The UN Development Program representative office in Uzbekistan has organized a jubilee Model United Nations conference at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED).
The event was attended by over 180 students from 15 higher education institutions of Uzbekistan and was opened by the UN Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan, Stefan Priesner. “This year we are holding the 10th session of the Model United Nations, the scale of which is very different from that of all previous conferences. It is by far the largest in its history. I am honored to attend this significant event for the Uzbek youth. I think the venue, the University of World Economy and Diplomacy was not chosen randomly. It is this very institution that trains professionals for the country’s foreign policy activity. I have noticed a growing interest among the young people in Uzbekistan for this event. Hope that this tradition will continue to improve for many years to come.”
Model United Nations is a synthesis of an academic conference and role game, in which students – using several official languages of the United Nations – reproduce the work of its organs, and they simultaneously acquire diplomatic, leadership, public speaking and language skills and the ability to come to a compromise.
Students themselves find it an exciting role-playing game in which the participants – delegates, chairpersons, observers and experts – act as official representatives of member nations and discuss issues on the agenda of their corresponding Committees. Delegates abstract themselves from personal points of view and defend the official position of the country they represent. The ultimate goal sought by each committee is the adoption of resolutions on subjects under debate.
In the course of events, UN bodies convened for four meetings, including the Security Council, General Assembly Committees №1 and №2, as well as the Economic and Social Council of the organization.
As noted by a participant of the conference, Shahina Bahramova, “Model United Nations as an international youth movement covers many countries around the world, and is an embodiment of friendship. As such, it transcends borders and continents, languages and cultures, times and ages. Model UN is a school. It is the best school that opens up a whole world of ideas, views, experiences, offering unique opportunities for self-realization and self-expression, substantiation and development of intellectual and creative abilities, knowledge and imaginative thinking. Participation in these meetings contributes to the acquisition and improvement of public speaking skills and high-class debate experience. In addition, the conference has a lot of participants from different countries.”