STATEMENT BY UN UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR COMMUNICATIONS TO OPENING SESSION OF 2009 GLOBAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE

Following is the statement by Kiyotaka Akasaka, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, to the opening session of the 2009 Global Model United Nations Conference at the Assembly Hall of the Palais des Nations in Geneva today:

“Welcome to the very first annual Global Model United Nations Conference! It is so wonderful to meet here in the Palais des Nations in Geneva, a beautiful city that is home to such a large and important part of the United Nations family. I am particularly happy to see you – young students -- gathered here to engage on key issues facing the world and how they affect the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Warm greetings to you all from myself and the entire United Nations Department of Public Information.

As pioneers of GMUN, you are living history and you will become legends, we would not be here without the help of so many. Let me start by thanking our partners who have played such a crucial role in the organizing of this conference with us -- the World Federation of United Nations Associations, the United Nations Foundation, and the United Nations Office for Partnerships. Thanks also to the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Federal Credit Union who facilitated the presence of many of our participants. Thank you -- the Government of Switzerland -- for your generous contribution to the conference. Switzerland’s early offer of support -- made almost one year ago when the conference was still only a thought – inspired and helped us to transform an idea into reality.

Clearly, the enthusiasm and energy of all of you for this conference is testament to our shared belief that young people are key participants in fulfilling the mission of the United Nations. We know, and I'm sure you know, that Model United Nations are very popular with students at every educational level all over the world. In fact, many of today’s leaders in law, government, business and the arts participated in Model UN Programmes during their youth. Those experiences helped shape their different career paths. Of course, not all of their careers can be directly linked to the United Nations, but I believe that the “Model UN” experience is something that endures.

I, myself, like many who work for the United Nations, am proud to be a “Model UNer.” I still vividly recall my own “Model” moment. Some time ago, when I was your age, or a little younger, I took part in a Model United Nations held in the International Conference Hall in Kyoto, Japan. I represented an African country, one that I had never even heard of – Mali. My mother and aunt came all the way from my remote village to see me in the conference, even though they didn’t understand a single word of English. For the conference, my aunt bought me a brand new suit. It was the first suit I had ever worn in my life. I dreamed then that one day in the future, I would give a real speech in the United Nations august General Assembly Hall, in front of a packed audience.

That dream came true 30 years later. I did finally speak in the General Assembly Hall. But it was not packed – in fact, to be honest, it was almost empty! But never mind, the point is, that Model UN in Kyoto 40 years ago inspired me to think about my future and it gave me an aim -- to try to make a difference in our world.

Over the years, many Ambassadors to the United Nations and UN officials have told me that they too took part in model UNs in their cities and towns. So I’m confident, as the Secretary-General said in his message, that you may be Secretary-General of the UN one day; that many of you will also become real Ambassadors; that many of you will one day work for the United Nations or other international organizations; and that many of you will become the experts and professionals dealing with the UN; and that all of you will become leaders that we in the United Nations look to as our partners.

Yes you will be the leaders. The future of the world will depend on you. But even if your chosen profession takes you outside the formal structures of diplomacy or the international civil service, you will be the better for this experience. For what career or vocation is there that does not call upon one to listen, to understand, to persuade, to defend that which is right?

We see the Global Model United Nations as an opportunity for you to develop your skills as global citizens. With a global perspective and a sense of global responsibility, you will discover that there is no limit to what we can achieve, if we work together.

Let me say a few words about how we got here and about how this conference is different from other Model UN programmes. We started by inviting every university-level Model UN programme around the world of which we were aware to nominate delegates to attend this conference. You, the delegates who are present here today, are among the best and brightest who have participated in these Model UN programmes. Out of this pool of experienced students, the United Nations Department of Public Information selected eight women and men to lead the “GMUN” Secretariat. You elected another 17 to be the leaders of the General Assembly. Our Secretariat and General Assembly officials have all done a wonderful job preparing for this conference. We thank them for the time and effort they have put in to help make this a meaningful experience.

We also broke new ground on several fronts in terms of organizing this conference.
First, all of the leaders of the GMUN Secretariat and General Assembly officials were given unprecedented access to senior United Nations officials so that they would be well-grounded in understanding the roles they are playing and how to manage the Assembly’s proceedings. Second, the Rules of Procedure more closely reflect the procedures that are actually used at the United Nations to guide the conduct of meetings. Third, we leveraged new technologies to help you prepare for the conference. A total of 18 live web chats were conducted with a wide range of UN officials, experts and diplomats to help you better understand the work of the General Assembly Main Committees and the topics that you will be discussing.

It is our hope that this conference will serve as a model of best practices for other Model UN conferences. We also hope that this will encourage the creation of new Model UN programmes in places where they do not yet exist.

We meet at a crucial time for the Millennium Development Goals. Roughly one year ago we passed the midpoint for achieving these goals. And yet, more than one billion people are still trapped in poverty, and many nations in Africa and Asia are not on track to achieve the MDGs. The encouraging trend in the eradication of hunger was reversed in 2008. This was largely due to the soaring food and fuel prices which forced millions more into poverty. The global financial and economic crises are hitting the poorest and the most vulnerable hardest of all.

In 2009, an estimated 55 to 90 million more people will be living in extreme poverty than what was anticipated before the current crisis. As a result, major advances in the fight against poverty and hunger have begun to slow or even reverse. It can be difficult to understand, or even imagine, what extreme poverty feels like, or means, unless, perhaps, you have experienced poverty yourself. All of us are extremely fortunate, we are lucky. But I also know that we all feel compassion and solidarity with the hundreds of millions of women, men and children who face lives of misery and deprivation. How could we possibly be indifferent to their plight?

Fifty years ago, in my poor village in Japan, when I was in elementary school, some of my fellow students wouldn’t appear in class whenever it rained very hard. In Japan, it often rains cats and dogs. I discovered later that their families were so poor that they couldn’t even afford an umbrella for their children. It pains me to this day to think about how much my class mates must have hated the rain – and the hardships that came from being poor. Poverty, like conflict, today continues to deprive young people of the opportunity and right to be educated. Still 72 million children are out of school, denied the right to education. Poverty is the number one enemy of children. Poverty is the number one enemy of a decent society. We must stand up and fight against poverty.

Clearly, the challenges we face in reaching the Millennium Development Goals are great, daunting and humbling. No nation, no matter how powerful, can solve them on its own. That is why Governments are taking collective action to address them, including through the United Nations, the world’s only truly universal organization.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has repeatedly urged nations not to lose sight of the Goals. He recently said, “We cannot allow an unfavourable economic climate to prevent us from realizing the commitments made in 2000…Rather than retreat now is the time to accelerate progress towards the MDGs and to strengthen the global partnership for development.”

Civil society plays a critical role in these efforts as well. And young people, as part of civil society, are making important contributions around the world to the achievement of the MDGs. Many campaigns that raise awareness and focus on reaching specific Millennium Development Goals have been initiated by young people. At a time when young people are often the ones hardest hit by poverty, there is no one better to speak on behalf of youth people than the young themselves.

In your work in the coming days, remember that our efforts to achieve the MDGs are closely connected to our efforts to combat climate change. Climate change is the challenge of our – and your – generation. It affects all areas of our lives – from the economy to food, health, development and security. In tackling climate challenge, we will find solutions for economic recovery, food security for the poor, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

I encourage all of you to join the United Nations’ campaign to urge governments to “seal the deal” on a fair, balanced and effective agreement on climate change when they meet at the UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December.

I hope that through this conference, you will discover the rich complexities of international diplomacy as you discuss real world challenges. Together, we will stand up in the fight against poverty. Together, we will find better solutions to achieve the MDGs. Together, we will urge our governments to “seal the deal” in Copenhagen. Together, we will work to realize a world free of nuclear weapons. Together, we will work to promote and protect all human rights for all. Together, we will work to end violence against women. To do this, we need bold and compassionate young leaders like yourselves. We need you in government, business and other civil society institutions. Your energy, honesty, idealism and creativity are essential for finding solutions to today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. Let us work together.

Together, we will make the United Nations stronger for a safer and better world. I wish you a stimulating and memorable conference. Thank you.”


For use of information media; not an official record

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