Bhubaneswar: The conflict in Ukraine, women’s participation in public life and drug abuse are among the subjects which will be discussed at the 5th edition of SOA International Model United Nations (SOAMUN) which kicked off in the SOA campus in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
Around 500 students from across the country and outside are participating in the three-day event organised by SOA to provide the students the feel of United Nations through simulation as they learn and understand issues of diplomacy, international relations and the United Nations itself.
The MUN will review the existing international treaties to promote medicinal and scientific use of cannabis while preventing its abuse, promotion of women’s participation in public life and decision making with special emphasis on addressing gender-based violence and steps to avoid healthcare emergency in Ukraine following the Russian aggression.
Besides, the issue of re-establishment of peace in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine will be another subject to be discussed by the student delegates.
In SOAMUN this time, five committees have been introduced. Those are UN General Assembly Disarmament and International Security Committee (UNGA-DISEC), World Health Assembly (WHA), UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW), UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and International Press (IP).
Prof Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Pro-Vice Chancellor of SOA, who was the chief guest at the inaugural function, said it augurs well for the future that young students are thinking of global issues and seeking solutions to the same. The world is facing many challenges with climate change being one of the biggest, he added.
Prof Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare), SOA and Convenor of SOAMUN; Dr Sourjya Ranjan Das, Co-Convenor; Saswat Mohapatra, Secretary General and Uma Shankar Biswal, Director General of SOAMUN also spoke.
