The three-day Model United Nations (MUN) event, held at Qatar National Convention Centre, gave students the opportunity to participate in a variety of committees addressing a range of topics, including disarmament, the environment, human rights and the rule of law.
During the event, students were addressed by representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), who gave a series of presentations, covering topics such as cybercrime, organised crime and gender and human trafficking.
The American School of Doha orchestra performs during the flag procession at the opening ceremony of Thimun 2018.
Gilberto Duarte, crime prevention and criminal justice officer at UNODC, said: “This is a great opportunity for youth to learn more about the importance of UNODC-related issues; topics they may or may not be aware of but which certainly impact us all. This idea of working with young people and building a better understanding of rule of law issues at primary, secondary and tertiary levels is key to UNODC’s Education for Justice initiative, part of our Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration.”
UNODC’s participation in Thimun Qatar stems from recommendations made by young people at the Doha Youth Forum on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, jointly organised by QF in April 2015. The Doha Youth Forum was held to precede the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, hosted by Qatar in the same month in which the Doha Declaration was adopted.
Lisa Martin, head of Thimun Qatar, said: “Thimun Qatar has been able to develop this special relationship with UNODC. It brings real-world relevance when UN officials engage with the diplomats of the future.”
The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Gender Equality and Empowerment for Women and Girls’, inspired by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5. Another key aspect of this year’s Thimun Qatar conference was the ‘MUN Impact’ programme, which served as a hub for sharing stories of impactful MUN activities, best practices, and ways to support the SDGs through action.
Among the issues highlighted by students contributing to the MUN Impact initiative were: the Hope for Education and Leadership in Afghanistan, the Salam Centre for Peace, and Online Model United Nations. These organisations hope to make MUN more accessible to underserved students and to bring awareness that MUN can be used as a force for social change, and not just as a debate platform.
Lisa Martin speaks at the opening ceremony of the conference.
More than 1,300 local, regional and international students have concluded a series of broad-ranging discussions and debate around global issues at the seventh annual Thimun Qatar conference, hosted by Qatar Foundation (QF).
