MODEL UN 2011-12
Themes, Committees and Topics
Conference Theme - The Four Freedoms
The year is 1941. The world economy is still recovering from the Great Depression. Nazi Germany appears to be an unmitigated evil; an adversary not typical of real life. Their extreme aggression, exemplified by the invasion of “lesser” countries, such as Poland, France, and the Netherlands, left the world in awe. Imperial Japan was marching through the Pacific, committing the horrors of the invasion of China and the rape of Nanking. It appeared to be the new “war to end all wars”; that World War I was in fact only a precursor to a larger and more violent conflict. The American people, frightened and disillusioned, needed reassurance, and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt provided this in his State of the Union Address on January 6, 1941. The US had not yet entered the war, but had been indirectly sending aid to the Allies. Roosevelt was always looking ahead, optimistic that the future would bring times where all human’s rights would be protected. $0$0 In the State of the Union Address, he outlined four essential freedoms for all human beings. First was freedom of speech and expression; next was freedom of worship; third was freedom from want, and lastly freedom from fear. Unlike the dictatorships of Europe that abused their power and used violence to attempt to bring change to the world, F.D.R. felt his vision was attainable through peace and understanding. Roosevelt did not live to see the end of the war; however, his wife Eleanor continued his legacy. Appointed as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly by President Truman, Eleanor, inspired by the Four Freedoms, wrote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Echoing the views of her husband, the preamble reads, “Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people…” (“Universal Declaration of Human Rights”). Much has changed since the 1940’s, but nonetheless, the world is still dealing with these same human rights issues. Some of the issues we will consider are Child Labor and Women’s Political Participation. A free press is a pre-requisite for any free and democratic society, thus we will discuss Censorship and the Legal Capacity of Media. Finally, we recognize the interconnected global economy, and the problems that still persist and can be improved upon. These problems may take years to solve, but cooperation between the UN and countries around the world will promote the necessary improvement for human progress. No matter the world’s current events, we can always continue to make progress. Even in times of great peril and fear, we must invoke Roosevelt, who remained optimistic in his vision of a better world, stating, “We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.”$0$0 $0$0 The Cleveland Council on World Affairs is proud to announce the 68th annual Model UN. We welcome students from schools in the northeast Ohio region and beyond for our premier conferences that foster awareness about international diplomacy and the work of the United Nations. CCWA is committed to ensuring a quality experience for novice and experienced MUN delegates. The experience is further enhanced by the diversity of schools and delegates participating. Our MUN serves 1100+ students annually from 65 schools in northern Ohio and beyond.
Click on the Committee Descriptions and Topics for background information....
1. United Nations Economic and Financial Council [ECOFIN]
TOPIC A: Micro-financing and less developed nations
TOPIC B: Development and Renewable Energy
2. International Labour Organization [ILO]
TOPIC A: Rights of International Migrant Workers
TOPIC B: Child Labor
3.United Nations Democracy Fund [UNDEF]
TOPIC A: Encouraging and Incentivizing Women's Political Participation
TOPIC B: Censorship and the Legal Capacity of Media
4. United Nations Development Programme [UNDP]
TOPIC A: Demining
TOPIC B: Corruption and the Rule oLaw
5. United Nations Security Council [SC]
TOPIC A: Peace Keeping and Stability in Africa
TOPIC B: Money Laundering and Financing Terrorism
6. United Nations Economic and Social Council [ECOSOC]
TOPIC A: Fertility Reproductive Health and Gender Inequities
TOPIC B: Drug Use Prevention and Treatment
7. World Food Programme [WFP]
TOPIC A: Nutrition and Education
TOPIC B: Challenges to Small Farmers
8. United Nations Human Rights Council [UNHRC]
TOPIC A: Torture and International Accountability
TOPIC B: Sanitary Drinking Water in Developing Countries