Due to increased drug production, the opioid epidemic has continued to plague the world. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime created three legislative frameworks to maintain control over these drugs. Yet, flaws in the framework and blatant loopholes have allowed the drug trade to continue significantly. In this topic, delegates are tasked with tackling synthetic drug production in the face of increased global drug coordination, increased drug understanding, decreased attitudes towards addiction, and new processing and handling technology.

Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery that expanded into a global issue during World War II due to the displacement of millions. In the modern day, human trafficking has increased among immigrants due to backgrounds of poverty, strict migration and labor laws, the decline of employment rates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this topic, delegates are tasked with destroying the global criminal infrastructure involved in human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of migrant workers through global cooperation.

Arjun Azhagappan, a senior at Maggie Walker, has been an avid Model UN delegate for five years, and this marks his second year at GSMUN. Other than Model UN, Arjun is the President of the Chess Club, having organized and hosted two national tournaments at the school. Outside of school, Arjun is an enthusiastic chess player, a spintronics research intern at VCU, and a dedicated martial artist of ten years. He looks forward to witnessing the next generation of visionaries convene to solve the world’s most pressing issues!

Sanaya Bothra, a sophomore at Maggie Walker, is thrilled to be your co-chair this year. She has been an enthusiastic Model UN delegate for three years, and this marks her second year at GSMUN. She’s been to conferences such as WMHSMUN, ODUMUNC, HIMUNC, and VTMUN. The previous year, she was vice chair of SOCHUM and intercommittee crisis director of JCC. Outside of school, Sanaya is a tennis player and violist of six years and she is a member of TSA. She is eager to see what solutions delegates have to offer in tackling the most urgent global problems!