Phnom Penh Model United Nations (PP MUN) 2015 “Global Transformation: The Sustainable Development Goals” Call for Applications The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, in partnership with the Department of International Studies (DIS) of the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL) at Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) is organizing a Model United Nations conference on 21th June 2015. We are inviting university students to submit applications to take part in this conference by May 10th 2015! What is PPMUN? Model United Nations Conferences provides a unique opportunity to young people all over the world to experience the work of United Nations and high level diplomatic negotiation first hand. During PP MUN, 40 Cambodian students will act as foreign diplomats and participate in simulated sessions of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The year 2015 does not only mark the 70th anniversary of the UN but also puts the organization at a crossroads as one of its most prestigious and influential projects of recent times, the Millennium Development Goals, come to an end. A new set of targets, referred to as the “Post-2015 Development Agenda” or the “Sustainable Development Goals,” (SDGs) enters the international arena at the same time. The 17 goals set out in the Rio+20 summit outcome document address important issues regarding the well-being of humans, the earth, and ecosystems. In the light of newly emerging threats such as climate change which threatens the existence of entire nations, a growing world population, and new, potentially harmful technology, it is important that UN Member States work more effectively and closely than ever before in order to promote the success of the SDGs. During PPMUN 2015, participants will have the opportunity to discuss these important goals at the United Nations while the world’s top diplomats prepare to debate the exact same issues in the UN Headquarters during the 70th Session of the General Assembly. The conference theme “Global Transformation: The Sustainable Development Goals” challenges all participants to engage actively with the Post-2015 Agenda and the SDGs and to make a strong and meaningful contribution to the ongoing dialogue. Objectives of PP MUN: While preparing for Model United Nations conference, students develop skills such as: public speaking, research, presentation and analysis in addition to enhancing their leadership and conflict resolution skills. These competencies will prove beneficial for the student’s academic life and future professional career. Organizing Committee: Starting from the candidates’ selection until the day of the conference, the organizing committee will be in touch with the participants and will work closely with them, broadening their knowledge, assisting with research and providing training and background materials, which will facilitate and strengthen their learning. The Organizing Committee is chaired by UNV and includes representatives of UNV and RUPP.
Application Process: The competitive selection process is designed to ensure that 20 student delegates are selected through a fair and transparent process. 10 students from RUPP will be selected by the university as Model UN is part of their curriculum; 10 students will be selected by five other universities, which are invited to nominate their students to participate in PPMUN 2015. The candidates will be selected based on their application followed by a short interview. Eligibility: All delegates chosen for PP MUN conference must be enrolled in a university during the 2014-2015 academic year and not be older than 24 years old (at the date of the MUN Conference). This application is open for Cambodian nationals only. Applicants must also have the following skills and experience: Ability to communicate clearly and express thoughts and ideas in a coherent manner in English (excellent written and spoken language skills are required). Experience working in a team. Be committed to the preparation leading up to the conference.
How to apply? Please send your CV and a cover letter (500 words) explaining your motivation to participate in PP MUN and relevant experience, as well as a short statement (500 words) on the topic of the conference (“Global Transformation: The Sustainable Development Goals”) by email to Ms. Dorota Ciompova (dorota.ciompova@undp.org) by 17th May 2015. Interested candidates should be prepared to provide evidence of their age (with a student ID) and university enrollment (with a university certificate) at the interview stage. Timeframe: Selected students will have to attend all training sessions, as per the following timeframe: 20th May 2015
Successful candidates announced
25 - 26 May 2015
Training sessions
5th June 2015 12th June 2015
Mock MUN (additional rehearsals can be organized if necessary)
21th June 2015
PP MUN Conference
Any successful candidates who fail to attend the training sessions (as outlined above) will be disqualified and replaced by reserve candidates.