Visakhapatnam :
Students of Gitam University are kicked about the fact that their varsity will be playing host to a model United Nations meet ‘Gitam-MUN’ from December 23 to 25 at the campus and are raring to go.
The campus is already abuzz with orientation sessions being held to teach students the nitty-gritty of how to conduct oneself, how to speak via mediators and the intricacies of a civilised debate, mainly because the ideas and possible solutions generated will actually be sent by way of a final draft resolution to the UN Information Centre for India and Bhutan, where they will be catalogued for further study.
“The event is, in a way, being conducted under the aegis and directions of the UNIC for India and Bhutan,” pointed out one of the organisers M Bindu Madhavi.
The event will see students debating on a dozen crucial issues facing the world. As part of the MUN, a total of 12 agendas ranging from range from privatisation of space exploration to peace keeping in Syria and prevention of outbreak of new diseases would be debated by six committees with each committee taking up two agendas.
The committees would represent UN bodies like Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC), World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Security Council (UNSC), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
The students firmly believe that such events not just boost their confidence levels but also make them more proactive in their public and personal lives. “Such meets generate a database of fresh and young ideas for the UN. More importantly such meets help promote a perspective of the future at an earlier date and time,” said R Divya Bharati, a third year engineering student of Gitam and one of the chief organizers of the Gitam-MUN.
Divya Bharati further pointed out that the selection process too is quite tough with a panel of selectors putting the candidates through several rounds of grilling. On the response to the event, she said that so far they had received over 500 applications and expect to receive many more.
Explaining that this is the first time that Gitam is hosting such an event, the students said they will leave nothing to chance to ensure its success. “In fact, we had a two-day orientation programme on this issue mainly because we wish to make a complete success of it. The participating students too seemed excited about being members of a model UN Council,” said a student.
V Abhiraj Gupta, who will play the role of a debater, said, “Such orientation sessions help boost your confidence even if you have already participated in such events. But as this is a pan-India event, it puts it on an entirely different scale.”
K Nandita, a first year MBBS student said, “I’ll be playing a moderator. I love the power part of it and I’m thrilled to be part of this event. I have already participated in MUNs held in Chennai and Bangalore and I’m confident of doing well this time around too.”
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam> World Health Organisation / by Venkatesh Bayya, TNN / December 21st, 2013