Let’s Have a Conclave - Papal Conclave, 1642 BCE
About the Committee:
The year is 1642 and tensions are high in the Catholic Church. Still in the throes of the Protestant Reformation and in the shadow of religious wars all over Europe, the Church is running amok with corruption and nepotism. Amidst all this chaos, one of the largest offenders seems to be the Pope himself, who has stirred sentiments against him by racking up Papal debts and using the Church to benefit his family. Now, Pope Urban VIII has taken it a step too far, declaring war against the Duke of Parma as part of a larger family and personal feud. The odds sit far against his favor, as his actions leading up to the conflict may lead long-time allies of the Church to turn against him and side with the Duke. If nothing is done to repair the trail of liabilities and grudges Urban VIII is leaving in his wake, the Church may lose its foothold in the European continent, or even fall apart completely. A secret gathering of the electoral Cardinals has been called to handle the issue, and they will use every avenue in their power to rectify the state of the Church and the misdeeds of His Holiness. Only time will tell if they can set the Church on the right path, or if they too will heed the call of corruption and be led astray.
A LETTER FROM THE DaiS:
Greetings, your Eminences!
My name is Irawoayo Olagbaiye, and I am so excited to be one of your co-directors for Let’s Have a Conclave: The Fall of Pope Urban VIII - 1642 BCE. I am so excited to bring our idea to fruition and see you all debate the issues plaguing the Catholic Church in the seventeenth century BCE. I grew up in Macomb, MI (but I currently live in Memphis, TN) and am currently a senior within Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, pursuing a degree in architecture with a minor in urban studies. Other than design, Model UN is one of my biggest passions. I have been a part of MUNUM for 3 years now. I volunteer for 3 different Model UN organizations and actively use the debate skills I have acquired through the activity in my everyday life. Outside of Model UN, I am a member of the African Student Association and the American Institute of Architects. In my free time, I love to travel, draw, read, write, and watch thriller and horror movies. I cannot wait to see you all debate in committee!
My name is Delcene Ralaingita, and I will be your co-director. I am beyond excited to see how you all tackle this raucous time in the Catholic Church’s history. I am a senior in the College of LSA, majoring in Film, Television & Digital Media (FTVM) with a minor in Biological Anthropology–so if you like movies (or evolution), feel free to come and chat with me! Although I’m most recently from Evanston, IL, I lived overseas growing up, so participating in Model UN has been a great way for me to stay in touch with global perspectives. I was president of the team at my high school, a rapporteur for MUNUM my sophomore year, and an assistant director last year, and am now so excited to get to be a part of your MUN journeys. Outside of MUNUM, I am a docent for the University’s Natural History Museum, a peer consultant for the University Writing Center, and a member of a couple student theatre clubs and the International Student Society. I look forward to meeting you all!
My name is Stefan Bieniasz, and I’m honored to be your assistant director for Let’s Have a Conclave! Presently, I am a sophomore in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts pursuing a major in physics and a minor in mathematics. I’m from New York City, New York, where I participated in my high school’s Model UN team as a way to get over my aversion to public speaking. Last year, I had the privilege of being a rapporteur for our Caesar’s Senate committee, and hope to continue helping future delegates throughout my time at MUNUM. Outside of Model UN, I am a member of the Student Physics Society here at UofM, as well as a member of the fencing club (where I fence Épée)! My other interests include making and listening to music, as well as learning about history; my favorite electives at UofM have consistently been history courses, which is why I’m especially excited to see the strategies and twists you come up with during the election of our new Pope.
We look forward to having you on campus soon! If you have any questions regarding the committee or would like to address any concerns, you can reach us at irawoola@umich.edu, (Irawoayo), delcener@umich.edu (Delcene), or stefanbi@umich.edu (Stefan).
With that, welcome to MUNUM 40, delegates!