Model of United Nations Assembly

Jordan and Hayden are year 11 students from Nossal High School. So far so good, right?

The Rotary Club of Berwick sponsored them to participate at a Rotary event called MUNA (Model United Nations Assembly). This is a very complicated event with a lot of research needed to be carried out in preparation. Add on top debating skills and thinking on your feet, the Rotary Club of Berwick are proud of these guys! Not only did they win the event with their convincing arguments, they will go on to represent our Rotary District 9820 at the national MUNA event in August.

Each year, participating schools are allocated countries in order to debate current political topics in a simulated United Nations forum. More information about MUNA can be found here: http://www.muna9820.org.au/ MUNA is well worth looking at if your school is interested in world politics.

At MUNA they learnt how the United Nations worked by representing a country and debating resolutions. The challenge for Jordan and Hayden was they had the United States of America to represent. Finding the current policy of USA on climate change proved difficult. Other resolutions were refugees, the war in Syria, violence against women and Israeli settlements in Palestine. Everything they debated was based on the current position of the USA. Debating and vote trading were all part of the Assembly. They will go to Canberra to represent our Rotary District for the National MUNA Finals in August.

The purpose of the Rotary Model United Nations Assembly (or MUNA, pronounced 'mew-na') is to encourage young people to learn about other countries and to develop an understanding of the workings of the United Nations. Delegates will also develop debating skills, gain self-confidence in public speaking and leadership skills. In many cases, long term friendships are also made through MUNA.

Rotary MUNA simulates the workings of the UN General Assembly right down to the Rules & Processes. Teams of two students from year 10 and (preferably) year 11 represent a nominated UN Member State. They are given topics well in advance. Resolutions are typically drawn from resolutions passed through the General Assembly or the Security Council and cover issues such as Education, Environment, Health, Human Rights, Nuclear Proliferation, Poverty, and Terrorism, the role of Women in promoting Peace and Security, and World Peace. Delegates must research the topics and be able to express the views of the country that they are representing, not their own or Australia’s (unless they are the Australian Delegation!).

Delegates are encouraged to wear an appropriate national costume and have fun doing it. The objective is to encourage young people to learn respect and tolerance for people of all cultures, races, religions and nationalities. MUNA is all about building bridges of goodwill for world peace and understanding in the minds of our youth. As we move into the third millennium, we hope that by encouraging and facilitating dialogue between young people the future of our planet and of those who inhabit it will be enhanced.

Regrettably, many leaders have exploited differences of race, religion, culture and ethnicity to consolidate their own power. The lessons from two world wars and numerous lesser conflicts, many still ongoing, should be absorbed by our youth so that they can avoid repeating the mistakes of our past.

MUNA challenges our youth to respect cultural diversity and differences of race and religion while retaining their own individualism and the best of their national customs and traditions.

MUNA is a Rotary District 9820 Youth Project sponsored by the Rotary Club of Traralgon (2010 - current) with the assistance of the Rotary Club of Casey, Rotary Club of Traralgon Central and other district Rotarians.