Introduction:

LARSSMUN Conference is an academic exercise where students assume the role of ambassadors of member countries of the United Nations and extensively deliberate on current global issues. It gives students the opportunity to view and understand issues from different perspectives, get acquainted with and appreciate different people and cultures, learn to proffer credible and acceptable solutions to identified national and global problems.

The conference has been designed as a forum where students work with these pressing international issues from a perspective outside of the classroom. Representing the interest of a foreign country further broadens the knowledge of the students on the difficulties and complexities of international relations. The programme brings the activities of the United Nations closer to the youth who are made to assume leadership roles through the simulation.

Students at the conference learn to face and overcome challenges, to respect the view point of rivals, to separate the person from the problem, to face disappointment with the determination to do better next time and to experience the joy of achievement. At the end of the conference, each student is changed having learnt more about himself, gained confidence from some endeavours and discovered previously unrecognized potential. The benefit to the student, school and society are great.

• LARSSMUN 2018 theme is: Engaging Youth in the Fight against Intolerance, Discrimination and Hate Crime. The committee sessions will force delegates to think on their feet.  It will provide the participants with the unique opportunity to further understand and appreciate the values of tolerance, diversity and peaceful co-existence.

How Does Model United Nations Operate:

The basic principles of Model United Nations remain the same; regardless of where the conference is taking place;

1. Participants are assigned a UN Member State. They assume the role of that country’s diplomats at whichever UN body is being enacted. The delegates represent the views of ‘their’ assigned countries, reflecting the countries’ national interests, rather than their own personal opinions on an issue.
2. The delegates research their country’s position on selected topics, paying particular attention to their country’s perspective on the topics to be discussed at the Model UN. The topics are issues of global importance.
3. The committee sessions are held in accordance with rules of procedure. The delegates present statements of their countries’ positions and debate and negotiate with the other delegates, both through formal and informal debate.
4. A resolution is written, debated, negotiated and amended, in line with each country’s interests and in response to the debate. Votes are held on the resolution and the amendments. A final resolution is produced, which is acceptable to a majority of delegations and represents the final product of the meeting.

Benefits of Model United Nations to Students:

• Model UN events provide active learning opportunities for delegates, allowing them to explore and analyze a situation affecting unfamiliar people in unfamiliar settings. They negotiate and reach consensus on the best action for all, working individually and as part of a group. Delegates develop their communication skills and build their self-confidence.
• Helps the students appreciate the relevance of academic study to real world problems and utilize the skills learned through their school’s course curriculum or degrees.
• Provides a multicultural learning experience, as it gives students the opportunity to meet others from diverse backgrounds and nationalities and helps them break out from their own prejudices and preconceptions about world affairs.
• Instills responsibility and discipline as the students assume the role of ambassadors and speak out on behalf of nations in a bid to resolving issues.
• The UN can be a difficult organization to grasp – it is not a world government, but a system of many organizations which together affect our lives in many ways. In order to influence the way in which the UN works, we must understand the UN – one way of doing this is by taking part in a Model UN event.
• Model UN work not only educates participants about the problems the world is facing, but also suggests the means by which progress can be made and problems resolved, peacefully and justly.

Students’ Eligibility Requirements:

• Senior Secondary Students – SS1, SS2 or SS3
• Proven ability to compile extensive research on chosen topics with a clear understanding of country’s position
• Ability to communicate clearly and express thoughts and ideas in a coherent manner
• knowledge of the United Nations
• Demonstrated leadership skills

How to Complete the Registration Form:

1. Select any 3 countries of your choice from the country/committee matrix attached that you can represent (1 out of the 3 could be allocated to you depending on availability)
2. Select any 3 committees of your choice from the country/committee matrix attached that you wish to simulate (1 out of the 3 could be allocated to you also depending on availability)
3. Ensure that the country chosen is a member of the committee selected as appropriately indicated in the matrix

 Special information on country/committee selection and assignment:

It is important to note that we cannot guarantee that each student will be assigned the country/committee of his or her choice. Certain criteria may result in a change in delegates’ choice. Some of which are:

• Most countries are allocated on first come, first serve basis. Delegates are thereby encouraged to send in their application forms early.
• Essays are rated according to performance. The best essays sometimes get their choice of allocation.

**Students who apply to sit on the Security Council should be of academic excellence and possess good public presentation and analytical skills. Accompanying staff should please assist us in this regard.

Submission of Essays and Position Papers –

Every delegate is expected to submit his/her completed registration form with One (1) passport photograph, evidence of payment of conference fee and the mandatory essay on “Engaging Youth in the Fight against Intolerance, Discrimination and Hate Crime” on or before the deadline of May 7, 2018. Students are encouraged to start preparation and research as soon as they receive registration confirmation and countries/committees allocated to them.

All accepted delegates are expected to individually submit their countries’ position papers on or before May 7, 2018.

NOTE: that the position paper is different from the mandatory essay.

Committees and Topics:

1).           GENERAL ASSEMBLY (GA)

1. Engaging youth in the fight against hate and discrimination
2. Strengthening young people’s resistance to radicalization

2).           SECURITY COUNCIL (SC)

1. Home grown terrorism as an emerging global threat
2. Promoting peace and tolerance by resolving the Israeli – Palestine conflict

3).           ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC)

1. Supporting youth innovations for sustainable development goals
2. Promoting and protecting the economic and social rights of ethnic minorities

4).           HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL (HRC)

1. Promoting early stage teachings on democratic values, human rights and citizenship skills
2. Prejudice and discrimination against disabled people

5).           UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)

1. Impact of violent conflicts on sustainable development
2. Fighting discrimination through Investment in Human Development

6).           COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN (CSW)

1. Protecting young girls and women from radical religious indoctrination
2. Engaging boys and men in protecting girls and young women from violence

7).           UNITED NATIONS POPULATIONS FUND (UNFPA)

1. Early marriage as a discrimination against girls
2. Raising greater community awareness on gender based violence

8).           UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP)

1. Resolving natural resource- induced conflicts
2. Protecting the environmental rights of indigenous people and local communities

9).           UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIO (UNESCO)

1. Role of education in combating online hate speeches and intolerance
2. Promoting tolerance and respect for cultural diversity

10).         UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN FUND (UNICEF)

1. Effects of racism, discrimination and intolerance on children
2. Protecting children from bullying and harassment

11).         INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION (ITU)

1. Hate crime in the cyberspace
2. Investment in innovations and technologies to counter online hate materials

12).         WORLD BANK GROUP (WBG)

1. Enhancing democratic and civic participation of young people
2. Investment in new technologies to counter online hate materials

13).         AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (AfDB)

1. Investing in youth education and vocational training
2. Access to economic opportunities for marginalized groups or communities

14).         AFRICAN UNION (AU)

1. Working with grassroots organizations and religious leaders in the fight against hate crime
2. Tackling prejudice and building connected communities

15).         EUROPEAN UNION (EU)

1. Resurgence of xenophobia and incitement to hatred by politicians
2. Changing the negative narratives on migration

16).         ECONOMIC  COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS)

1. Preventing incitement to discrimination, hostility and communal violence
2. Armed herdsmen as a threat to regional peace and security

17).         INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION (IPU)

1. Enacting laws that expressly address hate crimes
2. Strengthening enforcement and prosecution of hate crime offenders

18).         INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION (ILO)

1. Protecting the rights of domestic workers and people with disabilities
2. Tackling Religious Intolerance and Discrimination at the Workplace.

19).         UNITED NATIONS ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS (UNAOC)

1. Promotion of dialogue and solidarity among people globally
2. Challenging the attitudes and behaviours that foster hatred

20).         ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION (OIC)

1. Preventing radical attitudes and religious extremism
2. Reducing hostility and promoting harmony among the religious groups

21).         UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME (UNODC)

1. Educating young people on crime prevention and criminal justice
2. Confronting new challenges of extremism and violent crimes

• Promoting a culture of lawfulness through education

22).         United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – The UN Refugee Agency

1. Fighting hate speech against migrants and refugees
2. Trafficking and exploitation of refugees and internally displaced persons

23).         JOINT UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMME ON HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

1. i) Strengthening the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS

ii).            Stigma and discrimination as obstacles to preventing the spread of HIV

24).         UNITED NATIONS WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION (UNWTO)

1. Impact of racism and prejudice on the tourism industry
2. Stereotyping in tourism and the effects on minority groups

25).         INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION (ICAO)

1. Tackling discrimination and prejudice in air travel
2. Racial profilling at airports

26).         SPECIAL COMIITTEE ON YOUTH ACTION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION (SCYAAD)

1. i) Youth as potential targets of hate messages
2. ii) Celebrating diversity and respecting human dignity

27).         INTERNATIONAL PRESS COMMITTEE (IPC)

1. Increasing public awareness of diversity
2. Using the social media to promote tolerance and diversity

• Countering hate speech with positive speech

International Press Committee (IPC):

This simulation was added to LARSSMUN to represent the role of the media in diplomacy and international politics. The program is open to all students who have an interest in international relations, communications, journalism, or similar areas of interest. IPC delegates represent correspondents and news services which are represented in the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA). The IPC publishes a daily newsletter of LARSSMUN 2018 – ‘LARSSMUN BRIDGE’ covering the committee proceedings, world developments, and other related news.

Application criteria for the IPC include:

• Completion of the LARSSMUN 2018 registration form with the mandatory essay.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure and handle multiple tasks
• A motivational letter with previous experience in school journalism or ability to function effectively in the IPC.

Requirement for Participation –

 Application for participation is open to Senior Secondary School Students and schools can register as much students as possible.

Acceptance of Application –

Students who have been accepted to participate at LARSSMUN 2018 will be notified on or before May 11, 2018.

All applications and payments of conference fee must be received on or before May 7, 2018.  

NOTE: Registration forms must be returned with one (1) passport photograph, mandatory essays and evidence of payment of conference fee.

Registration –

• Registration is from January 15, 2018 till May 7, 2018. Delegates who register after

      this date will be subjected to a 10% surcharge and placed on the waiting list.

• NigMUNS will not make any refund of payment from two months before the conference.
• Any swapping or changing of delegate after registration will attract a fee of N3,000.

Arrival / Departure –

• Arrival is on or before 10.30am on the 10^th November, 2018 and departure is on or before 11. 30am on 14^th November, 2018.

 Special Events:

Special Intergenerational Dialogue on Youth and Tolerance:

Promoting inter-generational dialogue can ensure that the values and knowledge of society are passed down from one generation to another effectively. It is also essential to include all generations in community dialogue to make certain that their needs are met and to reduce vulnerabilities. Inter-generational dialogue helps to ensure that the elderly stay connected and is valued by their community. It helps to make sure that youth have guidance and support so that they can be more resilient. It will also allow them move away from their normal life, by exploring new ideas for a progressive society.

The Special Interactive Session affords distinguished personalities from the government and non-government sectors with the opportunity to present their views on the theme of the conference; interact and dialogue with the students and provide answers to their questions and concerns bothering on youth and tolerance.

Guest Speakers –

LARSSMUN 2018 will attract notable and dynamic personalities relevant to government, international relations, and contemporary issues to the conference. In addition, we will introduce in-committee guest speaker programme to ensure that all delegates have the opportunity to hear from real experts on their committee topics.

World Cultural Night –

Every people and every place possess a unique culture. Experiencing different ways of life and discovering new cultural heritage have become leading motivations for people all over the world. This interaction between diverse cultures, can lead to tolerance, respect and mutual understanding among people.

The LARSSMUN 2018 cultural night is to improve students’ relationships and interactions with each other. Our specific goal is to create cultural awareness and better understanding for all participating delegates, this translates to better relationships in the school environment, family and society. We should therefore recognise the role of cultural diversity for the benefit of present and future generations.

Celebrating our Cultural diversity makes life vibrant, richer and more interesting, because it allows us to interact with each other and to better appreciate our own culture. Respect for cultural diversity is the starting point for peaceful and inclusive society. It is an opportunity to unify the future generations and to celebrate all the richness and benefits we get from being such a diverse community.

Schools wishing to perform at the World Cultural Night should notify us on or before the deadline of registration to book for a slot. The duration for each presentation is between 5 to 7 minutes. The mode of dressing for this event is: Cultural or traditional dress of Nigeria or that of the delegate’s adopted country. Improper dressing by any delegate will not be tolerated.

Gala and Awards Night –

The Gala/Awards Night, a very special event that brings the LARSSMUN Conference 2018 celebration to its climax, is where we recognize outstanding students and Institutions, role models whose achievements are a source of pride and inspiration to young people. We also show our thanks to staff advisers and institutions for their continued support.

The event aims to provide delegates the opportunity to interact freely with very important personalities and diplomats in an atmosphere devoid of the usual protocol associated with the offices of these personalities.

Awards:

Participation in LARSSMUN yields tremendous educational and personal rewards. Each delegate should rightly feel great pride in doing the research necessary to participate and in successfully playing the role of his/her country during the conference.

As a means of recognizing outstanding efforts in this area, we are pleased to present several awards with prizes at the conclusion of LARSSMUN 2018. Twenty-Six (26) Awards will be presented at the Official Banquet and Awards Night to student delegates, school delegations and accompanying staff who distinguish themselves during the conference.

The Awards are:

1. Best Female Delegate
2. Second Best Female Delegate
3. Third Best Female Delegate
4. Best Male Delegate
5. Second Best Male Delegate
6. Third Best Male Delegate
7. Best School Delegation
8. Second Best School Delegation
9. Third Best School Delegation
10. Best Male Accompanying Teacher
11. Best Female Accompanying Teacher
12. Best Cultural Performance
13. Second Best Cultural Performance
14. Third Best Cultural Performance
15. Best Drama Presentation
16. Second Best Drama Presentation
17. Best Cultural Costume
18. Second Best Cultural Costume
19. Third Best Cultural Costume
20. Best Conference Director
21. Second Best Conference Director
22. Best Committee Chairperson
23. Second Best Committee Chairperson
24. Best Committee Rapporteur
25. Second Best Committee Rapporteur
26. Outstanding Delegates in each Committee

 

Conference Theme:

  Engaging Youth in the Fight against Intolerance, Discrimination and Hate Crime

Every day, thousands of people around the world are becoming victims of hate crimes as a result of violent manifestations of intolerance and discrimination. Individuals and groups are threatened, assaulted and attacked daily because of their perceived affiliation with a group that shares a particular characteristic, such as race, ethnicity, national origin, religion or disability.

Hate crimes are designed to intimidate the victim and members of the victim’s community, leaving them feeling fearful, isolated, vulnerable and unprotected by the law. By making members of minority communities fearful, angry and suspicious of other groups and of the power structure that is supposed to protect them, these incidents can damage the fabric of our society and fragment communities.

The seeds of intolerance, discrimination and hate crimes are usually planted in young people very early in life and nurtured by their experiences and by the attitudes of those around them as they grow older. Unfortunately, these young people later become both the perpetrators and victims of hate motivated crimes in the society.

It is therefore very important that we engage our young people on the lessons of tolerance and the strength in our diversity, and that our diversity is colourful and beautiful. They should also know that despite the differences among people, we all have the moral responsibility towards each other’s well-being and learn to appreciate differences in opinion. With knowledge about tolerance and diversity, and ways to react to incidents of discrimination, they will be able to guide their peers when and if they feel discriminated or have questions regarding discrimination.

When young people have positive interactive experiences as a part of their regular environments and activities, they can develop a healthy appreciation of themselves, as well as of people who are physically and culturally different from them. In this way, the culture of tolerance for all will flourish in our schools, homes and society.

Young people, as the world’s digital natives with a high percentage of the global population, could use technology to make the world better and safer for all. New communication technologies and social media frequently used for hate messages and extremist ideas, can also be used as tools to positively influence and inspire their peers and other members of the society to play active roles in addressing hate speech, hate crimes, discrimination, and other forms of intolerance.

Goals of LARSSMUN 2018:

• Giving students the knowledge, understanding and skills to enable them to participate in society as active citizens and change agents
• Enabling them to be informed, critical and responsible and aware of their duties and rights
• Providing a framework which promotes the social, moral and cultural development of young people
• Enabling them to become more self-confident and responsible in and beyond the classroom
• Encouraging students to become helpfully involved in the life of their schools, neighbourhoods, communities and the wider world
• Promoting their political and economic literacy through learning about our economy and our democratic institutions
• Helping students to gain a disposition for reflective discussion
• Showing students how to make themselves effective in the life of the nation, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Through the conference, students will:

• Promote a global outlook, tolerance and respect for diversity and difference of opinion.
• Develop and experience important social skills such as teamwork and group cooperation, mediation conflict resolution, debating, negotiation, consensus-building, critical thinking, public speaking and listening.
• Learn to develop respect for others and appreciate difference in opinion.
• Understand and appreciate the values of tolerance, diversity and peaceful co-existence.
• Develop self-confidence and successfully deal with significant life challenges.

• Understand and appreciate the values of tolerance, diversity and peaceful co-existence.

• Discuss various scenarios and appropriate ways to respond to global issues.
• Develop genuine trust to relate with people they consider different from them.
• Foster a greater interest in international affairs.

 

 Nigeria Model United Nations Society (NigMUNS):

Nigeria Model United Nations Society (NigMUNS) is an international educational and youth development organization established in 2004. It is registered as a non-governmental and non-profit making organisation under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; recognized by the Federal Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and has a Special Consultative Status with the

United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Our mission is to help young people discover their own voice, to find their own purpose, to make their unique contribution and release their full potential. Since the inception of our annual conference series in 2005, Nigeria Model United Nations Society has helped more than 19, 000 students prepare for the future with leadership and responsible global citizenship.

NigMUNS prides itself as the founder of the Model United Nations culture in Nigeria. Today, the organisation hosts 5 annual conferences for primary school, secondary school and tertiary institution students, namely – Junior Schools International Model United Nations (JUNSIMUN); South East Regional Secondary Schools Model United Nations (SERSSMUN); Lagos Regional Secondary Schools Model United Nations (LARSSMUN); Nigerian International Secondary Schools Model United Nations (NISSMUN); and Nigerian International Tertiary Institutions Model United Nations (NITIMUN).

Our programmes present an invaluable opportunity to curious and intelligent students to explore the world in the context of the United Nations. In doing so, the students learn to face and overcome challenges, to respect the viewpoints of rivals, to separate the person from the problem, to disappoint with the determination to do better next time and to experience the joy and exhilaration of achievement. Each student participant is completely changed, having learned more about himself or herself, gained confidence from some endeavors and discovered previously unrecognized potential.