Welcome to the very first iteration of the Yale Model African Union (YMAU) conference! As the first ever Ivy League Model African Union conference, YMAU is a historic and one of a kind opportunity for students on the continent and across the diaspora to engage in Pan-African dialogue and gain access to world-class workshops, speakers, and organizations.
The YMAU Conference
We will be bringing together some of the world’s brightest minds and engaging our delegates in critical and stimulating conversations around some of the continent's most pressing challenges. We are humbled to have our delegates experience first hand the atmosphere in which African leaders develop the policies that are at the heart of Africa's growth and prosperity by hosting YMAU I in Rwanda this coming May 2022. The noteworthy progress Rwanda has made since 2000 in conjunction with the Government of Rwanda’s commitment to development and innovation positions the country as a prime location to host this groundbreaking conference.
CONFERENCE COMPONENTS
Model African Union
The Model AU component will expose participants to the inner workings of the African Union while allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the physical center of African Leadership. Through the 6 committees offered at YMAU and the speeches from relevant speakers within them, participants will gain a first-hand look into the intricacies of the political process in shaping the experiences of those on and beyond the continent.
Career Fair
The Career Fair will not only provide students with opportunities to learn about potential employers across the private, public, and nonprofit sector, but also give employers ranging from multinational companies to nongovernmental organizations a platform to directly engage with young, talented African students and future leaders.
Africa Night Market
The Africa Night Market will serve a two-fold purpose. Firstly, it will emulate and celebrate certain aspects of the continent’s informal sector as a means of exposing participants to the wide breadth of local fashion, art, and cuisine. Furthermore, the Africa Night Market will reaffirm the importance of inclusive economic development by giving local vendors, creatives, and stakeholders an opportunity to share and profit from their work.
Speaker Series and Leadership Development Workshops
Through leadership development workshops whose topics reflect different iterations of the African Union, participants will leave the conference with the leadership skills necessary to affect change within their communities and beyond. Such topics will include Public Speaking, Public Policy Crafting, Grassroots Movements and Organizing, Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Business, and Digital Development and Technological Innovation.
