The Throne Wars
Single Delegate Crisis Committee
thronewars@uclamun.org
Committee Summary
Topic: Al-Kahina’s Desert Reign (7th Century)
Committee Summary: Welcome back to the 7th century! While the peoples of Europe were largely divided between those still under Byzantine control and those seeking to establish a new power balance after the fall of the Roman Empire, the Middle East, Asia and North Africa were dealing with the growth of a new superpower: the Umayyad caliphate. Under Abd al-Malik’s rule, the Muslim state was expanding their territory in a rapid wave of conquests in all directions, with the governor of their North African front being committed to getting the region under the caliphate’s complete control. Another Berber, Kusayla, led troops in a valiant effort to defeat the Arabs, but after several successes was eventually captured and killed. Now, leaderless, you’ll have to find a way to unite in the face of the looming threat of Arabian attacks, with a charismatic woman named Dihya, commonly known as Al-Kahina for her supposed psychic abilities, at the forefront of it all. And, thanks to the eradication of Byzantine presence from the region, there is no buffer to buy you time or save you.
Meet The Staff
Ashima Bhatia
Chair
Hello Delegates!
My name is Ashima Bhatia (she/her), and I’m thrilled to be your Chair for Throne Wars: Al Khahina’s Desert Reign at LAMUN XX. I’m a second-year Biology major at UCLA, hoping to pursue a career in medicine someday, but for now, I spend most of my free time hopping between LA coffee shops and binge watching How I Met Your Mother for the 1000th time..
I’ve been involved in MUN for six years now, starting as a high school freshman who barely understood what a crisis arc was. Since then, MUN has become such a large part of my life. I’ve competed, staffed, and chaired across conferences, and each year I come back because of the community and the chaos. This will be my first time chairing at LAMUN, and I’m genuinely excited to help craft a committee environment where you can experiment, take risks, and immerse yourselves in a world far removed from your everyday lives.
Our committee transports us to the 7th century, into the political turbulence surrounding Al Kahina, a formidable North African leader navigating rebellion and a region caught between empires. You’ll be stepping into a world where power is fragile and every decision you make reshapes the landscape around you. Whether you’re negotiating tribal alliances or trying to outmaneuver your rivals, this committee asks you to think strategically.
What I love most about crisis is how personal it becomes. You’re not just representing a state, you’re stepping into a character’s mind and figuring out what they want, what they fear, and how far they’re willing to go. Some of you will thrive in diplomacy while others will thrive in ambition, and I know plenty of you will thrive in pure chaos. Wherever you fall, I hope this weekend pushes you to try something new and walk away proud of the story you helped build.
If you have any questions before conference weekend, feel free to reach out. I can’t wait to meet you all and see how you reshape the throne.
All the best,
Ashima Bhatia
Chair | Throne Wars: Al Khahina’s Desert Reign | LAMUN XX
thronewars@uclamun.org
Kate Ferenchick
Crisis Director
CD letter coming soon!