Doha - More than 350 high-school students from around the world have come together in Doha to discuss current international issues at the annual Model United Nations organised by the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Qatar).
Model United Nations is a student-run simulation of the United Nations, where students assume the roles of foreign diplomats to learn about international politics and diplomacy. Participants are required to research the country they will represent at the conference along with specific topics related to the student's committee at the conference.
Delivering the keynote address at the opening session, Joseph LeBaron, US Ambassador to Qatar asked the students to be cautious while taking the decisions.
"Each issue is a result of various factors the roots of which goes far into history. All these facets should be considered when taking a resolution. The recommendations should be fair for both side," he said.
Students from 58 schools from 36 countries have converged at Marriott assuming the roles of member countries on international governing bodies such as the UN, the African Union, NATO, WHO, US and the Arab League.
"The various committees will discuss issues for which they are trying to come up with solutions and recommendation," said Kathryn King, Programme Coordinator, SFS-Qatar. "Students will take resolutions as in any international organisations. This is a training and practice for the students as we believe that they are leaders of tomorrow. They will discuss recommendations and resolutions of committees with the Ambassadors of the countries they represent," she told The Peninsula.
More than 70 schools had applied for MUN and 37 were accepted from outside Qatar. 21 schools from Qatar including independent and private schools are also participating.
"The whole idea behind organizing the model UN conference is to give students a hands-on experience in diplomacy. This is a real life situation so participants are not sitting in a class room and listening to a lecture. They are actually participating and doing it themselves. Some times issues discussed will be very personal as when the issue is about one's country. This gives the students a chance to learn to negotiate and also to keep a guard on their emotions while listening to various angles of the problem."
"The issues the students are discussing are the same issues that leaders are facing today. As future world leaders, it is important for the students to learn that it is possible for common solutions to be found among people of different backgrounds. The resolutions will depend on the committees. One of the committees is the US National Security Council which tries to understand how the government in United States takes decisions. The committee is much different from the WHO and others which strives for a global action plan," she said
© The Peninsula 2009
