Torgelow News
POL&IS – Experience three days of international politics up close
In July, the international simulation game POL&IS took place again at Torgelow Castle, organized in cooperation with the Bundeswehr. 46 students from the 10th grades and six participants from the advanced social studies course of the 11th grade took on the roles of international actors – from states to NGOs to the United Nations – and experienced firsthand how complex international politics can be.
POL&IS stands for Politics and International Security and was first held at Schloss Torgelow in 2008. The simulation encompasses all central aspects of international relations: environmental policy, economic, trade policy, social, and security policy.
Three youth officers from the Bundeswehr accompanied the event and guided the participants through realistic scenarios. The daily POL&IS news report covered current developments: demonstrations in Iran for women’s rights, famine catastrophes in Africa, terrorist attacks by drug cartels in South America – and the question arose: How do international actors respond?
During the course of the game, exciting dynamics emerged. The USA, Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia formed a surprising alliance to avoid threatening each other while simultaneously pressuring Japan by deploying nuclear weapons in China. In response, India began to militarize. However, the economic consequences were dramatic: High defense spending and tied industrial capacities prevented the production of industrial goods. Factories had to close. To make this decision tangible for those involved, two members of the Indian government were symbolically deprived of their chairs – they had to continue playing while standing for the last two hours of the game.
It was only an impressive speech by the UN Secretary-General that brought movement to the negotiations. A G8 summit was convened, which ultimately led to nuclear disarmament. At the same time, Greenpeace and Amnesty International organized peace demonstrations – these roles were also part of the game. In addition to the NGOs, institutions such as the World Bank and the world press were involved and contributed to the complex dynamics of the game.
After three intense days, POL&IS concluded with overwhelmingly positive feedback from the participants. The students were highly engaged, critically reflecting on political decisions and gaining new insights into global connections and decision-making processes.
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