Thimun conference to begin on Jan 24

The seventh annual Thimun Qatarconference will take place from January 24-26 at the Qatar NationalConvention Centre. The event, which will bring together more than 1,300Model United Nation (MUN) students from Qatar, as well as the widerregion and beyond, aims to encourage young people to discuss, negotiate,debate, and propose solutions to global issues. “We are now in the seventh year of Thimun Qatar,” said Lisa Martin, head, Thimun Qatar. “Despitethe current political crisis in the region, we are continuing todevelop as a Model United Nations, attracting thousands of students fromaround the world.“This conference is a wonderful opportunity foryoung men and women from different countries and backgrounds to cometogether to propose action-orientated solutions to some of the world’smost pressing issues. We at Thimun Qatar are dedicated to fosteringactive global citizens and equipping participants with the skills andtools necessary to become the future leaders of tomorrow,” added Martin.The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Gender Equality andEmpowerment for Women and Girls’, inspired by the United Nation’s (UN’s)Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5. In line with the theme, thekeynote speech will be delivered by Trisha Shetty, founder and CEO ofSheSays India, a youth-led NGO with a focus on youth and civil societyengagement to promote gender equality. Additionally, as part of theopening ceremony, Sandev Ferdinando, secretary-general, Thimun Qatar,and Bahia Tahzib-Lie, ambassador of the Netherlands will address theaudience. During the three-day conference, participants will engagein a simulation of the UN, taking on roles as diplomats to discuss anddebate international issues in order to develop solutions to some of thegreatest challenges facing the global community. Students will also begiven the opportunity to participate in a variety of committees.Representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime willalso present during the event, covering topics such as ‘Cyber Crime’,‘Organised Crime and Gender’, and ‘Human Trafficking’. A key aspectof this year’s conference is MUN Impact. The programme will serve as ahub for sharing stories of impactful MUN activities, best practices, andways to support, through action, the SDGs.