The Edo Period of Japan has been argued as the only sustainable society that has existed throughout history. A time of economic and social growth, this period of Japan’s history is revered as one of the most storied times throughout existence. In the year 1850, delegates will be tasked with inhabiting this society and preserving its sustainable practices when the world as Japan knows it will soon be turned upside down. The Edo Society will soon be opening its doors to new occurrences such as the United States attempting trade with the previously closed off Eastern society. With this current situation in mind, delegates will act as people who lived during this time period to face the issues of sustaining their society as they know it while outside influences via trade enter as well. They must come up with solutions ranging from how to maintain their crops to continue their repairing processes to including possible foreign sources into their trade routes. From Ainu tradesmen to high ranking-daimyo, these contributing members of society will find solutions as a community on how to maintain their sustainable society during a changing pace of their history. This is a specialized committee for single delegates. Delegates are expected to write directives and joint notes responding to updates in committee.
Mia Rodriguez is a junior at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida (technically Sweetwater but who’s counting) studying political science and international relations with certificates in Pre-Law and Professional Skills as well as Law, Ethics, and Society. Although hailing from Hialeah, Florida (shoutout to La Ciudad de Progreso), they had the opportunity of studying abroad in Japan for three weeks where they got to experience various parts of the country’s culture through a lens of reciprocity towards society and a focus on the indigenous people of Japan known as the Ainu. Studying Japan and how its society at one point was considered sustainable completely was an idea that they wanted to turn into a committee. The same way the study abroad helped them understand how Japan persisted as a society, the same way these delegates can see how a society in general can develop differently than previously known! Mia has served as a crisis staffer and a Crisis Coordinator for GatorMUN in the past and could not be more excited to direct a specialized committee for the first time at GatorMUN this year! After having directed two committees at FIMUN and now serving as a Head Delegate for the FIU Model UN team, Mia is utterly excited about directing GatorMUN then possibly competing at Canada the weekend after (woop woop). Besides MUN, Mia tends to stay updated on RuPaul’s Drag Race, read up on books ranging from book-to-film pieces to philosophy, do yoga in a nearby park and catch up with friends and family whenever possible :)
