The International Conference Room of the foreign ministry in Rome was transformed today into a replica of the UN General Assembly for the 100 students from 17 countries participating in ROMUN, the Model United Nations organised by that organisation’s student movement.
The foreign ministry’s Secretary-General, Michele Valensise, hosted the event and spoke at its closing ceremony, launching an appeal to students aspiring to international careers to take the United Nations as their model in their endeavours. Valensise was joined by Ambassador and UN advisor Richard Sessa and ROMUN 2013 coordinator Chiara Cori.
In a week’s worth of simulation activities, students confronted crisis situations typical of the UN’s daily agenda, from the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to the application of the convention on the prevention of genocide.
The meeting at the foreign ministry offered an opportunity to take stock of the overall exercise. “I was very impressed with the interest and awareness that these young participants showed with regard to current and pressing international events”, Ambassador Valensise commented, adding that “these young people proved their ability to engage effectively in “negotiations” based on the principles of dialogue promoted by the United Nations”.
