700 students to take part in ‘UN session’

The conference will feature voices of more than 700 middle and high school students from the UAE, Cameroon, India, Rwanda, Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

At the DIA Model United Nations (DIAMUN) conference, students will negotiate and produce resolutions (similar to the legal documentation produced at the UN) on complex topics, creating a very high level student-produced work modelling the work of real diplomats and leaders in today’s world. One of the standouts at the DIAMUN is the focus on issues facing the Middle East and the region.

The DIAMUN will be held from March 19 to 22 at American University in Dubai and at DIA school premises. Entirely led by students, DIAMUN — now in its sixth year — is one of the Middle East’s first Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) affiliated conferences, and the only one in the UAE.

Tara Ahluwalia, DIAMUN secretary general for 2014, said: “This conference is a platform for the leaders of tomorrow. It allows young people to effectively engage with world issues and understand them from multiple viewpoints.”

For many youngsters, the event serves as a gateway to the world of diplomacy by providing an organised and formal platform to discuss global concerns in a context that simulates the real world. It encourages students to critically analyse and discuss topics of international relevance in politics, human rights, conflict and environment.

muaz@khaleejtimes.com