The United Nations General Assembly first met on January 10th, 1946 to prevent the world from entering global conflict. Fourteen days later, the assembly resolved to eliminate weapons of mass destruction and to use atomic energy in a nonviolent manner. Since that first meeting, the UNGA has acted as the main branch of the U.N. in establishing international policies. The General Assembly is also tasked with appointing the Secretary-General of the U.N., electing the non-permanent members of the Security Council and approving the U.N. budgets. To discuss their agenda, the UNGA has scheduled annual sessions from September to December.
This year, the theme of the 78th annual session set by Secretary General António Guterres aims to focus on “peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability.” This current session actually marks a significant milestone in the journey towards achieving the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals in conjunction with the 2030 Agenda.
“These outlines are essentially goals for the UN and the world as a global community,” NHP Model U.N. Vice President Grace Heskial said. “The sustainable development goals all work together to give the U.N. some sort of framework where they want policies to eventually get to with the resolutions.”
As of this year, the UNGA has met to discuss matters linked to their goals including pandemic prevention and universal health coverage. Officials and representatives of sovereign states discussed ways of dealing with the interconnected global issues in order to further improve sustainability, peace and security.
New Hyde Park Memorial High School provides students with an opportunity to participate in a Model United Nations Club run by adviser Mr. Novak.
“Whatever [the U.N.]’s agenda is, [the students] follow. The current students are focusing on a topic that the U.N. is currently tackling,” Mr. Novak said. “We should replicate what the U.N. does on a daily basis and preach the lessons learned from these countries.”
“The United Nations is more than just a representation of international relations; it serves as a guide for Model U.N. students as they travel toward understanding, cooperation and the creation of a better world through diplomacy in action,” Model U.N. member and sophomore Jay Shah said.
Some students participating in Model U.N. believe that it provides perspective about international issues for its members, as they can exercise problem-solving skills on real world crises.
“Whether we are aware of it or not, the United Nations has had a major impact on our lives since its founding in 1945,” Model U.N. Publicity Coordinator Ariana Muhammad said. “The United Nations has played a significant role in preventing nuclear war, preserving the environment, improving the lives of women throughout the past century, and much, much more. The U.N.’s past efforts, current initiatives, and goals for the future interested me and inspired me to take part in the school’s Model United Nations Club. I am delighted to have decided to join this amazing community!”
The United Nations is constantly working to achieve their goal of world peace. Through future meetings, U.N. members hope to resolve issues plaguing countries across the globe.
