About Us

Last Updated: Apr 06, 2010

The Yale International Relations Association, Inc. was founded in 1969 and has since grown into one of the largest student organizations at Yale University. Our mission is to organize a wide range of programs and initiatives aimed at furthering knowledge of and debate on international relations and global affairs at Yale and in the wider community. With 800 members hailing from over 30 countries and virtually all courses of study, our membership is highly diverse, with each member bringing his or her own unique perspective on international affairs to the organization. YIRA oversees a number of unique programs:

• Security Council Simulation at Yale (SCSY): a crisis-based Model UN conference for college students, one of the most prestigious and popular conferences on the collegiate circuit
• Yale Model United Nations Conference (YMUN): one of the premier high-school Model UN conferences in the nation, drawing over 1,100 delegates annually to Yale’s campus
• United Nations Crisis Simulation at Yale (UNCSY): an intramural conference organized for Yale students to discuss and debate the pressing global issues of the day
• Model United Nations Team at Yale (MUNTY): YIRA’s award-winning, traveling Model UN team, which represents Yale and YIRA at national collegiate conferences, and is the top-ranked team in the nation
• Speakers Committee: our program bringing prominent speakers to campus to speak on global issues
• Outreach Program: our program to engage local New Haven public school students in after-school debate and discussion on international relations and global affairs
• International Trips: international trips organized for YIRA members over Fall, Winter and Spring Break, which are politically or service-oriented
YIRA members also form a close-knit community, and social activities are organized throughout the year, including YIRA’s Spring and Fall Banquets. YIRA is run by an Executive Board consisting of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Heads of each of YIRA’s 6 main programs.