The countries to be represented include (but are not limited to): Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Hungary, France, Germany, UK, Libya, Iraq, Canada, Sweden, USA, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China. If the above countries are filled, participants will be more than welcome to represent additional countries. Don’t forget that you can pair up and have more than one person in a delegation!
This event is organized and hosted by Vytautas Magnus University’s United Nations Student Club with the help of ESN Lithuania.
What is Model United Nations?
Model United Nations is a simulation of the different organs of the United Nations in which the delegates represent a country in order to debate about issues of international relevance. During the sessions, the delegates have to debate about the topics that have been proposed by their committees and prepare a working paper with the aim at creating draft resolutions, which will include measures agreed concerning the problem that has been debated. The sessions are ruled by a Chair and a Co-chair, who are in charge of moderating the debates.
Why participate in a model of United Nations?
It is the best way to see how the real United Nations Assembly or its different bodies work and how the process of trying to find applicable solutions to international problems works. In a MUN you acquire a lot of knowledge, but also develop different skill sets such as leadership, public speaking, and negotiation.
As meeting new people and creating friendships is also important in the international community, delegates will have the opportunity to join different social activities, which will make the MUN more fun.
Human rights Council
TOPIC: Syrian refugees. Human rights of people displaced due to conflict zones.
The Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and offering resolutions to them. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. It meets at the UN Office in Geneva.
Secretary General’s message
Dear Delegates, Chairs, Staff Members, and friends of KIMUN,
On behalf of our dedicated Secretariat General, it is my utmost pleasure and honor to invite you to the first edition of KIMUN. This event is organized by students, for students. These students spend time and effort on a daily basis to develop projects that enrich their university experience and the experience of others.
With support from members of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in Lithuania and Vytautas Magnus University faculty, the first edition of KIMUN will be held from the 25th-26th of May in VDU Mažoji sale.
We are very excited to be kicking off with the first edition of Kaunas International Model UN and hope that by hosting this event we will be enabling the creation of lifelong friendships between students interested in diplomacy. Our aim in holding this event is to make students open their minds and experience something different – giving them a taste of how international relations works outside the classroom.
MUN’s are one of the most enriching experiences for international relations and political science students to participate in. A lot of the current world leaders were once “Model UNers.” In fact, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has participated in them. MUNS are a fun way to learn about current world affairs. Being globally aware is of utmost important in this fast-paced era. MUNs are also great for developing leadership skills, improving public speaking, and teamwork. And for some, this may provide an opportunity for perfecting a second language. Not to mention all the people with shared interests you will meet!
The Secretariat is already working hard to create Kaunas’ first official Model UN and hopes that it will attract students from many different countries and backgrounds. As a part of KIMUN, you will not only tackle one of the most challenging problems of our time, but you will also discover your ability to become a powerful negotiator – a power that rests on your understanding of opposing views. This skill will not only help you make the world a better place, it will help you in your daily life. I encourage you to think outside the box and, by doing so, to challenge yourself to offer new solutions to resolving an issue.
Outside the committee, delegates can look forward to two wonderful events. For more information on the committee, special events, and other conference details, look through www.unstudentclub.org or visit our Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/1725060061074262/.
We look forward to welcoming you in May 2016!
MEET THE TEAM!
SECRETARIAT GENERAL
SECRETARY GENERAL – Olivia Wells
Olivia majors in international relations and development studies at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania. Born and raised in New York, Olivia has lived and studied all over the world including Denmark, Venezuela, Greece, and Israel. During her time in Greece, she worked with the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy, where she spearheaded several projects concerning development in the Balkan states. She currently works with the international human rights organization PACT in Lithuania, where she is involved in projects concerning democracy implementation and civil society engagement in Belarus. Last summer Olivia worked with WITNESS in New York – a human rights NGO that trains people in how to use film to document human rights violations and protect their civil liberties. And this summer Olivia will have the opportunity to work with the Human Rights Foundation, particularly on organizing the Oslo Freedom Forum. Olivia is also the president of the United Nations Student Club at VMU and is excited to be implementing VMU’s second Model UN in the past two years. As VDU’s first official Model UN, she thinks this year’s sessions will be the best to date!
CHAIR – Alba Maria
Alba María is from Spain and is currently studying international relations at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas via an Erasmus exchange program. She is particularly interested in human rights and member of several different associations dealing with human rights work. She has participated in five Model UNs and is very excited about organizing this one. She believes Model United Nations helps participants to develop many different skills for both personal and professional development and is an excellent opportunity to meet so many people interested in international affairs. She will be one of the chairs of this year’s Human Rights Committee. She is looking forward to this Model UN happening!
CO-CHAIR –Konrad Eduardo
Konrad Eduardo is a bachelor’s student of International Politics and Development at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU). He studied at the Interdisciplinary Center of Herzliya in Israel and will complete his master’s at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in terrorism and political violence. He has won best delegate in the Caracas Model UN and the Simon Bolivar University Model UN in 2009. He has represented Venezuela in the Ivy League Model UN in Philadelphia in 2010, and has presided over committees in The Instituto Cumbres de Caracas Model UN in 2010 and 2011. Last year he co-chaired VMU’s first model UN and he is excited to do so again this year in the Kaunas International Model UN.
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER – Gertruda Cepulyte
Gertrūda Čepulytė is the communications manager at the United Nations Student Club (UNSC) at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania where she studied international relations and development studies. She has been a member of the club since November 2014 and is also a co-founder of the organization. Back in May 2015, Gertrūda participated in the UNSC’s first Model UN representing the Ukrainian delegation. She is excited about organizing the upcoming Kaunas International Model UN on the 25th of May, as she anticipates that it will once again be an enriching experience.
PROJECTS MANAGER – Ieva Steponaviciute
Ieva is the newest member of the United Nations Student Club and this is her first time participating in and organizing a Model UN. She is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in Lithuania at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) in the faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy. She is also completing a duel bachelor’s degree in performing arts (operatic singing) at the Music Academy at VMU. Ieva was born and raised in Vilnius, Lithuania and graduated from one of the top secondary schools there. During her high school years she was a member of the Students Parliament and is experienced in organizing events. She looks forward to participating in KIMUN!
PROJECTS MANAGER – Gintaras Aniulis
Gintaras Aniulis is a second-year international politics and development studies student at Vytautas Magnus University who was born and raised in Kaunas, Lithuania. His interest in the political world began when his parents took him with them to medical and technological conventions based in most of the world’s greatest cities and landmarks. Having experienced firsthand different cultures in different parts of the world, he was inspired to seek a political career to further develop his knowledge. Helping host a Model UN in his first year of university, as well as a TEDx half a year later, he hopes that other students will be able to obtain the same opportunities to develop their academic abilities for their future careers as well as their personal lives. He is very excited to build off the knowledge he acquired from last year’s Model UN where he represented the delegation from Germany.
MARKETING MANAGER – Sandra Matoskaite
Sandra Matoskaite is currently studying international politics and development studies at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) in Kaunas, Lithuania. She is a member of the council and projects manager at the United Nations Student Club (UNSC) at VMU. She is also a volunteer at the European Youth Forum and one of the staff members of the European Youth Event of 2016. In the first Model UN of UNSC she represented the Libyan delegation. Sandra is super excited to be one of the team members that are organizing the KIMUN!
