Ananda College Model United Nations Conference (ACMUNC) 2020
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“Discussion, Debate and Negotiation are the corner stones of peace and freedom” Said Sasindu Induwara, The Secretary General of ACMUNC 2020
Model United Nations is a concept initiated with the objective of empowering youth diplomacy around the world. MUN is functioned independently from the United Nations Organization. This concept was first introduced to Sri Lanka a very long time ago, although it might be something new for most of you. Ananda College Colombo has been a pioneer in the Model UN circuit in Sri Lanka since its introduction.
Let us look into the foundation of ACMUNC 2020. In 2005 a group of young Anandians initiated S-SAARC which was a simulation of the SAARC summit. It was the first student functioned diplomatic gathering in Sri Lanka. After three successful years of S-SAARC, in 2008 The Sri Lanka Model United Nations was initiated by Ananda College.
This was a huge step towards establishing the concept of Model UN within Sri Lanka. After conducting a successful conference, The SLMUN was handed over to the youth of Sri Lanka by Ananda College with the hope of expanding the involvement of all schools in the Model UN arena. After a long-awaited break, our very own Ananda College Model United Nations (ACMUN) was initiated in 2017, which brought the concepts of affordability and luxury to the MUN platform. In fact, Ananda College is the only school in the world to have introduced three different types of MUN related platforms.
What is more interesting is that ACMUN 2019 was the first school-based event which happened after the Easter Sunday attacks. In other words, Ananda College Model United Nations has always been a “hope” for the youth of Sri Lanka.
“MUN is a platform where ordinary debaters become innovative diplomats” Said Rivindu Perera, The Former Secretary General of ACMUNC
2020 Also began with unexpected challenges and hardships and we as ACMUN was the hope to the MUN circuit in the country. Adhering to the “new normal” and preserving the standards of MUN, ACMUNC 2020 featured more than 150 delegates from all parts of the world celebrating the value of connectivity in the time of crisis. In simple terms executing this novel concept was not a path paved with roses.
Getting in touch with the youth interested in joining the conference had to be done online. Also, the process of conference management had to be done virtually. This required a certain degree of discipline and experience. Even with all that, the finances to provide an excellent outcome was possible thanks to our humble sponsors. This made sure that willing and able youth could take part in the conference free of charge. Under five committees five different topics were taken into discussion.
The topics varied from the simplest to the broadest global issues at hand. Across two days, from the 19th to 20th December, delegates from all parts of the world debated on these issues on a diplomatic perspective, via the Zoom application. As stated before this was a whole new experience.
“We must not be swayed by the flowery words of extremists…as the youth we must act as an effective check and balance on those mandated with achieving a development where no one is left behind”
Were a few words stated by the chief guest Miss.Chiranthi Senanayake, former UN youth delegate.
With the hard and smart work of the entire executive committee of ACMUN 2020 the Conference made a positive impact to the hope. The world can overcome its challenges and we are glad to be a part of the solution. With a completely new experience ACMUN Conference 2020 was indeed the redefinition of Model UN arena in the existing world.