International Press Corps
“In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.”
– Winston Churchill
February 1942. The month millions of people had their fates sealed. Millions of people who were seen as impostors living in a nation that ‘wasn’t theirs’. America was at war, and fear took over the streets and the newspapers. On February 19th, President Roosevelt solidified the war in ink when he signed Executive Order 9066. Following the Pearl Harbor attack, the US entered WWII. With this, fear increased along with a strong rise in nationalism. The negative came with positives, as the attack led to militarization and economic transformation, fueling rebuilding industries. Japanese Americans already faced racism and discrimination. This discrimination was heavily intensified by the fear built up due to the Japanese attacks, and the suspicion spread by military officials and the media. Could the public separate the truth from the propaganda?
Bias, discrimination, and widespread fear soon led to the creation of Executive Order 9066, on February 19th, 1942, as President Roosevelt granted the military authority to designate exclusion zones and remove individuals that posed a threat to national security. This forced the incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese Americans, out of which 2/3rds were U.S. citizens.
Though Executive Order 9066 seems like a sudden and impulsive decision, it is actually a result of long-standing discrimination, prejudice, and racial antagonism. Anti-Japanese sentiment in the USA existed decades before World War II. Multiple pieces of legislation actively targeted the Japanese population in America and set precedents for racial exclusion. For example, the Immigration Act of 1924 heavily targeted East Asians, creating the idea that the Japanese were ‘aliens’ and 'outsiders.'
Public hatred for the Japanese was also a leading factor in the development of the internment camps. Many Japanese immigrants were successful business owners and farmers. White communities had some kind of prejudice against them, which led to local politicians pushing for anti-Japanese policies and labeling the immigrants as economic threats.
Media pressure fueled the belief that Japanese Americans were conspiring against the Americans, and now Japanese immigrants were not only viewed as aliens but also as disloyal traitors. There were multiple Anti-Asian organizations, such as the Asian Exclusion League, which were pioneers of racially discriminatory policies in the USA that specifically targeted Asians. One major example was the California Alien Land Law of 1913, which restricted Asian farmers, hindering their economic progress
Journalists at this particular juncture were met with a difficult choice. They could either publish or suppress the truth. Just as they picked a side, so must the delegates pick a side. They will have to debate the report and decide just what to publish, finding a perfect balance between satisfying the public and their governments. They will have to break free of the stereotypes many of them hold, and learn to focus solely on the truth.
Delegates will find themselves frozen in time mere hours after Executive Order 9066 was signed, the day millions had their fate sealed. They will need to tackle new evidence, twists, webs of lies, and high-pressure scenarios that will test their ability to respond under pressure. This committee will challenge delegates to think critically and creatively. Communication will be key, especially in a time when the truth cannot set them free.
Letter from the Director
Dear Delegates,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the International Press Corps at the 30th Annual Session of the Cathedral Model United Nations. As one of CMUN’s most dynamic specialized committees, the IPC is fast-paced, constantly evolving, and designed to push your journalistic instincts in ways you may not have experienced before. As your director, I look forward to guiding you through a committee unlike any other - where every word you write carries weight, and how you frame a story can change everything.
Having been part of the IPC many times before, I can tell you one thing - it is never predictable. It’s fluid, constantly shifting, and driven as much by the narratives you create as by the speeches delivered in committee. Your role goes far beyond simply writing reports. You will be documenting, investigating, and interpreting events as they unfold, producing work that can shape how everything is perceived - not just within committee, but across the entire conference.
Because in a space like this, perception is power. The way you frame a story can influence alliances, shift momentum, and redefine how actions are understood. A single article can amplify a voice, challenge authority, or completely alter the direction of discourse. That is the weight your words carry.
Hold your ground, question everything, and don’t hesitate to dig deeper, because you belong here. This year, your role is defined by urgency. The agenda that we have prepared for you raises imperative questions about privacy, ethics, freedom, and the censorship of the press - issues that are not confined to committee rooms, but shape the world we live in today. Your task this year is laced with urgency. he agenda we have prepared for you centres on a state-issued executive order that forces you to confront the fragile line between national security and human rights. You will step into a realm of high pressure, where truth is challenged, views are twisted, and each of your choices matters as you traverse a setting of fear, discrimination, and shifting narratives.
As you navigate this space, think beyond what is being said. Consider what is being left unsaid, what is being hidden, and what is being controlled. Because in the end, journalism is not just about reporting reality, it is about deciding how that reality is seen.
I also want to remind you that while we are, for now, journalists within a simulation-with no real repercussions for what we write or say, the issues we explore are very real. As you report on the issues at hand, take a moment to consider what cases like this mean for the future of journalism. How far can governments go in intruding into private lives? How far should journalists go in exposing the truth? And what happens when the truth itself is no longer enough to keep reporters safe? Above all, who is really holding power to account? As you reflect on these questions, let me tell you a bit about myself.
Outside of whatever I’m currently working on, I tend to move between a mix of different things. I sing, spend more time in the gym than I probably should, and I’m almost always thinking about my next meal- or already halfway through it. What ties all of this together is not the activity itself, but what it demands: discipline, consistency, and the ability to stay present under pressure. Somewhere in between all of that, I’ve found myself drawn to entrepreneurship: building ideas, taking risks, and figuring things out without having all the answers. I enjoy being in spaces that demand both discipline and unpredictability.
This is my final CMUN, which makes this role particularly special for me. Having experienced this conference from different perspectives, I’ve seen how much it can shape the way you think, communicate, and carry yourself- not just in committee, but beyond it. IPC, more than any other committee, reflects exactly what you put into it. Your awareness, your effort, and your willingness to go beyond what is expected will determine what you take away from it, so don’t hold back!
Over the next three days, I aim to challenge you, push you beyond what feels comfortable, and create a committee that is as demanding as it is rewarding. Take risks, ask critically stimulating questions, and don’t settle for the most obvious version of the story, look for what lies beneath it.
This is your moment. Write boldly, seek truth relentlessly, express your opinions and watch the world move with your words.
Until August,
Aastha Mehta,
Director,
International Press Corps,
Cathedral Model United Nations, 2026.
Aastha Mehta
Director