Now, you are probably thinking "Wow, I am so excited for this event but I do not even know where to begin!" Let us help you along the way to make sure you come to the event prepared and ready to make a difference! First, take a look at the video below of the current United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon inspires young people, just like you, at a model UN conference in New York.
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Topics
Legal Committee: Nationality of natural persons in relation to the succession of states
Social Humanitarian & Cultural Committee: Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance Political Committee: The question of Palestine Committee 4: External debt sustainability and development |
Research prior to Country Assignment
If you are not sure what country you will be assigned yet, the best way to get a head start is to start skimming and reading the news. The BBC, CNN, and the United Nations website are great places to start. If you are really dedicated, you can sign up for daily emails from the UN on the current worldly news. Try to get a grasp on what is happening in world concerning the topics that will be discussed on the day of the symposium. Since you will be making a resolution for almost each topic, you will need to know some key organs that work with and within the United Nations. Such organizations include: the UN General Assembly, the UN Security Council, the Economic and Social Committee, the International Criminal Court, and the International Court of Justice. Also, there are some documents which you should familiarize yourself with such as the Universal Declarations of Human Rights and the United Nations Charter.
Research once countries have been assigned
Once you have been given your country, you will now need to start developing a clear idea of what kind of international policy your country has, and what kind of relationships it has with other states. A good place to start would be the CIA Factbook, and the BBC has a timeline and profile for every country. Then look for scholarly journals, daily articles, and the history of your country to further develop a better understanding of your countries stance. It is strongly suggested that you write a position paper for each topic. What is a position paper? It is more or less a paper on what a country's position is on a certain topic. This can include past events, new ideas and suggestions, and specific policy on the topic. This will be useful for you to use during committee as a reference. Resolutions will not be necessary to bring with you but make an effort to know what kind of language is used and how one is written.