|
|
Shape North America’s future!
 |
Montreal, from the 25th to the 30th of May, 2008
Organized by the North American Forum on Integration (NAFI)
|
The North American Forum on Integration (NAFI) is inviting you to the fourth edition of the Triumvirate
which will take place in the Montreal City Hall, from the 25th to the 30th of May 2008.
The Triumvirate will bring together for five days a hundred university students, from Canada, Mexico
and the United States, to participate in an international negotiation exercise in which they will simulate
a parliamentary meeting between North American political actors. Participants will be assigned one of the three following roles: legislator (representing a country other than their own), journalist or lobbyist. Four themes of a political, economic and environmental nature will be the object of intense debates
during this innovative and formative event. This year's themes are: 1- Fostering Renewable Electricity Markets (in English), 2- Countering North American corporate outsourcing (in French), 3- Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (in English), 4- NAFTA’s Chapter 11 on investments (in English).
Description of the event 2008 is available
The simulation offers participants a unique opportunity to live an experience rich in apprenticeship, emotions and outcomes. During the event, students will participate as a legislator, journalist or lobbyist.The week’s work takes place in plenary sessions, political commissions, caucus and even in the corridors!
Each day a conference speaker from the political, economic or academic milieu will interact with participants on one of the event’s themes.
Lunch Conference with Luis Alberto Moreno, President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) |
MAIN OBJECTIVES
To bring future Canadian, American and Mexican leaders together in order to experience and take part in an international negotiation exercise.
To allow participants to familiarize themselves with the functioning of democratic institutions as well as North American political, economic, environmental and social realities.
To develop the participants' sense of belonging to North America.
To increase intercultural exchanges and promote the creation of North American academia networks.
To inform the current decision makers of the priorities and concerns of North American youth.
|
ROLES
Participants will be assigned one of the three following roles: legislator (representing a country other than their own), journalist or lobbyist.
Legislators
Legislators have to face the challenge of representing a country other than their own. This experience greatly contributes to the development of knowledge. They either represent a parliament at the federal level or at the state/provincial level. The participants learn about the realities, the strengths and weaknesses of the entity they represent, and take this into account in order to develop their political positions. They discuss their assigned draft resolution in a commission and vote on all four resolutions in the plenary session. Daily national caucuses allow the legislators to define their strategies. Legislators are also encouraged to take part in the three press conferences in order to share their points of view with the media. A final lobbying session allows them to consolidate alliances and close deals. At the end of the week, participants fully comprehend the challenges related to international negotiations and better understand North American cooperation realities. |
|
Journalists
Daily, a team of journalist prints out a newspaper during the simulation. The TrilatHerald covers the developments and evolution of the debates, the press conferences, and interviews with conference speakers, legislators and lobbyists. The newspaper is distributed to the participants and the partner organizations of the Triumvirate. It is also available on NAFI's website.
|
|
Lobbyists
Lobbyists will have to ensure that the amendments to the draft resolutions respect the interests of the organization they represent as well as the confidential mandate which will be assigned to them by NAFI. Each lobbyist will have to present a memoir within one parliamentary commission; comment on the commissions' work during caucus meetings; take part in the press conferences, publish an open letter exposing his or her opinion in the TrilatHerald and hand in a final report to the Triumvirate secretariat. |
Selection criteria
Each participating university can send a delegation of up to 8 students and an accompanying teacher (if so desired). The selection process is at the university's discretion but should respect the following criteria. Delegates:
- must be undergraduates (excluding freshmen) or graduate students;
- must have an interest in North American integration;
- must understand and speak English and/or French.
The North American Forum on Integration (NAFI)
3744, Jean-Brillant, bureau 581
Montréal (Québec) Canada H3T 1P1
Tel :
514-343-7874
|
Fax :
514-343-7348
www.fina-nafi.org | info@fina-nafi.org
|
