As diplomats know, bringing about peace between deeply divided factions can be a long and difficult process, fraught with many intricate and hard-to-surmount barriers. Nearly 200 undergraduates from universities throughout the country will learn this lesson first-hand -- while getting advice from real-world ambassadors who have served on the front lines of this struggle -- at the Yale Accord, a Model Middle East Peace Conference being held on campus Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 11-14.

Former Israeli foreign minister Abba Eban will be among the policymakers and scholars who will share their expertise with students at the simulated peace conference, which is designed to "challenge the apathetic and pessimistic feelings that many students hold concerning the possibilities for peace in this region," according to the organizers.

The undergraduates who take part in the Yale Accords will be cast as representatives from one of five Middle Eastern nations or blocs -- Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Palestinian Authority and a friendly Arab coalition led by Jordan and Egypt. Serving on each delegation will be individuals representing the various real-world constituencies within these nations or blocs.

Each delegate will serve on one of eight different committees -- arms control; environment; security; borders; economics and trade; Jerusalem/holy sites; infrastructure and tourism; and human rights. The delegates will receive briefing packets prepared by Yale students containing the history and status of the negotiations on the particular issue they will be discussing in committee.

During the Yale Accords, the pseudo-delegates will meet first with the members of their own nation or bloc. They will debate their points of view regarding the issues to be considered in the committees, and attempt to reach a compromise position. Then, during the committee meetings, representatives from each nation or bloc will work with the other delegates to develop an accord about the issue being discussed, keeping in mind the decisions made at the nation/bloc meetings. Yale students representing either Americans or Europeans will serve as mediators during these discussions.

"By emphasizing conflict resolution, mediation and respect for the diversity of the region, this conference will educate its participants in the intricacies and tensions of the Middle East," say organizers. "More importantly, it will encourage students to conceive of specific goals and solutions for the region, as opposed to regarding peace as an abstract term."

Throughout this process, the student delegates will take breaks for panel discussions featuring experts on the issues being discussed. There will also be four featured speakers: Ambassador Martin Indyk, U.S. assistant secretary of state, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.; Marwan Muasher, Jordanian ambassador to the U.S. and the first Jordanian ambassador to Israel, Feb. 12 at 1:30 p.m.; Abba Eban, former Israeli foreign minister, Feb. 13 at 4:30 p.m.; and Rashid Khalidi, director of international studies at the University of Chicago, Feb. 14 at noon

These talks are free and open to the public, and will be held at locations to be announced. For further information about the Yale Accords, visit the website at http://pantheon.yale.edu/~oe4/accords.