MUNA - Developing International Understanding and Goodwill
The United Nations Association created MUNA to enable young people to simulate the workings of the United Nations Assembly by having teams of about three Year 11 students represent a particular U.N. country in debates on matters of world political and social concern.
Students are given the opportunity to improve their research, debating and public speaking skills by addressing a wide range of contemporary world focussed issues.
The U.N. Assembly chamber is recreated replete with country name plates, national flags and where the students are encouraged to wear the national costume of the country that they represent.
The Assembly is chaired by the “Secretary General”, and judged by Rotarians.
Prizes are awarded in various categories such as best overall representation and the best national costume.
The first and second placed teams go on to represent the District at “National MUNA” in the Old Parliament House, in Canberra, in August. MUNA is about building bridges of goodwill for world peace and understanding through a personal involvement in the acceptance of situations that reflect the opinion of "adopted" countries
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MUNA challenges you to take part in dynamic debates and discussions. Are you a fanatic debater and up for a discussion with people that meet your standards? Perhaps you are curious to find out what the United Nations are really like. Your chance to taste the atmosphere of diplomatic conferences, political conspiracies and international debates is here.
Am I experienced enough?
We understand MUNA sounds a bit frightening if this is your first Model United Nations simulation to join. However, those students who require initial training on MUN simulations can attend our extensive workshops, which will cover MUN language, terminology and procedures.
First of all, get your teacher as enthusiastic for MUNA as you are! When your teacher decides to apply your school for MUNA. Application forms can be completed and forwarded to the District 9750 MUNA committee on-line . Access MUNA committee website address below for more information It is as simple as that. Shortly afterwards your teacher will be informed of whether or not your school is admitted to MUNA.
Where and when
Rotary District 9750 holds its Model United Nations Assembly at the Nan Tien Temple, Berkeley Road, Berkeley, NSW 2506 around mid May each year with applications closing in mid March.
In 2010 MUNA will be held on Saturday 15 May from 8:30 a.m. until about 5:00 p.m.
Applications close on 12 March 2010.
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For a more comprehensive outline and application downloads, intending schools should access the District MUNA blog by clicking District 9750 MUNA Blog or by clicking District 9750 Muna Website
Results of the Assembly held on the 6th May 2009 ( Courtesy of District Newsletter June 2009 )
The following six Resolutions were debated during the course of the day:
1. THAT the provisions of the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees should be extended to include environmental and economic refugees and to allow recognized refugees to nominate the country in which they seek refuge.
2. THAT
this Assembly recognises that clean water is an asset of the world community and calls upon Member States to foster the access of all people to clean water and to remove any existing legal or physical limitations on trans-border flows of water.
3. THAT
where the Security Council is satisfied that activities within the economy of a Member State are likely to have a significant adverse impact on the stability of the international economy, it shall have power, on the recommendation of the International Monetary Fund, to give binding directions to that Member State in order to minimise or remove the risk to the world economy or the economies of Member States; AND THAT the powers and authorities of the International Monetary Fund be appropriately extended to include and facilitate the making of such recommendations.
4. THAT
where an identifiable ethnic group has self sufficiency within a particular geographic area, Member States having territorial control of that area shall grant domestic self-rule to that ethnic group as a part of a process of ultimately granting independence.
5. THAT
all Member States, whether or not parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, shall recognise and support traditional fishing and other rights of non- nationals within their Exclusive Economic Zones as determined pursuant to that Convention.
6. THAT the United Nations should have power to control the activities of multi-national corporations in order to prevent exploitation of the economic or cultural well-being of Member States.
Award Winners for 2009 :
First Place:
(MUNA Shield + Benq Data Projector MP 612)
St Patrick’s College (RC Sutherland) representing Mexico
Second Place:
(19” Widescreen High Definition TV with
built-in DVD player)
SCEGGS (RC Sydney Cove) representing Saudi Arabia
Third Place:
(Network Blue-Ray Disc Player)
St Mary Star of the Sea College (Team 2 RC
Wollongong) representing Brazil
Best Dressed Team:
($30 Voucher for each team member redeemable at
any Westfield Centre)
St Patrick’s College (RC Sutherland) representing Mexico
Best Individual Speaker Award
(John Hall Memorial Trophy)
Sonia Diab, Caringbah High School (RC Caringbah)
* Photos courtesy of David Guillaume, RC Fairy Meadow