ISLAMABAD:
Enthusiasm was palpable as students geared up to unleash their creativity at the Millennial Model United Nations (MMUN) 2012 at the Roots College Millennium Campus on Thursday.
The opening ceremony showcased the global cultural understanding of Model United Nations participants through the Global Village. Though some stalls were well thought out and representatives were well versed in their delegated country, most stalls remained unimpressive.
The stalls of Afghanistan, South Africa, Pakistan and Japan pulled a sizeable crowd. Participants clad in traditional Afghani shalwar kameez, topi, and shawl told The Express Tribune that they will be representing the country in UNDP and UNCHR, and will bring issues of human rights violations, internally-displaced persons and illiteracy to the forefront.
The students were also treated to a concert by the Cuban jazz trio A3. The smooth lyrical styling of trombonist Ariel Jorge Perez’s was refreshing for the teenagers, most of whom had never seen a live jazz performance before.
PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID/EXPRESS
“A nation cannot progress with guns and illiteracy. There needs to be a right to democracy and media transparency in the area,” said Abdal Nayar, a student of AS.
The most painstakingly put together stall was that of Japan, and it was clear that ninth graders had made a serious effort to get acquainted with the culture. Dressed in red kimonos they greeted onlookers with a hello in Japanese. Origami, hello kitty hand bags and anime adorned the stall, while a hefty helping of sushi was an added treat.
The African stall. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID/EXPRESS
Explaining the model of a Japanese house, Shahwal Saeed, a student, said, “This is a model of a house from Northern Japan, and you can see the roof is slanted just like in the northern areas in Pakistan, so there are cultural similarities.” The students had also prepared a chart that listed numbers in Japanese in case onlookers wanted to learn to count in Japanese.
Earlier, Rashad Daureeawo, Higher Commissioner of Mauritius, encouraged the youth to become agents of change through engagement in public debate on national and international forums. He also emphasised on the significance of individuals and the state and urged students to challenge the status quo through the resolutions and forum debates.
South Asian Strategic Stability Unit Director Maria Sultan briefed the MMUN delegates on the background of the various aspects and significant historical incidents pertinent to nuclear proliferation and disarmament.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 7th, 2012.
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