Agenda Item: The Black Death 

The Black Death, which peaked in Europe between 1346 and 1353, is recorded as the deadliest pandemic in human history, killing an estimated 75-200 million people across Eurasia and North Africa.  
The plague, caused by the bacterium *Yersinia pestis*, was transmitted through airborne particles and bites from infected fleas and rats. Trade along the Silk Road, controlled by the Mongol Empire, played a critical role in spreading the plague to Europe.  
In 1346, during the siege of Kaffa in Crimea, the Mongols catapulted the bodies of their deceased soldiers into the city, spreading the disease. Genoese traders carried the plague to Sicily's port of Messina, from where it rapidly spread across Europe, exacerbated by crowded living conditions, inadequate hygiene, and underdeveloped medicine.  
The Black Death led to significant socio-economic changes, including labor shortages that increased wages and weakened feudalism. It triggered urban migration and altered societal structures. In the long term, it fostered individualism and innovation, laying the groundwork for the Renaissance.  
Over three days, participants will discuss ‘The Black Death’and work toward drafting a resolution paper with a common solution.