General Assembly Committees (GA)
DISEC: Disarmament and International Security Committee (GA1)
DISEC (GA1 Committee) is considered to be one the most challenging committees as it deals with Disarmament and International Security affairs.
This committee is recommended for advanced delegates.
This year’s ATSMUN DISEC committee addresses two very important topics which are:
- Autonomous groups in Western Europe: their rise, influence and involvement in the political scene.
- The rule of law implementation in situations of fragility.
- Hybrid Committee
SPECPOL: Special Political and Decolonization Committee (GA2)
SPECPOL (GA2 Committee) is considered to be one of the hardest ones as it deals with Special Political and Decolonization issues such as territorial disputes and intricate diplomatic affairs and complex political issues.
This committee is recommended for advanced delegates.
This year’s ATSMUN SPECPOL committee addresses two very significant topics which are:
- Great Eurasia Geopolitical project: changing the global powers interrelation.
- The Uyghur Muslim in China issue.
- Hybrid Committee
SOCHUM: Social Humanitarian Committee (GA3)
The Social Humanitarian Committee (SOCHUM) is the third committee of the General Assembly. This committee will deal with questions about social and humanitarian affairs, human rights and their violation, gender equality, the treatment and welfare of refugees, racism and any type of discrimination, indigenous issues and the protection of children on a global level. The committee will also address issues related to crime prevention and criminal justice, international drug control and other important social issues.
This committee is recommended for intermediate and advanced level delegates.
This year’s topics are:
- The global challenge of Ageism.
- Women as game changers towards eradicating humanitarian crises.
- Hybrid Committee
Legal Committee (GA4)
The Legal Committee is the fourth committee of the General Assembly and its main function is the formulation and application of international law. It deals with the examination of legal issues and international legal disputes that may threaten international peace.
In this committee, delegates will have to consider the legitimacy of a wide variety of global issues, taking into account national sovereignty, existing international law and the legal framework of the United Nations. The Legal Committee is a significant one as it is authorized to deliberate on new treaties.
The Legal Committee is recommended for advanced delegates. The topics under discussion for the 8th ATSMUN are:
- Providing a legal framework for safeguarding energy supplies.
- The effectiveness of legal frameworks on anti-trafficking legislation.
- Hybrid Committee
Non GA Committees (GA)
ECOSOC – Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council was established in 1945 as one of the six main bodies of the United Nations. Its aim is to promote the three main dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. It plays a key role in guiding countries and coordinating efforts in order to achieve internationally agreed goals and it is also responsible for the follow-up to major UN conferences and summits. It works towards bringing innovation and the most recent development commitments into people’s lives in practice.
ATSMUN’s ECOSOC is recommended for intermediate and advanced delegates.
- Hybrid Committee
UNEP – United Nations Environmental Programme
UNEP is set off on its purpose of carrying out environmental activities within the United Nations and serving as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The organization has since collaborated with a variety of groups in facilitating the adaptation of sustainable resources.
The United Nations Environment Programme is recommended for beginner and intermediate delegates, but is open to delegates of all levels.
ATSMUN’s UNEP is of vital importance and delegates are encouraged to make detailed research on the topics:
- Addressing the sustainability of big scale international events.
- Water-Energy- Food: longterm strategies for resilience through the System Dynamics Modeling.
in order to write a resolution which will be discussed further and voted during the conference.
YDF – YOUNG DELEGATES FORUM
The United Nations recognizes that young people around the world are key agents for social change, economic development and technological innovation. It has further recognized that youth should participate in decision-making processes since their outcomes affect both their lives and their future.
YDF plays a unique role within ATSMUN. It is addressed to young delegates only (12-14 years old). This year’s YDF committee deals with two very important topics. The topics under discussion for YDF are:
- Addressing the increased need towards universal access to electricity, clean water and energy sufficiency.
- Peer pressure through social media: the image and the truth behind it.
We highly encourage you to explore in-depth your countries’ policies as well as use the relevant bibliography to further your knowledge on these topics with the aim to writing a resolution which will be lobbied, discussed and voted during the conference.
IEA :THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY (ΙΕΑ)
Created in 1974 to ensure the security of oil supplies, the International Energy Agency has evolved over the years. While energy security remains a core mission, the IEA today is at the center of the global energy debate, focusing on a wide variety of issues, ranging from electricity security to investments, climate change and air pollution, energy access and efficiency, and much more.
The International Energy Agency works with countries around the world to shape energy policies for a secure and sustainable future.
The IEA is made up of 31 member countries. Τhe IEA family also includes eight association countries. Four countries are seeking accession to full membership, Chile, Colombia, Israel and Lithuania.
In our 8th ATSMUN Hybrid Conference, IEA committee is a HYBRID one which is a unique innovation, where delegates will be either on site or online (overseas delegates only) and in the times of energy crisis will definitely make the difference.
OAS: THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
The Organization of American States is the world’s oldest regional organization, dating back to the First International Conference of American States, held in Washington, D.C., from October 1889 to April 1890.
The Organization of American States is one of the world’s largest and oldest regional organizations. It encompasses all 35 independent states of the Americas and serves to coordinate the peaceful cooperation of its members, in order to promote development, democracy, trade, and social inclusion throughout the region. Although its members are spread out on the spectrum of development, from the least developed state of Haiti to the highly developed United States, they often share similar challenges.
The Organization was established in order to achieve among its member states an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their independence.
Today, the OAS brings together all 35 independent states of the Americas and constitutes the main political, juridical, and social governmental forum in the Hemisphere. In addition, it has granted permanent observer status to 69 states, as well as to the European Union (EU).
In our 8th ATSMUN Hybrid conference, the OAS committee will be a HYBRID one where delegates, who will be either on site or online (overseas delegates only), will discuss topics concerning these 35 states of America as well as the ones impacted by them globally and they shall explore solutions to the most pressing problems they are facing.
THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION (WMO)
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 193 Member States and Territories (187 Member States and 6 Member Territories). Members are divided into six regions:
- Region I: Africa
- Region II: Asia
- Region III: South America
- Region IV: North America, Central America and the Caribbean
- Region V: South-West Pacific
- Region VI: Europe
The International Meteorological Organization (IMO), as a non-governmental organization, served the cause of international meteorology well for about three-quarters of a century and that governments and meteorologists alike were generally well satisfied with such an arrangement. (as stated in its official page).
As a specialized agency of the United Nations, WMO is dedicated to international cooperation and coordination on the state and behavior of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with the land and oceans, the weather and climate it produces, and the resulting distribution of water resources.
WMO originates from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), which dates back to 1873. The WMO mandate, constituent bodies and procedures are set out in the WMO Convention, which entered into force on 23 March 1950 – a year later WMO became a specialized agency of the United Nations.
Delegates and experts work together on various programmes, exchanging information, research, statistics and technology to provide a better picture of global conditions. They also share experiences and discuss ways of discovering and employing improvements.
WMO is a HYBRID committee and a new addition to our 8th ATSMUM HYBRID conference where delegates will be either on site or online ( only for overseas delegates).
https://public.wmo.int/en/about-us
SECURITY COUNCIL
The Security Council is one of the principle organs of the United Nations system and has the highest authority in the United Nations as well as in MUNs. It is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. The council debates complicated, challenging and controversial issues and has the authority to establish peacekeeping operations, international sanctions and military action. It consists of 15 members, 5 of whom are permanent members (P5) who can strike out any clause or resolution without question or use their VETO power. P5 countries are:
- FRENCH REPUBLIC
- PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
- RUSSIAN FEDERATION
- UNITED KINGDOM
- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
The other 10 members of the Security Council are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.
When the Security Council is debating a topic directly concerning a member country that is not represented in the Security Council, they may call in the ambassador of such country as aguest to provide insight and enrich the debate; however the ambassador only serves as an observer and has no voting rights. They can only participate in the debate and present their view to the Security Council. Clauses are debated and voted on one by one. Open debate is the norm and rules of procedure of Model United Nations are adhered to throughout debate sessions.
ICJ – International court of Justice
In 1993, I organized and led the first of many THIMUN affiliated International Court of Justice programs for students. The vision of an International Court of Justice program, as part of THIMUN, came from the former Chairman of the Board of THIMUN, David Williams. He asked me, as a lawyer (and teacher) if I could start such a program. I was excited to do it. I wrote a BRIEF, a manual for students on trial procedure modeled after my own experience as a trial lawyer in California. This regularly updated manual is used at all my ICJ programs.
The International Court of Justice is the main judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established as a body of the UN in 1945. It operates under a Statute, which forms part of the UN Charter, as well as under its own rules. It is headquartered in The Hague.
The primary job of the Court is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States. It is a civil court, not a criminal court, composed of between 15 and 17 judges. Generally, countries submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the Court in a particular case, and the decision of the court is binding. Cases include boundary disputes, fishing rights, intellectual property, environmental issues, etc.
MUN ICJ is a simulation of a currently pending case before the real ICJ. The advocates (2 on each side) must be well prepared and communicate with each other and opposing counsel on a regular basis. They follow regularly practiced rules of law. Each set of advocates prepares 2 witnesses for their side from the MUN program in proper role-play. They submit real evidence, ask direct questions of the witnesses, and they cross-examine opposing witnesses. Also, there is an opening speech, admission of evidence, questioning of the advocates by the judges, closing argument, and deliberation of judges to verdict. Then, the judges write their judgment.
Students will hone all of their academic skills in this exercise—and it is an exercise, for there are no winners or losers. If you are prepared, you are a winner, despite the verdict rendered. Students use an endless list of skills, including: research skills, reading for comprehension, legal principles, writing, public speaking, organizational skills, and persuasion. I must say that I have never had a student who did not benefit from the ICJ experience, and couldn’t wait to do it again. It is exhausting, 8:30 to 5:00 every day of the program (2 full days per case plus a two-hour workshop led by me to introduce the event), non-stop action. When it is over, many participants decide on a career in law.
I am proud of MUN ICJ; but I am most proud of the students who participate in it. MUN is the finest academically related extra-curricular activity in secondary education today. Practical application, even simulated, is the key to education and one’s success in the future—applying what you have learned in content and in skills. ICJ is the icing on that wonderful cake of learning.
Sincerely yours,
Robert Stern ICJ Coordinator
