The seventh annual THIMUN Qatar Conference is set to take place from 24-26 January at Qatar National Convention Centre.
The event, which will bring together more than 1,300 Model United Nation (MUN) students from Qatar, as well as the wider region and beyond, aims to encourage young people to discuss, negotiate, debate, and propose solutions to global issues.
Head of THIMUN Qatar Lisa Martin said that despite the current political crisis in the region, they are continuing to develop as a Model United Nations, attracting thousands of students from around the world.
This conference is a wonderful opportunity for young men and women from different countries and backgrounds to come together to propose action-orientated solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. We at THIMUN Qatar are dedicated to fostering active global citizens and equipping participants with the skills and tools necessary to become the future leaders of tomorrow.’
The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Gender Equality and Empowerment for Women and Girls’, inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5. In line with the theme, the keynote speech will be delivered by Trisha Shetty, Founder and CEO of SheSays India, a youth-led NGO which focuses on youth and civil society engagement to promote gender equality. Sandev Ferdinando, Secretary General of THIMUN Qatar, and HE Bahia Tahzib-Lie, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Qatar, will also address the audience during the opening ceremony.
UN-Like Gathering
During the three-day conference, participants will engage in a simulation of the UN, taking on roles as diplomats to discuss and debate international issues in order to develop solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing the global community. Students will also be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of committees. Representatives from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime will also present during the event, covering topics such as ‘Cyber Crime’, ‘Organised Crime and Gender’, and ‘Human Trafficking’.
A key aspect of this year’s conference is MUN Impact. The programme will serve as a hub for sharing stories of impactful MUN activities, best practices, and ways to support, through action, the SDGs.
Martin said that MUN Impact grew out of an initiative at the October Leadership Conference.
Students, teachers, and even members of the UN itself were interested to deeply engage students in being change-makers and to help address the SDGs. MUN delegates can act as a peaceful army of active global citizens, and we hope MUN Impact will begin a much-needed conversation and movement about ways to infuse action and service into Model United Nations.’
THIMUN Qatar’s Regional Office was created as a joint project between Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Qatar Academy schools and THIMUN Foundation, an affiliation programme designed to develop high quality MUN conferences around the world.
For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, visit qf.org.qa.
