Global Exchange Program

The Global Exchange Program (GEP) presents the opportunity for YMUN delegates to interact with distinguished Yale faculty in small seminar formats. Each year, the GEP has a different theme that relates to the work of both the professors leading a specialized seminar and the keynote speaker. In order to facilitate personalized discussion, the program requires an application and typically selects 25-35 applicants. The GEP provides an opportunity not only for YMUN delegates to learn from and get to know the same faculty as Yale students, but also to get to know fellow delegates from all over the world.

Nationalism and Memory: The Power and Peril of Nations in History

Nationalism has shaped the world - from revolutions and independence movements to wars, alliances, and identities that endure today. As the United States prepares to mark 250 years of history, questions of how nations remember their past and mobilize collective memory are more pressing than ever. This year’s Global Exchange Program will invite delegates to explore the dual nature of nationalism: its power to unite communities around shared stories and its peril in fostering division, exclusion, and conflict. Through small-group seminars with Yale faculty, participants will examine the role of historical memory in shaping national identity, the politics of commemoration, and the resurgence of nationalist movements in global current events—from Europe to Asia to the Americas. By engaging with history and contemporary challenges, delegates will grapple with how nations use their past to define their future.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the GEP or its application, please reach out to Suren Clark, Director-General of Operations, at dg.operations@ymun.org.