Viadrina Model United Nations

Simulation of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC):

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict regarding Human Rights Situation

Blockseminar:        

BA: Praxisrelevante Fertigkeiten // BA Sozialwissenschaften-Einführung: 4/6/8 ECTS

Model United Nations serves as a means for students to experience the practice of international politics at the level of the United Nations. Students represent member states or non-governmental organisations during session, research their positions and debate on the basis of their country‘s policy. This year’s simulation will be held in the form of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The agenda addresses the Human Rights Situation in the Israeli-Palestinian-Conflict. The seminar comprises two parts: In the first session, serving as a first orientation for subsequent individual preparation, the issue of human rights as of global concern and will be discussed during theoretical blockseminar within discussions and presentations. The second part is the actual MUN simulation of a United Nations Human Rights Council Session with the virtual experience of diplomacy. With the case of the Israeli-Palestinian-Conflict students will experience how complex, versatile and fragile the topic of human rights is and what obstacles international exertions are confronted with.

Literatur: Gareis, Sven Bernhard: Die Vereinten Nationen: Aufgaben, Instrumente und Reformen. Opladen: Leske und Budrich, 2002; Hüfner,  Klaus: UNO-Planspiele: Model United Nations (MUN). Bonn: UNO-Verlag, 1995.

Teilnahmevoraussetzungen: Good command of the English language is required.

Hinweise zur Veranstaltung: The number of participants is limited. Please send a binding application including a short letter of motivation, name, field and year of study, as well as your country / NGO preferences by 19th April, 2009 to viamun@euv-frankfurt-o.de. Your country preferences should cover 3 current member countries of the council of 3 different regional groups as mentioned here: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/groups.htm. Please consult our homepage for further information and requirements before applying: www.viamun.de.

Leistungsnachweis: Participants must attend all meetings, prepare an oral presentation and a term paper on a particular topic and do specific preparation for the MUN session (position paper, opening speech, policy research, training in conference rules). Further requirements may vary depending on the study programme of the student and the module chosen. For details see: www.viamun.de

Sprache: Englisch