The seventh annual THIMUN, Model United Nations was hosted by Qatar Foundation (QF), on Friday, January 26. It saw participation of more than 1,300 local, regional, and international students, who touched upon broad-ranging discussions and debate around global issues.
The Model United Nations (MUN) conference was held at the Qatar National Convention Centre gave students opportunity to participate in a variety of committees addressing a range of global topics, including disarmament, the environment, human rights, and the rule of law.
The event motivated the students to a great extent as various UN representatives addressed them during the conference, like Mr. Roberto Abdalla, Ambassador of Brazil in Qatar; Mr. Eric Chevallier, Ambassador of France in Qatar; and Ms. Ewa Polano, Ambassador of Sweden in Qatar.
Dr. Bahia Tahzib-Lie, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Qatar, encouraged all delegates, saying: “You can inspire the leaders of the world. You are in command of the coming days. Show us how to build a better and more peaceful world.”
Gilberto Duarte, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, 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 (E4J) initiative, part of our Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration.”
The participation of UNODC was derived by the recommendation made at by young people at the Doha Youth Forum on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, jointly organized by QF, held in April 2015.
The seventh year of MUN, encouraged participants to prepare and engage in a simulation of the United Nations, taking on roles as diplomats, to discuss and debate on international issues and develop solutions to some of the greatest challenges faced by international community.
Themed on ‘Gender Equality and Empowerment for Women and Girls’, inspired by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), Trisha Shetty, Founder and CEO of SheSays India, a youth-led NGO with a focus on youth and civil society engagement to promote gender equality, delivered this year’s keynote speech.
Another highlight as the ‘MUN Impact’ program, which served as a hub for sharing stories of impactful MUN activities, best practices, and ways to support the SDGs through action.
Other issues highlighted by the students to the MUN Impact initiative were: the Hope for Education and Leadership in Afghanistan, the Salam Centre for Peace, and Online Model United Nations. The developments made in the seventh THIMUN made a greater difference since it elevated the MUN from a debate platform to a driver of social change.
Hopefully such continued efforts will be able to create the rational aptitude and environment needed to sought collective resolution for a comprehensive development of the global society.
