On Saturday and Sunday, the University of Calgary will be taken over by a yearly event – Model United Nations. This two day event – presented by the political science department of the University of Calgary- allows high school students the opportunity to simulate the workings of the United Nations.
Participants are assigned a country and a council to represent. Throughout the day, they will simulate responses to various topics in their respective councils. At the Calgary Model UN (HSMUN) there are six main councils – GA 1 DISEC/GA 2 ECOFIN/GA 3 SOCHUM/ Security Council/Human Rights Council/NATO. Councils range from the 20 member range (Security Council) to the 150-200 member range (GA 1 DISEC).
Topics this year are:
GA 1 DISEC:
- Examining Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty
- Review of the implementation of the recommendations and decisions adopted by the General Assembly at its tenth special session (Conference of Disarmament)
- The role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament
GA 2 ECONFIN:
- Assuring developing countries’ sovereignty over their natural resources
- Promoting sustainable development practices in transnational corporations
- Macroeconomic incentives to encourage the growth of small business
GA 3 SOCHUM:
- Providing economic and social services for victims of conflict for internally displaced persons and refugees
- Addressing the challenges of international migration and asylum
- Women’s control over economic resources and access to financial resources
Security Council:
- Women, Peace and Security
- The situation in Eritrea
Human Rights Council:
- Climate change as a human rights issue
- Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories
- Protecting the rights of migrant children
NATO:
- Removing American missiles from NATO member states
The 2011 University of Calgary HSMUN begins tomorrow, Feb 26, 2011 at 8 a.m. in the ICT building at the University of Calgary.
Come by and check it out!