Duke International Relations Association

Recruitment 2023 is underway! We a two week schedule of info sessions and social events so that you can get to know us, and us you. We're excited to meet everyone and start this year off to a great start!

Please note that 1 social event and 1 info session is required before you may apply. We have worked with other clubs to coordinate these sessions to lessen the burden on your schedule. If you have any other questions, check out www.dukedira.org or email us at [email protected].

📍 DIRA Away Team takes &MUN in Williamsburg, VA

TL;DR: Submit your first draft to Borderless, Duke International Relations Association's magazine, by Friday, October 16, 2020 at 11:59 PM!

Hi DIRA! We are excited to introduce our new biannual magazine — Borderless: International Relations, Local Connections. The goal of this magazine is to create a space to connect and engage with international relations - often seen as complicated and hard to access - and the local communities and individual identities that are shaped by it.

Essentially, it will be a refined collection of articles, essays, photography, and any other forms of expression to explain, analyze, and humanize international relations and global communities. Contributions can range from essays on current events, analysis of ethical decisions, personal narratives, opinion editorials, or whatever way you choose to express your idea.

More guidelines at https://tinyurl.com/borderlessguide
Submit your first draft by Friday, October 16, 2020 at 11:59 PM!
Email submissions, questions, comments, and concerns to me (Arya Patel) at [email protected]!

The 2020-2021 application for DIRA is NOW OPEN!!! Make sure to fill out both parts of the application by 11:59pm EST this Saturday (9/5)!

APPLICATION TO JOIN DIRA:
Written Application:
https://forms.gle/t7XTNiUKB3mFBpCq5
Google Slides Deck:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1AjyWVxeZn3yaCvTbMGLszXYPzEBNLV_CyX7HQ8C0jMI/edit?usp=sharing
BOTH Due September 5, 11:59pm EST

Fall 2020 DIRA Cohort Slides

Hey Everyone! I want to tell you all about my first group of friends at Duke - DIRA! DIRA, or Duke International Relations Association, is an organization for students interested in foreign relations, current events, collaboration, and having cool conversations. DIRA has been a formative part of my Duke experience because it connected me with students from all backgrounds, social circles, years, and majors.

DIRA is a group of students who are willing to spend time to create an open community, an intellectual atmosphere, and also leave room for quirkiness and fun.

While our normal activities include planning large scale, international Model UN conferences for high schoolers and college students, traveling to Model UN conferences across the US, and doing a combination of both wholesome and wild events, we are doing a pivot this year in light of the current situation. We will be focusing on creating spaces for Duke students to engage and connect with each other through foreign affairs, doing fun Zoom events (movie nights, trivia, and more!), and hopefully doing some outreach to local Durham high schools to do remote international relations and MUN workshops!

If our ~vibes~ are pulling you in, drop your net-id!

All are welcome in our listserv so you can get the latest from DIRA! Also, check out our recruitment calender below!

Did you do Model UN in high school or are you interested in starting in college? Do you have an interest in international relations, politics in general, or making friends with the most amazing group of students at Duke?

If so (and even if not), you need to join DIRA (Duke International Relations Association)!

I’m Matthew, a Junior majoring in Political Science and Statistical Science, and have been involved in DIRA since my freshman year and am currently serving as our organization’s Treasurer. Although the impacts of COVID-19 are disrupting life across Duke, including within DIRA, we are committed to our goal of cultivating a cohort of amazing Duke students who are passionate, wacky, fun, and all-around great individuals.

Joining DIRA was easily the best decision I made my freshman year, giving me an instant group of close friends with similar passions, yet academic interest across the board, who were competitive at conferences, but the most laid back people I’d ever met while we’re just hanging out.

Traveling to conferences and hosting our own in-person events may be on hold for this semester, but we have much planned for the year, and look forward to continuing with these DIRA staples in the future!

Hey everybody! I’m Trinity and I’m here to tell you about an awesome organization, DIRA! DIRA stands for the Duke International Relations Association and it’s one of the best things I’ve been involved with on campus.

Last year, I was terrified with the amount of options of clubs here at Duke. If I could go back in time and tell freshman Trinity to just calm down, and go with her gut and just join DIRA, I could have saved myself a lot of stress. DIRA gave me a strong community of loving people truly interested in foreign policy and current events.

As someone who did Model UN in high school, having a group that reminded me of my roots made my freshman year so much more enjoyable and helped my confidence level at Duke. DIRA is so much more than just away conferences though, it’s fun late nights and inside jokes and cool upperclassmen letting us crash their apartment for a Christmas party. Another great thing about DIRA is the accessibility of leadership opportunities. In just one year, I went from confused freshman to a member of SEC (who let that happen lol).

But anyway, enough about me. If you are interested in foreign affairs, MUN, international policy, or just want a fun group of passionate individuals, please consider joining DIRA!

Hi everyone! My name is Aidan Fitzsimons and I’m reaching out to tell you all a little bit more about the Duke International Relations Association (DIRA). I’m a current senior and DIRA has been an extremely influential part of my college experience, from the social and professional connections I’ve made to the weekends away at conferences and hosting our own conferences here.

I’m here to tell you about how we work with other colleges and get to meet other college students from all around the world. We do this primarily through two “branches” of our organization: our competitive Away Team and our collegiate conference.

The DIRA Away Team, led by the amazing Wertheim, travels nationally and internationally to different conferences hosted by other universities. In the past, we’ve traveled to Virginia, Atlanta, DC, New York, Montreal, and San Francisco to compete against schools all around the world. It’s a really great experience to get closer to other Duke students interested in international relations, and to meet kids from all over.

The conference we host (previously named Duke International Security Conference, DISCon) is my branch of DIRA. While it likely won’t happen this coming year, hosting a conference for other college students is a ton of fun. From crisis directorship to secretary general, there are a ton of opportunities to learn how to run a conference and make a ton of new friends in one quick weekend.

In lieu of the typical DISCon that we’d plan for and the traveling we’d do in a normal year, we’re getting a bit more creative on what we’ll be doing this year. More on this to come, but we’re hoping to host a conference for Duke students over Zoom this fall for anyone interested in trying out Model UN and potentially joining our organization!

While both Away Team and DISCon aren’t likely to operate in the 2020-2021 school year, if they sound appealing to you, definitely consider joining our community this fall. We’re looking for members who want to run conferences and compete on our Away Team in the future, and we’re getting creative with what we’ll be doing this year because of the pandemic. We’d love for you to join us!

If you’re interested in joining DIRA, comment your NetID below!

The Duke International Relations Association (DIRA) is much more than a group for collegiate level Model UN - we are also a close-knit group of friends who are interested in the state of our world. Both within DIRA and throughout Duke, we seek to promote interest in foreign policy and improve literacy in international affairs. Especially in these unprecedented times, the reality of the world can become overwhelming. DIRA offers a supportive community for anyone who wants to discuss, debate, or simply vent about the going-ons in the world.

For those wishing to become more involved with Duke’s ever-growing community of people who are interested in international relations, DIRA is the perfect place to start. Professionally, DIRA has represented the United Nations Association of the USA here at Duke, and we have many alumni who have gone on to become involved with works in public policy and economics. DIRA also creates unbreakable bonds and unforgettable memories. You may lose your O-Week friends, but DIRA friends will continue, even after graduation.

In light of the pandemic and Duke’s current safety standards, DIRA this year will be more virtual than ever. And although your future years in DIRA will not likely look the way it does this year, our plans for regular socials, family-structured events, and the more scholarly discussions will nonetheless give you a unique, but full, DIRA experience.

If you’re interested in joining DIRA, comment your netID down below!

Hello!

My name is Ketty Bai and I am a senior in Duke International Relations Association (DIRA)! This year, I am acting as Secretary-General of our 40th annual high school Model UN conference (DUMUNC), an event that I have been involved in since freshman year. Over the years, this conference has attracted hundreds of students from around the country (and even other parts of the world!) to engage in a weekend of Model UN here in Durham.

Unfortunately, due to current circumstances, we can no longer hold this conference in spring as originally planned. However, that being said, we are adapting and excited for alternatives we are pursuing, such as leading a training camp and hosting mini virtual conferences. Through these avenues, we hope to keep our long-time attendees engaged in global thinking (something that is needed now more than ever) as well as reach students who might have never participated in Model UN.

If you are looking for that close-knit community to get involved in during these unusual times, I hope you give DIRA a chance and drop your netID below! Personally, I have met some of my closest mentors and friends through this club and we have had and will continue to have many opportunities for bonding and getting to know each other. I hope to meet you at one of our events and possibly even working together on our new (and improved!) high school conference!