A total of five Hope College students participated in the Michigan Model League of Arab States on Wednesday-Friday, Feb. 20-22, at Grand Valley State University.

The purpose of the model is to introduce students to the Arab world, to highlight the important issues in the region, and to generate understanding about the patterns of cooperation and conflict within the Arab world and with the international community.

Students role-play members of the Arab League during the model. Each delegation writes papers outlining its nation's stand on the various issues being discussed and wrote resolutions that were presented to the committees for discussion and voting.

Hope's delegation represented Palestine. Participating Hope students included: junior Renae Gowen of New Boston; junior James Plasman of Downers Grove, Ill.; senior Megan Poertner of Wyoming; junior Rachel Romsaas of Minneapolis, Minn.; and senior Kristy Truax of Wilmington, Del.

Dr. Janis Gibbs, assistant professor of history, served as the group's advisor.

Plasman served as assistant secretary general. Truax won an award as "Outstanding Delegate" on the Council on Palestinian Affairs.

Other participating colleges and universities from Michigan included Aquinas College, Grand Valley State University, Muskegon Community College, Spring Arbor University, University of Michigan at Dearborn and Western Michigan University. Regis University of Denver, Colo., was also represented.

The Michigan Model League of Arab States was sponsored by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations and Grand Valley State University.