The annual international conference “Model UN – New Silk Road”
From April 26 to April 28, 2019, the annual international conference “Model UN – New Silk Road” was held at the Library of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. The conference was organized in the framework of the UN Initiatives on Academic Impact (UNAI) and the Ban Ki-moon Institute for S
ustainable Development BKMISD) and with the support of diplomatic missions in Kazakhstan and the United Nations Information Office (UNIC) in Almaty.
The Model UN – New Silk Road Organizing Committee organized discussions and debates on the most pressing global and regional issues, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), various aspects of international migration and refugee issues, economic, political and strategic issues between the North and South and some other issues. A special part of the conference in 2019 was devoted to the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace.
The International Student Conference “Model UN – New Silk Road” was held on the following committees:
1) UN General Assembly
2) UN Security Council
3) United Nations Environment Program
4) World Health Organization
5) UN Human Rights Council
During the three days of the forum, students acted as plenipotentiary delegates of the UN member states, where they defended the interests of the represented country.
The Model UN-New Silk Road reproduces the activities of various UN agencies in real time and teaches diplomatic and negotiating skills. Participants include college and university students, high school students, young researchers and teachers, as well as all people who are interested in UN activities. Members of the UN Model acquire diplomatic, leadership, public speaking and language skills and the ability to come to a compromise.
The International Conference “Model UN-New Silk Road” is the largest UN Model in Central Asia, which has been held in Almaty every year since 2010.
At the international student conference “Model UN – New Silk Road (MUN NSW)” in 2019, more than 250 delegates from Kazakhstan and eight countries of South and Central Asia participated, including Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as Europe, including Italy, France and Germany.
At the brginning of the conference, high-respected people as Ruslan Bultrikov, Head of Representative Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty, Sergey Tokhtarov, Deputy Executive Director and Director of the Office of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty, Eric Meyer, Ambassador of the United States in Almaty in the Republic of Kazakhstan, George Tar, Attache on foreign economy of the Consulate General of Hungary in Almaty, and pro-president of the Porte Polytechnic Institute and vice-president of the European Network for Accreditation of enernogo education professor Jose Quadro made their speeches wishing the participants an entertaining discussion.
The representative of the UN Information Office in Kazakhstan Abdurahim Mukhidov, who emphasized the importance of the event, addressed to youth and students of the Central and South Asian region, also particularly supported the participants of the UN Model at the opening of the event. He also stressed the importance of the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, because Peace and diplomacy are the essence of the United Nations Model Events.
The coordinator of the program, Rafis Abazov (Executive Director of the Model UN-New Silk Road program and visiting professor at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University), in his speech noted that the International Student Conference “Model UN – New Silk Road” is a place that unites different cultures and different people from around the world and thanks to the annual international conference, students from around the world get acquainted with the cultures of countries, find friends and like-minded people from other parts of the world. At the end of his speech, he wished the participants good luck and interesting discussions in a three-day conference.
