DAHMUN officers with Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef (5th R), Dr. Lamya Gazzaz and Dr. Chaman Rahim at the inauguration of the DAHMUN conference at Dar Al-Hekma College in Jeddah, Monday. (Courtesy photo) JEDDAH: Dar Al-Hekma College kicked off the Model United Nations (DAHMUN) conference 2011 Monday with an opening ceremony attended by members of the diplomatic community and featuring a keynote speech by Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef, President of the Muslim World Congress. Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda. The participants role-play as diplomatic delegates representing a nation or NGO in a simulated session of a committee of the United Nations, such as the Security Council or the General Assembly. Participants research a country, take on roles as diplomats, investigate international issues, debate, deliberate, consult, and then find solutions to world problems. The conference will feature committee sessions and culminate in an awards ceremony Thursday, rewarding those delegates who show the most potential. Female students from all schools and colleges were eligible to apply. The theme for the second annual DAHMUN conference is “Shifting Sands: A Wave of Change”, with reference to the recent wave of protests and regime changes in the region. By comparing the recent crises to the ever-changing nature of sand, DAHMUN's organizers seek to “tackle the current shift of power” in the region and evaluate whether this “sudden wave of change” is a cause for joy or concern. “This is a unique and original movement of people working together to overcome the many difficulties they are facing,” remarked Dr. Naseef in his speech. “These people are feeling that there is a need for real change.” He noted that the comparison to shifting sand did not quite apply to the turmoil in the region because “sand shifts a little each day; it is a gradual process, where as what is happening today is immediate change”. In front of a hushed audience of diplomats, academics, media representatives and students, Dr. Naseef urged DAHMUN delegates to focus on the future and remarked that the current system of education should be developed to “shift focus to the importance of cultural dialogue”. Calling the West's version of democracy “not entirely suitable for the region”, he added that the complex nature of Arab and Islamic societies necessitates a more adaptable system of governance. “Change must be gradual for it to be effective,” he noted. Presented by DAHMUN's Secretary General Nadine Mojadidi and Undersecretary General of Financial Affairs Faiza Rizvi, the opening ceremony launches three days of intense committee sessions where three committees will debate a certain topic. The General Assembly will debate the “situation of Arab states declaring states of emergency in times of turmoil”; Human Rights Council will debate social media and its validity as a vehicle for the freedom of expression; and the Security Council will debate the status of the No fly-zone and its effectiveness in the ongoing Libyan revolt. DAHMUN was founded in 2007 by Dr. Chaman Rahim, a lecturer at Dar Al-Hekma, who remarked that the number of delegates this year had doubled from last year to 120. Not all of these delegates are Dar Al-Hekma students. She added that the primary aim of the conference is to create tomorrow's leaders.
