The longest-running international Model United Nations (MUN) in Qatar, the Georgetown MUN, celebrated 15 successful years at the recently concluded conference at the university’s Education City campus.
The annual programme, which invites high school students to take on diplomatic roles in a simulation of the real life United Nations, was held under the theme “The North-South Divide: Authority, Inequality, and Interventionism,” and included participation by more than 330 students from local and international schools.
Over the course of the 3-day conference, high school delegates from 32 schools in Qatar and 10 schools from around the world tackled real issues facing the global community today, including de-escalation of US-Iran tensions, the Sudan uprising, immigration policies, climate change refugees, cyber-warfare, and the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem.
The programme also included a Culture Night to celebrate the visiting students’ cultures and traditions, followed by the closing ceremony on the final day.
Stavros Yiannouka, the CEO of the World Innovation Summit for Education, a global think tank of the Qatar Foundation, delivered the keynote address at the conference.
“It is always inspiring to engage with young people who are so committed to making the world a better place,” he said.
“The Georgetown MUN is a powerful introduction to the concepts of international cooperation and compromise, and teaches the critical lesson that it is only by working together to confront the challenges facing us that we can find solutions for tomorrow.”
The MUN is planned, organised and run by GU-Q students.
This year, 46 GU-Q students volunteered their time to make the conference a success.
Shahzad, a junior majoring in International History who serves as the MUN secretary general said: “We hope that this year’s conference provided our high school participants with a memorable experience. Not only does this annual event provide an opportunity to gain knowledge, skills, and debating abilities that have personal and professional impact, it’s also a chance to make friendships that last a lifetime.”
Jibin Koshy, the educational enrichment manager at GU-Q, added: “MUN is a wonderful platform for students to get out of their comfort zone. Students learn diplomacy, negotiation, critical thinking, and public speaking skills - all of which are foundational skills for high school students in their developmental years. Initiatives like these aid in the holistic development of a student for university level success and beyond.”
Dean Ahmad Dallal at the MUN opening ceremony.
