Real world training for youth leaders

The seventh edition of the Everest International Model United Nations (EIMUN) was held this week in Kathmandu where participating delegates from 10 countries debated on matters of global importance.

An increasingly large number of students worldwide are participating in Model United Nations (MUN) where they take on positions and stances of a country and discuss, negotiate and reach a consensus on a global agenda of the UN committes that they simulate.

This new kind of debate is popular among the youth due to opportunities to gain exposure, research knowledge and develop diplomatic skills like negotiations and conflict-resolution. In Nepal, the MUN culture has grown in Nepal in recent years after pioneering work by some schools to include young people from various backgrounds.

“We began this program to create a platform for young people to share, experience different schools of thought,” says Chewan Rai (pictured right), co-founder of EIMUN and Youth Thinker’s Society. “And since it is easy to get a visa to Nepal, we thought why not bring delegates from other countries in the region here as well.”

EIMUN was started in 2014 by Youth Thinker’s Society to create a platform for young Nepalis to share their knowledge, network and expose themselves to different backgrounds and perspectives. Over the years, MUNs in Nepal have grown and nurtured change makers, future leaders and diplomats.

Some of the international MUNs have been postponed because of the pandemic. Preparations for EIMUN 2022 began early this year with workshops and mock sessions for delegates that focused on research and policy-based debates. The 7th edition held in Kathmandu from 17 to 21 April had four committees: World Trade Organisation, UN Security Council, UN Democracy Fund and UN Conference on Trade and Development.

The 150 delegates representing 10 countries from Central and South Asia were selected from 3,700 applications. Diverse participation has helped young people network, learn from each other and build regional connectivity.

“This year we had a geographical, ethnical, disability-inclusive participant list,” says Shilu Subba of EIMUN. “We had two visually impaired people, people from public and private schools, and delegates from Karnali to the Tarai region.”

The Model United Nations programs may appear glamorous, but it is hard work and comes with a set of challenges too, delegates are required to put themselves in the shoes of world leaders, think quickly, solve problems that have not yet been addressed properly with an unbiased perspective, write multiple resolutions and reach a resounding agreement.

“Through MUN you are put in a leadership position where you understand you have limited resources and trade offs, so you are forced to think from every outlook,” says Aparnaa from India who participated as a delegate of Russia in the WTO, adding that the platform has taught her to voice her concerns, such understandings among the youth can collectively bring about significant impacts in the society, and grasp the difficulties of finding solution to international crises and conflicts in the real United Nations.

Says Dilip Kumar Hajara, of the project: “Participants were well spoken, enthusiastic and always willing to learn new things. I think MUNs bring about necessary changes and reform in societies.”