Duke International Relations Association

Hey everybody! I’m Trinity and I’m here to tell you about an awesome organization, DIRA! DIRA stands for the Duke International Relations Association and it’s one of the best things I’ve been involved with on campus.

Last year, I was terrified with the amount of options of clubs here at Duke. If I could go back in time and tell freshman Trinity to just calm down, and go with her gut and just join DIRA, I could have saved myself a lot of stress. DIRA gave me a strong community of loving people truly interested in foreign policy and current events.

As someone who did Model UN in high school, having a group that reminded me of my roots made my freshman year so much more enjoyable and helped my confidence level at Duke. DIRA is so much more than just away conferences though, it’s fun late nights and inside jokes and cool upperclassmen letting us crash their apartment for a Christmas party. Another great thing about DIRA is the accessibility of leadership opportunities. In just one year, I went from confused freshman to a member of SEC (who let that happen lol).

But anyway, enough about me. If you are interested in foreign affairs, MUN, international policy, or just want a fun group of passionate individuals, please consider joining DIRA!

The Duke International Relations Association (DIRA) is much more than a group for collegiate level Model UN - we are also a close-knit group of friends who are interested in the state of our world. Both within DIRA and throughout Duke, we seek to promote interest in foreign policy and improve literacy in international affairs. Especially in these unprecedented times, the reality of the world can become overwhelming. DIRA offers a supportive community for anyone who wants to discuss, debate, or simply vent about the going-ons in the world.

For those wishing to become more involved with Duke’s ever-growing community of people who are interested in international relations, DIRA is the perfect place to start. Professionally, DIRA has represented the United Nations Association of the USA here at Duke, and we have many alumni who have gone on to become involved with works in public policy and economics. DIRA also creates unbreakable bonds and unforgettable memories. You may lose your O-Week friends, but DIRA friends will continue, even after graduation.

In light of the pandemic and Duke’s current safety standards, DIRA this year will be more virtual than ever. And although your future years in DIRA will not likely look the way it does this year, our plans for regular socials, family-structured events, and the more scholarly discussions will nonetheless give you a unique, but full, DIRA experience.

If you’re interested in joining DIRA, comment your netID down below!