27th February 2008
Dear Delegates, It is with immense pleasure and sincerity that I welcome you to the fifth session of Genoa Model United Nations. Despite its being established only recently, our conference has achieved great success over the years, the number of participants steadily increasing from one edition to the next. This year over 600 students from all around the world will gather in Palazzo Ducale, a monument to the city’s glorious past,to produce effective and exhaustive resolutions via stimulating and fruitful debate indefence of peace and human rights. Model United Nations offers a rare experience to young people, clearly helping them to develop their character. That unique feeling, stemming from behaving like a true international diplomat, even if only for three days, contributes to discovering and refining skills in diplomacy and consensus building. The first time I took part in MUN activities, I understood that this was the right environment in which to formulate and voice my opinion as a corollary to enriching debates. The activity was soon to become a passion. I can only hope the same will happen to you. Another distinguishing aspect of Model United Nations is the opportunity it affords to interact with people from different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs and attitudes, where respecting and listening to others are imperative. Global issues demand global solutions. Such solutions can only come as a result of opinion expressing and – prior to that – listening to other delegates’ opinions. It is often difficult for new delegates to stand up and speak out as they feel shy or they are not used to the procedures. Each and every delegate who has already been involved in MUN activities knows that very feeling. There is no reason delegates should be afraid to take the floor. You have the same rights as others to speak, you have the right to express your view, you have the power to change the world. Remember that the aim of debate is to seek a harmonious solution from different opinions. A delegate’s opinion is always worth considering, since, as yet another idea, it enriches the solution to be adopted. So, I definitely hope you will have the courage to raise your placard during debate! I wish you all the best in your committees, and a successful, memorable, but most of all, enjoyable experience at the 2008 conference. Feel free to stop me any time you have questions, doubts, comments, or just feel like chatting about Model United Nations. As the Secretary General of GeMUN 2008, I am at your disposal. Sincerely, Christian Callegari Secretary General Genoa Model United Nations 2008
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