The first Model United Nations (MUN) conference to be held at the university level in the Kingdom concludes at Dar Al-Hekma College here today. The opening ceremony of the conference was held Tuesday in the presence of the guest of honor Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary general of the Organization of Islamic conference (OIC); Suhair Qurashi, Dean of the college; Dr. Chaman Rahim, the advisor of the MUN club, and 70 delegates from different local and international schools and universities . The Model United Nations society, which currently has 150 members, was established at Dar Al-Hekma in 2007 with the aim of educating students in proper diplomatic conduct and giving them experience in the art of negotiation and debate, according to Muna Abdul Kadir, the MUN secretary general. It also helps them to present their case in a diplomatic way and to analyze and find solutions for real global issues, she added. The theme of the conference is “Will the beginning of a new decade bring a brighter future to the world?” Adul Kadir explained that members of the society who take part in discussions do not present their own points of view, rather they act as representatives of United Nations countries and take the position of those countries on the issue which has been tabled for discussion. The Dar Al-Hekma Model UN conference is divided into three different groups: General Assembly, Human Rights Council, and Organization of Islamic Conference. Each group debates a different topic. The General Assembly has been discussing the issue of the Iranian nuclear program; the Human Rights Council has been debating press rights and freedom and the Organization of Islamic Conference has been looking at the problem of Islamophobia. At the opening ceremony, Prof. Dr. Ihsanoglu said that he appreciated the efforts being made Dar Al-Hekma and the Model United Nations society and he shared with students the experience of the OIC in international relations. Suhair Quraishi said, “This conference will help students understand the opinions of others and bring about a culture of dialogue among the youth of the Kingdom.” She added that Dar Al-Hekma is based upon honesty, transparency and respect and that “although dialogue is sometimes painful, there is always hope for a new beginning”. Dr. Rahim said that the conference was “an excellent opportunity for students to tackle real life conflicts, in a real life setup where they discuses real life events”. “Whatever your field or ambition is, the atmosphere of the MUN conference may be a reliable testing ground for innovative thought to prepare you for entering the international stage,” she added.
