There
are conferences all over the world. Students study a country and
represent its views in debate. Most of the conferences also include
training on how to debate and write resolutions.
A
conference has committees like the actual U.N.'s committees and
student/delegates grapple with issues like the actual U.N. delegates do.
Leslie
mentioned Model United Nations Conferences in our course comments. These conferences are a lively adjunct
to regular history classes. The
students learn much about the countries they represent. They learn about how global issues
affect all of us. There is also a
social component to these conferences that the students enjoy.
The UNA-USA
sponsors one of the bigger Model United Nations Conferences each May. It is held in New York City. People come from all over the USA and
from countries in all hemispheres.
So many students attend that some of the committees are too big for everyone
to engage. This conference has
some great advantages though.
Opening and closing ceremonies, on Friday and Sunday, are held in the
General Assembly Hall of the U.N. Headquarters. Over the conference weekend, students sit where
international delegates sit during the week. The General Assembly Hall is
architecturally splendid and symbolically powerful. It takes your breath away. The Secretary General addresses us. Ban Ki-Moon
seems especially fond of young people and gives an inspirational talk.
Wouldn’t it be
fun for us to all bring our students in May 2014?
A list of conferences throughout the world
UNA USA United Nations Association conference homepage
