Are you interested in current affairs, international relations and debating?Do you want to travel the world representing different countries? Then the UNA is for you!
We are the Leeds University United Nations Association. Every week, we meet to debate and discuss current affairs in a format which simulates the working of the United Nations. Members select a country to represent and do their best to convey their chosen country’s point of view. Discussion topics are emailed the Monday before and we aim to end each session with a UN-style resolution. The usual structure is to simulate the UN General Assembly as this allows members to pick whichever country they want, but we also simulate committees such as the Security Council and Human Rights Commission. We also hold emergency sessions when real-world crises occur. These sessions are often lively and can get heated!
Our meetings are at 6 p.m. on Thursday in LG10 of the Michael Sadler building. Apart from our weekly debates, we'll arrange a few socials so that members can meet each other in a less formal setting. There's also usually an "informal social" at the Terrace after every Thursday meeting!
Members of Leeds UNA also get the opportunity to represent our society and the University of Leeds at Model UN conferences across England as well as a few select international MUNs. This year, we plan to send delegations to, among others:
LIMUN - London International Model United Nations
NMUN - National Model United Nations (held in the UN headquarters in New York)
ScotMUN - Scotland Model United Nations (held in Edinburgh)
PIMUN - Paris International Model United Nations
EuroMUN - European Model United Nations
NottsMUN - Nottingham Model United Nations
This year, apart from sending delegations to other conferences, Leeds UNA is hosting its own MUN for the first time, in February.
Outside of MUN-related activities, the UNA also has an education program in which members visit schools and explain how the United Nations works. We also show our support for charitable causes, and last year we held fundraisers in the aftermath of the floods in Pakistan and the earthquake in Haiti.
So come for a lively debate, learn more about the UN and its procedures, attend national and international conferences, meet like-minded people and have your voice heard...what are you waiting for?
E-mail us at info@unaleeds.com to get on our mailing list if you haven't done so already, and to stay up-to-date with UNA events. We're also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/168088387431/ and on Twitter - follow us @UNALeeds.
