Near East University hosted the first comprehensive Model United Nations (NEUMUN) Conference with international participation in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This important event, meticulously organized by the Near East Institute, brought together students from different universities and created a common platform to seek solutions to global problems. The participation of Colin Stewart, the Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General in Cyprus, in the conference with a video message once again emphasized the international dimension and importance of the event.
Model United Nations (MUN) conferences have been an important tool for young people around the world to gain knowledge and experience about diplomacy, international relations and global issues for many years. These conferences, which simulate the functioning of the United Nations, provide students with the opportunity to understand the positions of different countries, develop their negotiation skills, reinforce their public speaking skills and propose solutions to complex problems. Organized under the leadership of the Near East Institute, NEUMUN brought this valuable experience to Cyprus for the first time and made a significant contribution to the opening of the island's youth to the international arena.
While the heart of the conference was beating in the Grand Library of the Near East University, the participating students deeply discussed human values and global issues. Focusing on the most important and urgent problems on the world agenda, the students discussed critical topics such as “Global Human Trafficking”, “South Africa’s genocide case against Israel” and “Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons” in three separate committees. In these committees, the formats of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the International Court of Justice and the Special Political and Decolonization Committee were adopted, allowing the students to experience the functioning of different organs of the UN.
Meaningful Video Message from Colin Stewart
The opening of the conference was marked by the participation of Colin Stewart, the Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General in Cyprus, via a video message, which added an international dimension to the event. Stewart’s message was an important contribution to the conference, expressing his appreciation of the importance of the conference and the sensitivity of young people to global issues. The opening speeches of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Tüzünkan, Vice Rector of Near East University, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Çıraklı, Director of the Near East Institute, also provided valuable contributions to emphasize the goals and importance of the conference. The secretary-general of the conference was Zainab Suleman, a 4th-year student at the Department of International Relations at Near East University, while Abdullah Alkatheri, Research Assistant at the Near East Institute, successfully coordinated the event.
Future Diplomats Simulate the UN
During the conference, students meticulously reflected the perspectives of the countries they represented and developed solutions to the global issues addressed. During this process, they actively used their negotiation skills to bring together different views. They demonstrated their effective public speaking skills, defended their positions and made efforts to convince other delegates. NEUMUN offered students not only the opportunity to gain theoretical knowledge, but also to develop their practical skills and experience real-world scenarios.
Near East University Vice President Assoc. Dr. Murat Tüzünkan emphasized that the conference provided a vital learning and personal development opportunity for students. “The Model United Nations Conference contributes significantly to our students’ ability to understand global issues and produce solutions to these issues,” said Assoc. Dr. Tüzünkan, emphasizing that the event also encouraged dialogue, mutual understanding and international cooperation between different cultures. Noting that universities are not only centers of knowledge, but also dynamic areas where different thoughts come together and new ideas flourish, Assoc. Dr. Tüzünkan stated that NEUMUN established a meaningful bridge between students from different parts of the island. He added that such international organizations fully align with the university’s vision of raising well-equipped individuals with a sense of global responsibility.
Speaking at the opening of the conference, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Çıraklı, Director of the Near East Institute, stated that the event provided young people with the opportunity to think deeply about diplomacy and global issues. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çıraklı, who stated that “This conference makes a significant contribution to raising not only today’s but also the potential leaders of the future,” emphasized that young people are encouraged to take active responsibility in global issues and that their skills in negotiating, constructively communicating with different views and understanding multilateral diplomatic processes are developed. NEUMUN aims to raise young people to be more effective and conscious individuals in the future by increasing their awareness in the field of international relations.
Zainab Suleman, a 4th year student at the Department of International Relations who served as the Secretary General of the conference, thanked the Near East Institute and the university administration for bringing this meaningful organization to life. She stated that NEUMUN offers students the opportunity to personally experience universal values such as diplomacy, dialogue and determination in the face of challenges.
Conference Coordinator and Near East Institute Research Assistant Abdullah Alkatheri stated that the valuable experiences that young people gain in such international platforms prepare them for the future as more conscious, sensitive to global problems and solution-oriented individuals. NEUMUN went down in history as an important step for young people in Cyprus to express themselves in the international arena and to be trained as diplomats of the future. This first comprehensive Model United Nations Conference concretely demonstrated the importance that Near East University attaches to international cooperation and its contribution to the development of young people.
