In 2024, the United Nations Model Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Programme, managed by the Department of Global Communications, continued its initiative entitled: ¡°The Real United Nations: An Interactive Briefing Series for Model Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵs.¡± The idea is for diverse panels of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ staff and diplomats to speak to Model Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ clubs and conferences, share their stories with participants and explain what they actually do to achieve Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ mandates.
On 14 March, a ¡°Real United Nations¡± panel visited a conference organized by the National High School Model Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ (NHSMÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ) at the New York Hilton Midtown in Manhattan. NHSMÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ has been described as the world¡¯s largest Model Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, and this particular conference included students from more than 70 countries, between the ages of 13 and 18.
The panel consisted of: Brenden Varma, Manager of the United Nations Model Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Programme, which falls under the United Nations Department of Global Communications; Yanique DaCosta, Counsellor (Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs) at the Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the United Nations; and Vitorino Mello Oliveira, First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations. It addressed 450 participants.
Students asked: what delegates did when their countries¡¯ positions differed from their own opinions; how diplomats handled negotiation processes when people were unwilling to compromise; how staff and diplomats avoided burnout; how young people were being involved in preparations for the Summit of the Future; and how the panelists had managed their career paths.
According to a post-event survey, 96 per cent of respondents agreed that the session had increased their understanding of what it was like to work at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, and 71 per cent said they would apply what they learned at the session to a study or Model Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ activity.
After the briefing, Yanique wrote: ¡°20+ years ago, my childhood mentors inspired my dreams of working at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ by sharing their most personal experiences with me. Participating in ¡®The Real United Nations¡¯ series was an incredible opportunity to pay it forward by engaging almost 500 high school students on the human side of the job - on what it really takes to operate in this dynamic space.¡± She was the second Jamaican diplomat to participate in the series since its inception in 2017.
Meanwhile, Vitorino wrote that Model Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ (MÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ) offered ¡°an unparalleled platform for young minds to engage with complex global issues, develop critical thinking skills, and foster a deep sense of global citizenship.¡± He added: ¡°MÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ is not just an extracurricular activity: it's a comprehensive educational experience that prepares participants for the challenges and opportunities of our global world. Model Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ helps develop diplomatic negotiation skills, international awareness, critical thinking and problem solving, public speaking and communication, collaboration and networking, empathy and global citizenship.¡± His participation marked the first time a Portuguese national participated on a ¡°Real United Nations¡± panel.