By Haley Mills
On Oct. 24, 2015 the United Nations (UN) celebrated its 70th birthday. Founded in 1945, the purpose of the UN is “to encourage global development, promote global security and provide refuge for those who have not been guaranteed human rights,” as stated on the official UN website. Since the organization was founded, it has developed seventeen different principles that serve as the bases for its work. These principles include eliminating poverty and hunger, promoting quality education and striving for clean water and sanitation for all countries across the globe.
The UN has made a huge impact on the world through its humanitarian work. High schools and colleges have started Model United Nations clubs to prepare the next generation of citizens to be active in their political sphere and to teach students how the UN operates. National MUN began about 50 years ago and has been expanding ever since. MUN’s mission is to “positively affect the lives of participants and prepare them to be better global citizens through quality educational experiences.” MUN works closely with the UN’s department of public information in order to make MUN conferences and clubs as similar to real UN experiences as possible as stated on the Nation MUN’s website.
Salem College has had its own Model UN club for the past three years. Decades before the club was officially established as a campus organization, Salem College sent student delegates to the International Model UN conference in New York City. This year, the Model UN club will not only be attending the International Model UN conference in New York, but also they will also be traveling to Atlanta, Georgia in November to participate in a regional Model UN conference.
Utang Enyenihi, historian for the MUN club, says, “MUN allows an opportunity for Salem students to shine outside of Salem. Delegates from all over the world come to conferences, which allows Salem students to meet new people and show off our skills.” The regional Model UN conference will be beneficial for new members to experience a conference on a smaller scale before traveling to New York in March for the international conference.
More information about the regional Model UN conference can be found by contacting the club at modelun@salem.edu.
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