Participants at ThessISMUN 2009, the University of Macedonia Model United Nations that took place in the city of Thessaloniki from 22-26 April 2009

More than 450 university students from all over the world participated in ThessISMUN 2009, the University of Macedonia Model United Nations that took place in the city of Thessaloniki from 22-26 April 2009. 

This year’s ThessISMUN was dedicated to the Emeritus Professor Emmanuel Roukounas, an emblematic figure in the field of international law and human rights protection. The United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) supported ThessISMUN and named Prof. Roukounas Friend of the UN (FUN).

On the sidelines of the Model UN, UNRIC also organized a seminar on employment opportunities with the UN system.

Participants at the French Agency for Development Model UN conference in Marseille

The first French Agency for Development Model UN conference was organized by the Agency Training Centre (CEFEB) in Marseille on 16 January 2009, with the support of the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) in Brussels.  "Official development assistance efficiency and the financial crisis” was the theme for the conference.

Model UN is an authentic simulation of the UN General Assembly and other multilateral bodies, where students from various schools act as delegates and take on the challenges of the world by discussing current economic, political and social issues.

Thirty eight students participated in the conference, representing the delegations of 12 countries (Bolivia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Iraq, India, Japan, Mali, South Africa and United Kingdom). Mr. Armand Rioust de l’Argentaye, a representative of the French Agency for Development, acted as Secretary-General/Advisor for the conference.
 

Lord Mayor of Bonn (left) and chair of the heads of UN agencies in Bonn celebrate UN Day. (photo credit: F.Keil, UNEP/AEWA)

On 25 October, the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) liaison office in Bonn, together with other UN agencies, organized a festival on Bonn’s Market Square. 

More than 10 000 visitors joined the celebrations that were dedicated to Millennium Development Goal number seven - environmental sustainability.

For the last three years, UNRIC Brussels has sponsored the Masters Programme in Human Rights and Conflict Management and
other UN-related training courses at the post-graduate training academic institution Scuola Sant’Anna in Pisa, Italy.  On 8 July, Professor Andrea De Gutty, Director of the International Training programme for Conflict management (ITPCM), together with UNRIC Brussels presented the Masters Programme to a group of prospective students who were taking part in short-term summer courses at the Scuola.

The prospective students viewed the video on the 60th Anniversary of UN Peacekeeping and a photo exhibition on the theme
of UN peacekeeping was prepared by UNRIC Brussels.

UNRIC presented information on its internship programme and pointed out how students' participation in the Masters Programme
could be beneficial to them both in terms of UNRIC's internship programme as well as employment opportunities with the UN in the field of peacekeeping.