GENERAL ASSEMBLIES
UNITED nATIONS Strategic AI Management Oversight and Support Agency (UN SAMOSA)
For better or for worse, artificial intelligence (AI) has undoubtedly become a transformative force on the global stage. UN SAMOSA aims to serve as a forum for discussion on the impact AI has had on educational and workplace structures across the world.
Specifically, Topic 1 will centre around the stake AI has had in shifting global education within the contexts of personalised learning, the roles of teachers, curriculum design and content delivery, as well as assessment and evaluation methods. The focus of Topic 2 on AI’s impact on workplace shifts will touch on AI’s implication in removing certain industries, its potential threat to workplace safety, marginalising economically advantaged populations with limited digital capabilities, and harming the environment.
UN BORDERS
International borders are simply boundaries separating nations from one another – right?
Wrong. Their existence alone has been a tremendous source of international disagreement, and subsequent conflict has had intense repercussions on the people groups caught in the midst of these disputes.
Topic 1 will address this particular issue – through discourse on improving oversight, coordinating humanitarian and economic relief, and supplementing intra and inter-regional relationships to safeguard these vulnerable communities. Moreover, borders have been a focal point for migrants trying to flee their home countries. Human rights violations committed against migrants at international border crossings embodies the premise of Topic 2. Debate will centre around enhancing legal protections, humanitarian aid and mental health resource access, long-term resettlement programs, and international and regional cooperation in providing support for these migrants. Ultimately, UN Borders aims to be a vital force in the exploration of the intersectionality between humanitarianism and national borders.
Note: Position papers are not required for award contention in UN BORDERS.
un tourism
Every year post Covid-19, more and more people have been packing their bags, booking plane tickets, and exploring the world around them. But how does global tourism operate at its core, and is the world able to keep up with the industry’s rapid growth?
UN Tourism gives delegates the opportunity to have a ring-side seat into the inner functions of this industry, by crafting an international tourism framework that prioritises economic preparedness, security, and ethics.
Topic 1 will focus on the economic and security-oriented fronts, through discussion on sustainable tourism in the face of augmented travelling, and measures to resist fraud, terrorism, gender-based crime, among other public safety threats. On the other hand, Topic 2’s ethics focus will relate to how the proliferation of tourism has led to a lack of regard for animal welfare, environmental concerns, economically disadvantaged communities, and Indigenous groups.
united nations central emergency response fund (un cerf)
Do you have a knack for swift, time-sensitive problem-solving? The UN Central Emergency Response Fund presents delegates with global issues that require immediate response mechanisms, and a forum for delegates to tackle these problems like champs!
Topic 1 will focus on natural disasters, with subtopics including strengthening early warning signs, improving disaster response logistics and relief equity, and prevention strategies, through the creation of resilient infrastructure and incorporation of climate change adaptation into disaster management. On the other side of the spectrum, Topic 2 will focus on pandemic response. Through discussion on Covid-19, among other pandemics throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, delegates will discuss vaccine distribution inequity, the formulation of pandemic response mechanisms when causes are ambiguous, relationships with other medicine-focused international organisations to streamline aid, and use previous pandemics as mechanisms to inform future response-building.
International Atomic Energy Agency (un iaea)
Thankfully, our world has not seen the usage of nuclear weapons since the close of World War II, and nuclear non-proliferation agreements have been enacted thereafter. But in no way does that mean that our globe is free from the danger atomic energy poses. UN IAEA explores how safe and peaceful uses of atomic energy can be employed to ensure global security.
Topic 1 delves into ways nuclear safety and security can be promoted, through discussion on strengthening safety standards and regulations, safeguarding nuclear materials, enhancing emergency preparedness and response mechanisms, conducting peer reviews and safety assessments, and promoting transparency and public communication on nuclear safety issues. Topic 2 focuses on developing more peaceful applications of nuclear technology – including nuclear medicine and radiotherapy, agricultural and food security, water resource management, sustainable power generation, and research and innovation.
International Conference on Population & Development (un icpd)
The ICPD is a landmark event that took place in Cairo, Egypt in 1994 which will give delegates a forum for multifaceted humanitarian discourse. Specifically, debate will revolve around female empowerment and gender equality, as well as urban reform, within the contexts of fertility, migration, and sustainability.
Topic 1 will revolve around eliminating gender discrimination, enhancing educational and employment opportunities for women, supporting female political participation and leadership, as well as legal reforms to protect women’s rights. On the other hand, Topic 2, with its urban reform focus, will delve into development and population dynamics, poverty reduction, migration and urbanisation challenges, environmental sustainability and population growth, and strengthening data collection and research for informed policymaking.
Note: Position papers are not required for award contention in UN ICPD.