Students gather in Songdo for model U.N. conference

Undergraduate and graduate students from 61 countries will take part in an annual model conference hosted by the United Nations at Songdo Convensia in Incheon, starting Wednesday through Sunday.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to give a keynote speech on Thursday, after which he will offer a special lecture to teenagers and college students at the nearby University of Incheon.

Six hundred and forty-five students will hold discussions following U.N. protocol at the Global Model U.N. Conference, themed “Sustainable Development: Advancing Human Progress in Harmony with Nature,” role-playing as diplomats representing a nation or NGO in simulated U.N. sessions.

About 400 high school students from the Incheon area recommended by their principals will attend subcommittee meetings as the audience.

A secretariat consisting of 29 students from about 20 countries will lead the GMUN’s general assembly and subcommittee meetings on disarmament and international security, economy and finance, society and culture, special politics and anti-colonization. Lee Dong-yeop, sophomore at Kyung Hee University’s department of international studies, has been selected as president of the GMUN general assembly.

The U.N. Department of Public Information received applications from students aged between 18 and 26 wishing to take part in the GMUN, and selected the participants through rigorous screening.

The number of participants doubled in the Incheon conference compared to last year’s conference in Kuala Lumpur due to an increase in the applications.

GMUN participants pay for their own air fare and accommodation, but Incheon City offered special financial assistance for 10 college students from Africa. Most of the participants will stay at the University of Incheon dormitory.

A cultural event where students exhibit traditional costumes and musical instruments will also be held on the sidelines of the conference on Wednesday and Thursday. A Korean b-boy team will perform at the closing ceremony on Sunday. Call 032-440-4944 for more information.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)