Inauguration of Sixth Annual Dominican Republic Model United Nations

Today, March 13, 2008, over 500 high school and college students, as well as teachers and professors, from the Dominican Republic, the United States and the region assembled at Fordham University in New York City to celebrate the inauguration of the Sixth Annual Dominican Republic Model United Nations (NYDRMUN), organized by the United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic (UNA-DR), in collaboration with Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and
Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE). The conference will come to a close Saturday, March 15. Friday’s session will take place at Fordham University, and Saturday’s activities will be carried-out at the United Nations Headquarters.

 

The 2008 Dominican Model United Nations serves as a meeting ground in which the next generation of world leaders can acquire capacities critical to the future
of international governance. In today’s global climate marked by growing socio-economic disparity, environmental degradation, armed conflict and genocide, the need to provide the nation and the region’s youth with the opportunity to develop and perfect leadership, negotiation and problem solving skills is more essential than ever before, in an age when multilateral cooperation is increasingly vital to confronting current challenges of international
importance.

 

During the inaugural ceremony, honored guests: Myrna Pichardo, Master of Ceremonies; Ana Carolina Blanco, NYDRMUN 2008 Secretary General; Ambassador Francis Lorenzo, Honorary Vice President of the United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic (UNA-DR) and Alternative Permanent Representative to the Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations; Dr. Michael Gillan, Dean of Fordham’s College of
Liberal Studies; Reverend Joseph Currie, Director, Campus Ministry, Fordham University; Yamile Eusebio, GFDD and FUNGLODE Internships and Educational Projects Coordinator; Pilar Sandoval, Executive Director of the United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic; and Dr. Alejandra Liriano, Deputy Secretary of State for Foreign Policy, Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcomed the students and educators and emphasized the important role their involvement in the event will have on
the sustainable development of the countries, and their capacity to confront the economic, social and cultural challenges of the twenty-first century.

 

Over the course of the three days, the delegates will simulate sessions of the United Nations General Assembly; the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; the United Nations International Court of Justice; the United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific; the United Nations Security Council; and the United Nations Economic and Social Council, meanwhile teachers and professors participate in forums on diverse topics, such as the teaching resources offered by the United Nations, the importance of the Atlantic Charter in the establishment of the United Nations, and scholarship opportunities provided by the Organization of American States.

 

Key issues that will be discussed during the 2008 Conference include: international terrorism; the role of technology in educational, scientific and cultural development; the application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; the development of health care systems in Asia and the Pacific, with respect to the Millennium Development Goals; the present day conflicts in Myanmar and Sudan; and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction.

 

GFDD and FUNGLODE organize educational activities in association with the United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic that seek to promote civic participation and raise awar