During a two-day Model UN Conference, which started today at the UN Armenia Office over 70 students will be simulating the work of the UN General Assembly first three main committees (First Committee – Disarmament and International Security, Second Committee – Economic and Financial and the Third Committee – Social, Humanitarian and Cultural). The agenda item of the Conference is “The Situation in Syria”.
This Conference is organized jointly by the UN Department of Public Information, and three universities: Yerevan State University, Yerevan State Linguistic University named after Brusov and Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University.
Students taking the roles of diplomats will present the positions of their respective countries on the agenda topic. On the first day in three parallel sessions the students will work in the mentioned committees preparing three separate draft resolutions, while on the second day – in a General Assembly plenary session, altogether they will discuss the text of the final resolution.
Prior to the Model UN Conference, training sessions were held to further educate the participants on the functions and structure of the UN General Assembly, its Rules of Procedures, as well as on the complex and challenging situation in Syria. The UNDPI staff, former UNDPI volunteers with extensive MUN experience, as well as other relevant experts guided the participants through the preparation period.
Henriette Ahrens, UN Resident Coordinator, i.a. said: “Youth learned more about the leading role of the UN and the General Assembly on the issue of the situation in Syria. They understood what a huge responsibility is to prepare their respective country position, properly voice it, negotiate, and find a common ground with other Member States, while taking into account possible consequences not just for their country and the region, but for the whole planet. I am glad that youth understood how crucial and sensitive are the political negotiations during armed conflicts, when lives of people are at stake, including the most vulnerable – women and children.”
At the official opening of the Conference Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all three Universities encouraged youth to further continue their research on the UN role in promoting peace and security and contribute personally to the endorsement of UN values of peace, tolerance and respect to human rights.
Ani Davtyan, participant of the Model UN Conference and representing Syria stated: “This is the second Model UN Conference for me. I believe that these Conferences are useful instruments which help us to better understand the challenges of global UN agenda. I am impressed by the passion and enthusiasm of my peer-students and I am proud of the results of our research and presentations. We are motivated and encouraged by the UN and we enjoy working in a consensus atmosphere. Now I am ready to represent Armenia at some international Model UN Conference.”
At the end of the Conference the participants themselves will select Best Delegates while the organizers – the best position paper of country delegation. All these will receive UN souvenirs while all the participants will get certificates of appreciation. Based on the total scores of the winners the winning University will be announced.
Model UN Conferences simulate the UN bodies during which participants represent different UN Member States and discuss issues of global importance. The models enjoy great popularity among youth in many UN Member States. In Armenia Model UN conferences have been launched in 2001.
UN Armenia Office
