Students of ITS to Attend Model UN Conference

Surabaya, E Java (Antara) -- Ten students of the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) in Surabaya will leave for Boston, the United States, on Monday (February 9) to attend a Model United Nations (MUN) conference. "This is a rare opportunity, particularly for students of a technology college such as ITS," Chief of the ITS delegation to the Harvard National Model United Nations (HNMUN) forum, Rizal, said here on Saturday. HNMUN is a simulation of the UN conference, whose participants come from some 70 countries, he explained. At the forum, students are encouraged to develop their ability to interact, debate and negotiate on current global issues to arrive at solutions, Rizal noted. "True. This is the first time ITS students are taking part in the event. But we want to make different breakthroughs through the MUN," he pointed out. According to Rizal, it is not easy for students of ITS to take part in the MUN. Earlier, MUN initiators of the ITS---Yabes, Raymond and Rizal--had struggled at various MUN forums in several Asian and European countries. "We never took part in the Jogja International MUN, the University of Petroleum and Energy MUN (UPESMUN), or the International Lyon MUN in France," he stated. However, they were bestowed with an "Outstanding Delegates" award in the Japan University English MUN (JUEMUN) 2014. "The main obstacle we now face is related to financing," Rizal observed. They managed to raise funds from various institutions, including the youth and sports ministry, Mandiri Investasi and Bank DBS. MUN is an educational simulation and academic competition in which students learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the UN. It involves and teaches research, public speaking, debating, and writing skills, in addition to critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership abilities.(*)