Community
What is AUISMUN?
By Amed L. Omer
From Sulaymany, Iraq
This month, I have preparedan article about a special club at the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani. This is not just any club though; thisis the AUIS Model United Nations.
To many citizens in the KurdistanRegion and Iraq as a whole,extracurricular activities have not hadthe attraction that appeals to manystudents in the west when choosinga university. In most universities inKurdistan, you go to class, hang outwith your friends for a little, and gohome. This is a simple Kurdish University,in a nutshell. However; withthe development of several privateuniversities in the Kurdistan Region,many new programs have been providedfor students. Students are beginningto realize that the classroomcannot teach you all that is needed.
At the American University ofIraq-Sulaimani there are several clubs,societies and sports activities that studentscan take part of. An Americanstyle liberal education not only bringsin an intensive academic curriculumbut also the external activities thatare attached to it. All of this widensthe gap for students to think forthemselves, ask why, and begin toestablish new initiatives in the university.
AUISMUN is a student founded,student led, official club, at theAmerican University of Iraq-Sulaimani.With the assistance of AUIS studentadvisors, AUISMUN has been ableto gather a fruitful number of smartand interested AUIS students, preparethem in AUISMUN meetings, andhave the honor of being invited tothe National Model United Nationsconference in New York.
The technical definition ofModel United Nations is as follows, “Model United Nations (also ModelUN or MUN) is an academic simulationof the United Nations that aimsto educate participants about currentevents, topics in international relations,diplomacy and the United Nationsagenda” (Wikipedia).
AUISMUN students will act asdelegates or representatives of theirchosen country, Malta in this case,and speak as an ambassador of thatcountry to the UN. In a number ofcouncils and on a series of issues,AUISMUN delegates will put themselvesin the shoes of the Malteseambassador to the United Nationsduring the duration of the conference.This may be a challenge toAUIS students but will teach thema variety of skills. Namely, studentwill learn the art of diplomacy, socialskills, debating, problem-solving skills,and exposure to international relations,conflict resolution, research skills, andmany more.
My hope is that university students,both at the American Universityof Iraq-Sulaimani and at otheruniversities in the Kurdistan Region,understand the importance of extracurricularactivities. Theory may be bestacquired academically in the classroombut experience is only learned throughprograms such as AUISMUN.
What is AUISMUN?
By Amed L. Omer
From Sulaymany, Iraq
This month, I have preparedan article about a special club at the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani. This is not just any club though; thisis the AUIS Model United Nations.
To many citizens in the KurdistanRegion and Iraq as a whole,extracurricular activities have not hadthe attraction that appeals to manystudents in the west when choosinga university. In most universities inKurdistan, you go to class, hang outwith your friends for a little, and gohome. This is a simple Kurdish University,in a nutshell. However; withthe development of several privateuniversities in the Kurdistan Region,many new programs have been providedfor students. Students are beginningto realize that the classroomcannot teach you all that is needed.
At the American University ofIraq-Sulaimani there are several clubs,societies and sports activities that studentscan take part of. An Americanstyle liberal education not only bringsin an intensive academic curriculumbut also the external activities thatare attached to it. All of this widensthe gap for students to think forthemselves, ask why, and begin toestablish new initiatives in the university.
AUISMUN is a student founded,student led, official club, at theAmerican University of Iraq-Sulaimani.With the assistance of AUIS studentadvisors, AUISMUN has been ableto gather a fruitful number of smartand interested AUIS students, preparethem in AUISMUN meetings, andhave the honor of being invited tothe National Model United Nationsconference in New York.
The technical definition ofModel United Nations is as follows, “Model United Nations (also ModelUN or MUN) is an academic simulationof the United Nations that aimsto educate participants about currentevents, topics in international relations,diplomacy and the United Nationsagenda” (Wikipedia).
AUISMUN students will act asdelegates or representatives of theirchosen country, Malta in this case,and speak as an ambassador of thatcountry to the UN. In a number ofcouncils and on a series of issues,AUISMUN delegates will put themselvesin the shoes of the Malteseambassador to the United Nationsduring the duration of the conference.This may be a challenge toAUIS students but will teach thema variety of skills. Namely, studentwill learn the art of diplomacy, socialskills, debating, problem-solving skills,and exposure to international relations,conflict resolution, research skills, andmany more.
My hope is that university students,both at the American Universityof Iraq-Sulaimani and at otheruniversities in the Kurdistan Region,understand the importance of extracurricularactivities. Theory may be bestacquired academically in the classroombut experience is only learned throughprograms such as AUISMUN.
