VICS History

After running an extremely successful high school conference (VAMUN) for over 10 years, the members of the International Relations Organization decided it was time to branch out and offer a new take on the college Model UN conference to delegates everywhere. This led to the creation of the Virginia International Committee Simulation in 1996, the first entirely crisis-basis conference on the college Model UN circuit. The first session of this grand endeavor opened on March 28th of that year with a two person Secretariat and six crisis-style committees. In the years that followed VICS grew in experience and reputation while maintaining its small conference feel. By VICS 2000, the 5th annual session of the conference, the Secretariat had grown to five members and over 100 delegates came to the Grounds of the University of Virginia to serve on eight unique student conceived and executed crisis-committees. Last year, VICS broke the 250 delegate threshold and we hope to continue growing while still maintaining a "personalized" conference environment. The International Relations Organization is incredibly proud of the way VICS and its reputation have grown in the years since its creation and its success is due in large part to the fantastic Secretaries-General who have "sold their souls" in the name of VICS excellence.

The International Relations Organization

The International Relations Organization (IRO) is a contracted independent organization that is run entirely by students. Our membership ranges from engineering and education school students to philosophy and foreign affairs majors, but all share an interest in current international affairs. To visit our regular site, [click here].

IRO's activities are as diversified as its members. More than just a "Model UN Club" (though that's an important part of what we do), IRO works to promote awareness of international affairs at the University as well as the Charlottesville community.

Throughout the year, our members travel to compete in collegiate Model United Nations conferences all over North America. In recent years, IRO has participate in conferences at Georgetown, Harvard, U Penn, Berkeley, Yale, and McGill University in Montreal.

As an organization, we engage in a number of club activities. We organize and run one of the largest and most successful high school Model UN conferences ([VAMUN]) in the region each fall, with over 700 delegates from across the country, as well as a college-level simulation each spring (VICS). We invite ambassadors and international relations scholars to speak at the University. Several of our members are responsible for the recently-created, IRO-sponsored scholarly undergraduate journal, [The Wilson Journal for International Affairs].

Our members also write and staff the international crisis simulation for the US Institute of Peace High School Peace Essay Contest winners each year in Washington DC.

Interested in learning more? We invite you to come out to one of our regular meetings - every Wednesday at Jefferson Hall (West Range Hotel C) at 7:00 P.M. (To find your way to Jefferson Hall, please use the maps found [here].)

Every week there is an informative program about the international community in some respect. Sometimes this program includes Professor Panels featuring UVA's illustrious Foreign Affairs and International Law Professors. Other times it consists of informative programs and debates put on by IRO members.