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Emirati female Model UN delegates
Dubai, UAE: EXPOMUN, the first global Model United Nations (MUN) conference to be conducted in a World’s Fair, has wrapped up at Dubai Expo2020. The 3-day conference made history and world records with the most diverse national delegate pool such as students from Tajikistan and Macedonia. Delegates designed an NFT and their impending book “Youth Diplomacy in Action” will release this summer. Resiliency in leadership was the focal point and the conference employed an overall theme of overcoming and succeeding within and around “crises scenarios”.
Six simulated UN committees ranging from UN Security Council (UNSC) to Africa Union were conducted over two days with topics such as “Restructuring the global financial system and the distribution of power” and “Incorporating sustainable development to address resource scarcity”. Committees were hosted by national pavilion Angola, Columbia, and Mexico in unique settings.
The coveted UNSC focused on “Re-evaluating the role of economic sanctions in resolving conflicts”. The 15 member committee Chaired brilliantly by 15 year old Emirati Sofia Faghihy. Another Emirati female, Shaikha Al Neyadi from Abu Dhabi served in the hot seat as the MUN ‘delegate from Russia’ while ‘the delegate from UAE’ was a dual national from Italy and Lebanon, Alexander Ghorayeb. The MUN coveted award for Best Delegate went to Abu Dhabi’s Malek Nabil Ibrahim who had served on the UNSC as ‘the delegate from France.
Former Madagascar Ambassador Eric Robson, Executive Director of the Arab Youth Venture Foundation (AYVF) served as Director General of the EXPOMUN Secretariat. PwC supported EXPOMUN as its Exclusive Knowledge Partner. The majority of EXPOMUN Secretariat was comprised students of American University of Sharjah’s Model UN (AUSMUN) team.
Lisa La Bonté, developer of EXPOMUN, said, “The dynamism of these young delegates was matched only by their resiliency. We threw one crisis after another and they honed their coping skills, adapting quickly to embrace change – a critical leadership skill for a well-rounded future. The highly unique EXPOMUN was designed to be unlike any Model UN conference they’ve ever attended. It was -- and the young delegates excelled."
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For more information please contact:
English: Lisa La Bonté for AYVF lisa@ayvf.org
About Model United Nations (MUN)
Model United Nations, also known as Model UN, or by the initialism MUN, is an educational simulation and academic activity in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations. MUN involves and teaches participants research, speaking, debating, and writing skills, in addition to critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership abilities. Usually an extracurricular activity, some schools also offer Model UN as a class. It is meant to engage students and allow them to develop deeper understanding into current world issues.
About EXPO Model United Nations (EXPOMUN)
A joint effort between Arab Youth Venture Foundation, United Nations Association in UAE EXPOMUN made history as the first global Model United Nations conference within a World’s Fair. EXPOMUN maintains dual themes of Africa and SDGs and will host the greatest national diversity per capita of dynamic young delegates and aspiring diplomats in Dubai during Expo2020. The events began in January with an SDGs activity during Dubai Expo Global Goals (SDGs) Week and the full conference ran March 25-27 opening with the creation of a unity themed NFT.
About Arab Youth Venture Foundation (AYVF), Producer
Middle East’s first NGO for strategic workforce development supporting GCC's diversified economic visions, fuelling pipelines of national talent and nurturing company (jobs!) creators with a foundation in STEM across Space, Cybersecurity, Fintech, Energy industries serving 103 nationalities and impacting over 5 million youth aged 6 to 26 since 2007.
About the United Nations Association in UAE (UNAUAE)
The Arabian Gulf’s first UNA launched in 2010 joined a network of over 100 UNAs globally as the citizen’s movements of the U.N. UNAUAE undertakes educational activities nationwide with a focus on Model U.N. club development and training, SDGs programming, briefings, and challenges and hosting overseas government and diplomacy practicums and trainings.
About the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. www.sustainabledevelopment.un.org
About PwC EXPOMUN Knowledge Partner
At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We’re a network of firms in 156 countries with over 295,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Established in the Middle East for 40 years, PwC has 22 offices across 12 countries in the region with around 7,000 people. www.pwc.com/me
PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.
