Pranit Dua
Secretary General Dear ZYGMUN Participants, It is with utmost pleasure that I welcome you to this year’s conference. I’m currently a senior at the American School of Warsaw and am originally from India. Throughout my five years of MUN experience, I’ve had the honor of participating in nine conferences in a variety of roles. I really enjoy MUNs because through them I feel as if I can affect, even to a small extent, the world in which we live and relate to the different problems of society. At the same time, I get the chance to meet a lot of amazing people from all over the world and debate with them, thus getting acquainted with different fascinating cultures and enthralling ways of thinking. This year, ZYGMUN is partnering with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ MUN Refugee Challenge where delegates will have the opportunity to debate major issues related to forced displacement. Delegates in the ECOSOC, UNHRC, SPECPOL, and UNEA will debate topics selected by the UN Refugee Agency. Resolutions passed by you in these committees will be submitted to a jury of UNHCR members and the best ones will be shared with relevant policymakers. I believe that as a generation of young adults that are paving the path for the future, you will all have a very unique take on these issues. This year’s theme of “Strengthening the means of implementation and revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development” is the seventeenth UN Sustainable Development Goal. Solving global issues requires action and collaboration by all of us. We cannot bring about meaningful change in this world without these. Over the course of this conference, all of you will have the opportunity to see how countries can come together to tackle the serious conflicts that we are presented with today. Prominent issues ranging from the Russian invasion of Ukraine to global supply chain disruptions are particularly relevant to the theme as these cannot be solved without meaningful partnerships between member states. So, I leave you all with this thought: Over the course of this conference, engage with each other with the purpose of learning and understanding rather than the sole intent of persuading. Represent your countries well by making a commitment to meaningful communication and collaboration as you tackle the pressing and prominent topics that your chairs have chosen for you. I hope that when we meet in April, you will make unforgettable memories and learn something new. I look forward to meeting all of you! Sincerely, Pranit Dua, Secretary-General |
Melisa Çakım
President of the General Assembly Dear ZYGMUN participants, It is with great honor that I welcome you to this year’s ZYGMUN conference! I am currently a junior at the American School of Warsaw and originally Turkish. Although I spent most of my life in Turkey, in a short period of time Warsaw became my second home. Since being introduced to the Model United Nations at the age of 11, I’ve had the chance to attend more than 20 conferences in multiple countries, In which I was given the chance to meet amazing people that i ended up creating long-lasting friendships with who shared views similar to my own in regards to discussing and acknowledging global issues that affect us all. Additionally I had the privilege of debating topics of all sorts in various committees, becoming a student officer of the Disarmament Committee in last year's IV ZYGMUN conference, and now serving as the President of the General Assembly during V ZYGMUN 2022. Coming up with solutions to tackle these issues requires not only our individual input but also collaboration between us individuals. However, putting those solutions into action requires leadership skills and individuals like us that will take on the lead of trying to find a solution. Unfortunately , this is not adequate for us to make a change without being partners for our goals. Thus as the secretariat we expect all of you delegates to be good representatives of your countries and collaborate for resolutions that would be effective in possibly solving these problems. This year our conference theme is “Partnership for the Goals” which is the 17th sustainable development goal. It is incredibly relevant to challenges and issues that our world is facing today. Just recently, Ukraine, a sovereign country and its liberty was completely disregarded by another nation. Invasions occurred and the “recognised” borders of Ukraine were completely diminished, Unfortunately, the only thing the world could do was to watch. This shall be a reminder to us all that “Partnership for the goals” is more than necessary in our lives Today. All of the committee topics are equally important and in need of feasible solutions. During our V ZYGMUN Conference we will be following a different path that we have never explored before. In other words, we are partnering with the UNHCR’s, Model United Nations Challenge meaning ECOSOC, UNHRC, Special Political and Decolonization committees will be given the opportunity to draft resolutions on topics about refugees and possibly if approved by the UNHCR these resolutions will be shared with policymakers which makes the role of these committees more challenging and consequently prominent. I can’t wait to welcome all of you as I am excitedly waiting for V ZYGMUN to begin, Sincerely, Melisa Cakim President of the General Assembly |
Sara Paruta
Head of Admin Dear ZYGMUN Participants, It is with my utmost pleasure to welcome you all to the fifth annual conference of ZYGMUNT. My name is Sara Paruta and I’m currently a junior at the American School of Warsaw. Originally I am from Italy however I have spent all my life living in different corners of the world including: Bergamo, Italy, Nanjing,China, Baltimore, USA, Krakow, Poland before landing here in Warsaw, Poland. Since joining Model United Nations two years ago, I’ve had the opportunity to attend seven conferences in 5 countries, unfortunately all of them happened to be online, nonetheless debating and learning about crucial topics that shape the world we live in. Last year I served as the President of the Human Rights Committee at the IV ZYGMUN however this year, I am more than honored to be serving as the Head of Admin on the Secretariat for this year's conference. Unlike any other conferences I've attended, this year ZYGMUNT will be partnering with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Model United Nations Challenge. Committees like ECOSOC, UNHRC, Special Political and Decolonization Committee and UNEA will be challenged to draft durable resolutions on topics regarding refugees, which will be submitted to the UNHCR, and if selected they will be presented to policymakers. Delegates will be confronted with this challenge as an opportunity to create meaningful and feasible solutions to combat issues we currently are facing with the Russo-Ukrainian War. I look forward to getting to know all of you very shortly. Best luck Student Officers and Delegates! Kind Regards, Sara Paruta Head of Admin |
Heidi Sui
Under Secretary-General for Media and Public Affairs Dear delegates, student officers, faculty advisors, and future diplomats, It is my pleasure to welcome you to the fifth annual conference of ZYGMUN. My name is Xinying Sui, you can call me Heidi. Originally from China, I’m currently a freshman studying at the American School of Warsaw. I am so proud to be working alongside two dedicated Directors and an incredibly talented Secretariat to devise a conference that promotes values of education, preservation, and teamwork. Over the course of 3 days, more than 300 High School and Middle School students from countries covering almost all the continents of our globe will join our hands together and discuss pressing global challenges that world leaders continue to grapple with today. Echoing the sentiments of this year's theme, Sustainable Development Goals 17 - "Partnership for the Goals", ZYGMUN will be participating in the UNHCR MUN Refugees Challenge, where delegates will have the opportunity to come up with meaningful solutions that tackle a spectrum of issues relating to the displacement of those who are forced to flee. Nonetheless, whether you are in a committee that debates issues proposed by the MUN Refugees Challenge or otherwise, you will be challenged to engage and think critically. Through our many committees, you will dive into historical disputes and conflicts, research on humanitarian crises and possible solutions, and work towards consensus on current international events. Tackling these issues will demand nothing short of the most unwavering persistence - something I know you are ready for. Personally, beyond my love for Model UN, I work as a member of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees Youth Engagement Group. There, I am honored with the opportunity to discuss ways of including young people in the path of advancing in the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, I like to spend each of my Friday nights publishing an episode of my talk show, Super TalkShow: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE--h6LugMJ6tcnG4frRkmQ If you have any questions, concerns, or simply want to reach out to me, please contact me at [email protected]. Best of luck, and I am more than excited to witness what we can accomplish together in the fifth annual conference of ZYGMUNT 2022! Warmest wishes, Xinying Sui Under-Secretary-General of Media and Public Affairs |