On March 23 MUNRFE delegation to the National Model UN 2018 was warmly welcomed to the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Coordinator of the World Bank in Russia program Ms. Dorota A. Nowak briefed MUNRFE representatives on the key activities of the World Bank Group, its structure features and challenges the Group faces. The following discussion covered Russian - WBG relations in frames of current instability in the international relations, step-by-step project implementation order of the Bank’s projects and questions related to the agenda items the MUNRFE team members discussed during their NMUN participation including mechanisms on ensuring gender equality, conducting WGB activities on a transparent and accountable basis and etc.
On March 21 MUNRFE delegation to National Model UN 2018 had a great privilege to attend the Headquarters of the United Nations Children's Fund in New York for a briefing with the Senior Evaluation Specialists of UNICEF Evaluation Office Ms. Ada Ocampo-Cabos and two more Specialists of the Office. The representatives of UNICEF delivered an introductory lecture devoted to history, structure as well as primary functions and powers of the Fund, putting an emphasis on three functional areas of its work which are program and policy, external relations and emergency response. Furthermore, the experts addressed central tools of carrying out the work of the institution, stressing the vital importance of collaboration with Non-Governmental Organizations, advocating of pro-children national policies and activities of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors. MUNRFE representatives had a unique chance to interrogate experts on designation and selection criteria of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors as well as to find out the main areas of their work. Finally, experts have shared the details of the process of evaluating the work of the body and the main challenges of its effective assessment.
On March 19 the delegation of the Model United Nations of the Russian Far East to the National Model United Nations 2018 in New York visited the Permanent Mission of the Independent State of Samoa to the United Nations. During the briefing with the Permanent Representative of Samoa to the United Nations Mr. Aliioiaga Feturi Elisaia, five Far Eastern students representing Samoa at the Conference had a chance to discuss peculiarities of foreign policy of Samoa and the role of the country in the United Nations. In particular, Samoa policies towards the topics of gender-based violence, sexual harassment committed by UN peacekeepers, full eradication of chemical weapons, humanitarian aid provision in case of natural disasters, representation of Samoan citizens in UN Secretariat were put under consideration at the meeting. The briefing with Mr. Aliioiaga Feturi Elisaia indeed helped MUNRFE delegates to get familiar with the policy of the represented Member State in frames of the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations General Assembly Fifth Committee.
On March, 10-24 the All-Russia Children Center “Okean” conducted the “Young Diplomat” program for high-school students of 8-11 grades aimed at providing the youth with necessary competencies for their future career and social involvement. This time, MUNRFE was privileged to become the co-organizer of this event and incorporate Model UN segment that included a set of lectures and trainings as well as final debates that applied the procedure of Model UN.
MUNRFE members delivered lectures on public speaking, project management, leadership, time-management, goal-setting, international organizations, the UN system and Sustainable Development Goals, as well as conducted entertaining trainings.
On March 24 MUNRFE Blagoveshchensk Club conducted two significant events covering Open Doors Day in Amur State University (AmSU) and meeting with the alumnus of Blagoveshchensk MUN Club Mr. Dmitry Gazzaev. During the workshop, Mr. Gazzaev shared his own MUN experience as well as delivered a lecture on the topic of overcoming the fear of public speaking from the angle of peoples psychology. It should be highlighted that such events for Blagoveshchensk Club are precious opportunity to maintain the connection between generations of the Organization! Furthermore, on the same day with the support of the Department of International Relations of AmSU, MUNRFE Blagoveshchensk Club had an opportunity to demonstrate the visitors of AmSU its originality and introduce the main activities of the Organization in frames of Open Doors Day.
On Saturday, March 24, 2018 the ecological project was organized by MUNRFE under the leadership of Ms. Polina Varfolomeeva and Ms. Aleksandra Chernysheva. The event was simultaneously held in two places of Vladivostok: at Far Eastern Federal University and at the All-Russia Children’s Center “Okean”. The main aim of the project is to raise awareness of people taking responsibility towards a sustainable future by turning the lights off for one hour. The electricity was switched off in the main building of FEFU.
More than 300 students and schoolchildren had a unique opportunity to participate in the informative quiz, which covered questions related to environmental situation, nature protection, celebrities’ devotion to global problems and using renewable energy sources.
