As a new activity UPJ's STudent Council on World Affairs is planning to organize a Model United Nations Simulation for Johnstown Area high schools in the coming years. Interested schools please write to Kerri Weir (lafemme82@aol.com) directly, contact International Studies at UPJ.
To
Whom It May Concern:
The
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown’s STUDENT COUNCIL ON WORLD AFFAIRS
(SCWA) is a student organization whose purpose is to educate students on
global affairs and relations by means of simulations, speakers, and forums
to consider the issues. This coming year we are hoping to extend
this opportunity to the next generation of students as well. Presently
we are considering hosting our first Model United Nations for the local
high schools (grades 9-12) in the area. This letter, being sent out
to all the respective departments in the schools, is going to determine
whether or not we proceed, as your input and interest in participation
will be taken into consideration. The tentative plans for the conference
are set for March of 2004. We will host the one-day conference on
the campus of UPJ for those students that you feel will earnestly and actively
participate in the simulation. It will provide an amazing opportunity
to educate these students on the manner by which the international community
networks. This past year has proven the United Nation’s growing influence
in the world interaction. Its forum of open communication, diverse
debate, mutual agreements, and multilateral movements, has certainly taken
its position in the international community and continues to influence
the universal affairs of nations.
This
simulation of the actual United Nations proceedings will allow your students
the hands on experience of the international organization. As much
as possible, we will simulate the proceedings identical to those in New
York City. Each student will represent a delegate from a United Nations
country and sit on a simulation session. This will be an educational
simulation, so your students will not have to know every aspect of the
procedures, but we are considering handing out awards to those delegates
that meet our expectations and go beyond. The biggest area of learning
for your students will be educating themselves on the country they represent
and we will then do our part to lead them through the UN proceedings.
The judges will be the students that participate in SCWA and have attended
university level Model United Nations competitions and the University professors.
The SCWA students will also lead the simulations as chairs of the respective
sessions, moving along proceedings and guiding the process of debate.
There will also be the possibility of an opportunity for the students to
hear from speakers that have either participated in the UN themselves or
worked first-hand with the international community.
We
are considering many different avenues by which to accomplish this and
are looking for your input on the conference, to see what best suits in
your classroom’s schedules. We hope that by sending this letter out
this spring, even if the study of the United Nations was not part of your
curriculum, there could be a possibility for its placement in the 2003-2004
school year curriculums. Once we determine the interest, we will
be sending out a packet of information on the conference, the rules of
the simulation, the fees for participation, and general information on
the United Nation proceedings this fall of 2003. Please take the
time to fill out the attached questionnaire so that we may determine the
interest from your school.
Sincerely,
Kerri
Elizabeth Weir
Vice-President
Student
Council on World Affairs
UPJ International Studies -- Student Council on World Affairs