An international student conference of the program "Model UN – New Silk Road" took place at the Library of al-Farabi Kazakh National University on 24th and 25th February 2017. The conference was dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan's accession and the Central Asian countries to the United Nations and it had paid special attention to the work of Kazakhstan in the UN Security Council.
The vote took place on June 28th, 2016 meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York, and as a result Kazakhstan was elected to the Security Council of the United Nations of the Asia-Pacific Group on a temporary basis. Kazakhstan's candidacy was supported by 138 of the 193 countries who took part in the vote.
The "Model UN" is a popular global program that comes round in a brainstorming mode and student conference. This is the best school for students and opens up a whole world of ideas, opinions, experiences, offering unique opportunities for self-realization and self-expression, validation and development of intellectual and creative abilities, knowledge and creative thinking.
"Model UN - New Silk Road" allows to play back the United Nations work in real time, by the students of different universities of Almaty. On one day, students transform into diplomats act as representatives of the UN. The event was held on four committees:
UnitedNationsGeneralAssembly – “NuclearWeaponDisarmament”
United Nations Security Council – “The Republic of Kazakhstan as Non-Permanent Member”
United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – “Climate Change and its Solutions in Central Asia (SDG-13)”
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) – “Scientific Development of Future Energy”
In his opening speech, vice-rector of research - innovation in the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics Sciences, Professor T.S. Ramazanov thanked for the support of this program, the head of the UN Information Office in Kazakhstan Vlastimil Samek, the US Consul General in Kazakhstan Mark Moody, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. Also, T.S. Ramazanov noted that it is an honor for the University to carry out such a responsible and important international event. Addressing the students, pro-rector added that it is a great contribution to their future. The students had a chance to show their ability to open a discussion, to speak in public.
Mark Moody, the US Consul General in Kazakhstan congratulated the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan's accession to the United Nations In his speech. 25th anniversary of the accession into UNPO noted as well as the Central Asian countries of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Consul thanked the students from Kazakhstan and all Central Asian students for working and participating in the United Nations Model. Mark Moody also thanked Al-Farabi Kazakh National University for hosting this conference.
Participation in the United Nations Model contributed to the acquisition and improvement of communication skills, high quality debate and overcoming the fear of public speaking. In addition, meetings were held in one of the official languages of the UN, which allowed the participants to improve their knowledge of foreign languages. At the seminar-training, students learn self-organization, the correct allocation of time management of a future career on the international level.
Participants of ‘’Model UN - New Silk Road" were inspired by the message of the UN Secretary General, in which he urged the youth to realize their "political responsibility in an era of uncertainty". According to the head of the UN, it will help future diplomats to achieve success and live up to the hopes and expectations, which confers on them the world community.
The event was held with the support of the US Consulate General in Almaty, the UN Information Office and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. Special support to the participants of the ‘’Model UN - New Silk Road" in the preparation were the representatives of the United Nations Department of Public Information, the head of the UN Information Office in Kazakhstan VlastimilSamek, who stressed the importance of the event, addressed to young people and students in the region of Central and South Asia.
Program coordinators – Rafis Abazov (executive director of the program "Model UN New Silk Road" and a visiting professor at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University), and GaliyaI brayeva (Director of the Centre UN Academic Impact professor of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University) - believe that "Model UN New Silk Road’’ is a very important initiative. This is one of the few programs in the region of Central and South Asia, which allows students to independently discuss various global issues and strengthen the ties between the two countries in the spirit of the traditions of the Great Silk Road.
Such events give the chance global interoperability and the development of international cooperation at the scientific level, for both university researchers and potential young students.
Kazakh National University
Student’s Press Club