The lure of travel combined with the prospect of role-playing important international political figures, make Harvard Model Congress a popular Secondary School activity. This year IC sent 10 students to Paris with advisor Phillip Bannowsky for the annual HMC conference in Europe where they met and worked with more than 300 students representing 40 schools from countries around the world. HMC is an international organization giving students opportunities to learn the democratic process through active, practical application in simulation of various deliberative bodies including the US Congress, International Court of Justice and the European Union. Preparation is intensive making each student responsible for achieving understanding through research of a minimum of three issues. In Paris IC students assumed roles as US Senators, International Court justices, US Presidential Cabinet members and European Union heads of state for writing and presentation of bills and official positions and the debate that necessarily follows. When modeling elected officials, students must know and reflect the interests of their particular constituency while those who were in appointed roles such as International Court justices play themselves attempting to express an impartial point of view.
 | | A student represented Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware making an argument for his bill in favor of US participation in the International Criminal Court. |
 | | Senator Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania presents his case in opposition to US participation. |
 | | A vote is taken on the Senate floor and Senator Biden's bill in favor passes. |
 | | Cabinet Secretary Norman Y. Mineta warns the President that this bill is dangerous for his policies. |
 | | Congress votes to override the President's veto. |
 | | International Court justices must try to render an impartial decision on issues before them. |
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