Building a community to promote the education and debate of global affairs

The Yale International Relations Association, Inc. (YIRA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit student organization at Yale University. Founded in 1969 by a group of individuals who wished to promote a better understanding of global affairs after the events of the turbulent 1960s, YIRA’s mission is to raise awareness of and foster debate about international relations and global affairs, through a number of unique programs. These programs include Yale Model United Nations Conference (YMUN); Yale Model United Nations Taiwan (YMUNT); Yale Model United Nations Korea (YMUNK); Yale Model African Union (YMAU); the Model United Nations Team at Yale (MUNTY); Hemispheres (HEMI); and the Yale Review of International Studies (YRIS); as well as a series of speaker events; international trips; and conferences in cities across the world. With over 400 members hailing from more than 30 countries and pursuing virtually all courses of study, YIRA is the largest and most diverse student organizations at Yale University.