskier and more violent actions
Khrushchev’s Cabinet 1962
Khrushchev (Chair Dane Shikman) demands crisp ideas in his cabinet
Anatoly Gribkov (Florida International) uses the map of the USSR to compare the consequences of using conventional warfare versus using a nuclear bomb
Delegates listen for the next crisis update. The crises in Khrushchev's Cabinet were described as "organized chaos -- just what a crisis simulation should be"
Lebanese Cabinet
During the first night, the Lebanese Cabinet crisis team threw a curve-ball at the delegates by splitting the Cabinet into two joint crisis cabinets: the March 8th coalition and the March 14th coalition. The two factions will have to overcome the challenge of governing Lebanon:
Hezbollah bursts into the Lebanese Cabinet to show their anger over recent bombings in Lebanon
And just when agreement is about to be reached between the March 8 and March 14 alliances in Lebanon, Hezbollah urges March 8th to declare legitimacy:
A delegate makes his point about a directive in the National Assembly of Pakistan
A delegate speaks during moderated caucus in the National Assembly of Pakistan
A delegate makes a speech in the National Assembly of Pakistan
United Nations Security Council 1960: The Congo Crisis
The United Kingdom (Florida State) defends their unilateral actions by pointing to a map of Congo
The United States (Yale) speaks on the situation in the Katanga region of the Congo in the UNSC 1960
Ceylon (Rutgers) shows off his ability to multi-task by speaking and getting ready to receive a crisis update in the UNSC 1960. (He would go on to win Best Delegate)
United States National Security Council
The US NSC had to deal with an intense crisis in Los Angeles. Look at those crisis updates!
General David Petraeus (U. Chicago) speaks in the US NSC. (He would go on to win Best Delegate)
John Brennan (George Washington) captures the committee's attention in the US NSC
Lt. Gen. James Clapper (Mt. Holyoke) poses a good question to the UN NSC
NCSC News also caught this exchange between two cabinet members:
Vice President Biden: Don’t you believe that enhanced interrogation should be an absolute last resort used only when all ethical means have been exhausted already?
Lt. General James Clapper: I don’t know, Joe. I don’t do ethics.
Vatican Cabinet 1942
The Pope (Chair Alexandra Dudzuik) chairs the Vatican Cabinet 1942
A delegate rocks his cross in the Vatican Cabinet 1942
All delegates vote to evacuate the Vatican
According to NCSC News:
The Pope and his council disappeared from Vatican City. Under threat from Mussolini they fled to Ireland where the Vatican was subsequently re-established. The Vatican is currently at war with Mussolini as the Italian dictator now controls Vatican city.
One church official, Cardinal Rossi, stayed in Rome during the mass exodus of Vatican officials, claiming it was more important to preach faith rather than politics. The fascists, championed by Mussolini, will create a new church centered in Rome where Rossi is Pope. The new church has been created to focus solely on faith, claiming the Vatican was too intricately involved in politics. Supported by Italy, Germany and Vichy France, questions arise as to whether or not the new church will simply become a puppet of fascist regimes.
Finally, NCSC News did Delegate of the Day interviews with Nonie, Grace, Owen, and Rosa:
