Committee Background Guide

Topic Description

Since its establishment in 1945, the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee has served as the world’s leading forum for addressing the most complex social and human rights challenges. Today, however, the convergence of artificial intelligence, algorithmic curation, and platform-mediated political life has transformed how people, particularly young adults, engage with one another. Nowhere is this tension more visible than in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), where a digitally native youth majority navigates a contested information landscape. To confront this constantly evolving reality, this committee tasks delegates with reexamining traditional frameworks of political participation and developing solutions that address how emerging technologies shape civic life.

First, delegates will examine the legal and ethical dimensions of AI-driven content moderation and algorithmic curation in political contexts. Questions surrounding platform accountability, state intervention, and the boundary between protecting public discourse and enabling censorship are critical to address, as governments and corporations have unprecedented power over the information ecosystems in which young citizens form political identities.

Second, this committee aims to resolve the challenges surrounding youth political mobilization in environments where digital activism carries significant personal risk. From the legacies of the Arab Spring to contemporary movements organized through encrypted platforms, MENA youth have shown remarkable bandwidth for digitally enabled collective action, often at considerable cost. Addressing this issue requires balancing the protection of fundamental rights to expression with concerns over disinformation, foreign interference, and AI-generated political content. Together, delegates will ensure that the next generation of civic participation across the region remains both meaningful and secure.

Jaden Lee - Director

Jaden Lee is a sophomore at Harvard College studying Computer Science and Mathematics. Born in Seoul, South Korea, and most recently from Moorhead, Minnesota, he is thrilled to serve as the Director of the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee!

Jaden competes on Harvard's Intercollegiate Model UN travel team, where he also serves as Director of Logistics/Finance. Beyond the collegiate circuit, he has served as the Under-Secretary-General of Finance for HNMUN Boston 2027, staffed the HMUN/HNMUN Boston GA ADHOC, directed at HMUN India, and is involved with the Harvard IRC’s recruitment board. Outside of Model UN, Jaden is involved in the Harvard Financial Analysts Club, Undergraduate Quant Traders, and Sports Analytics Collective. You'll often find him on the golf course, trading on sports prediction markets, or working on his film projects.