WASHINGTON, D.C., February 20, 2020 — His Excellency Sidney Collie, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), addressed students of the University of the District of Colombia (UDC) on Thursday, February 20, 2020, who will represent The Bahamas in the upcoming Model OAS simulation scheduled for April 2020.
Ambassador Collie’s discussion with the students included dialogue on Bahamian foreign policy objectives, the relevance of the OAS in the Americas, and the importance of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Ambassador Collie was invited to speak with the UDC students by Mr. Paul Tennassee, Adjunct Professor of Political Science at UDC.
Professor Tennassee is currently preparing 10 students from UDC to represent The Bahamas at the upcoming 2020 annual Washington Model General Assembly of the Organization of American States (WMOAS) in D.C. from April 6 – 10, 2020. The WMOAS is a collaborative effort between the OAS and the Institute for Diplomatic Dialogue in the Americas (IDDA), which is a faculty-run federal non-profit with status as a civil society organization with the OAS.
“The WMOAS is actively supported by the OAS Office of the Assistant Secretary General and has been endorsed in a Resolution of the OAS itself,” according to the WMOAS website.
Noting that this “unique collaboration allows students unprecedented access to the OAS and its member state missions,” the website adds: “The opening ceremonies are held at the Hall of the Americas at OAS Headquarters; these sessions are attended by ambassadors and the OAS Secretary General. Committee sessions are held at the Marriott Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia. The WMOAS faculty works closely with the OAS Office of the Assistant Secretary General to offer a realistic, academically challenging, and unique opportunity for students to learn about the OAS and its mission, its member states, and the important issues that face the Hemisphere.
“The simulation of the OAS General Assembly is a five-day event designed to accomplish several goals, including learning about the structures and processes of the OAS itself, in-depth learning about topical issues facing the hemisphere as a Member State of the OAS, and mastering the art of diplomacy,” the website notes.
