The United Nations

• Predecessor: League of Nations• 1919• ICJ, ILO, UNHCR, WHO, UNESCO

Purpose

• Maintain international peace and security

• Develop friendly relations between nations

• Cooperation on international problems• Centre for harmonising actions of nations

in attaining the goals of the organisation

Principles

• National sovereignty• Sovereign equality of all members• Peaceful means• Commitment to the UN – assistance

Structure

• Six principal organs– General Assembly– Security Council– Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)– Trusteeship Council (no longer in use)– International Court of Justice– Secretariat

General Assembly

General Assembly

• Main deliberative body• All member nations• Simple majority• Recommendations on international issues• Elect members of the Security Council

Security Council

• 15 members• 5 permanent, right to veto• Maintenance of international peace and

security• States obliged to implement decisions• Ceasefire, peacekeeping forces, military

observers

Model UN

Model United Nations

• Simulation of the United Nations• General Assembly Committees– Disarmament and International Security– Economic and Financial– Social and Humanitarian– Special Political and Decolonisation

• Security Council

Goal

• Be a nation• Discuss a given topic• Negotiate a solution

Procedure

• Debates in committees/Security Council– Unmoderated Caucus– Moderated caucus– Formal debate

• GA plenary session

Rules

• You must represent your nation• Formalities– Dress code– Formal speech

Balloon debate!

• You are all in a sinking balloon. • The only way for some to survive, is to throw

someone out.• You must argue your case for staying.

Questions?