Newsletter January 2024
Distinguished Delegates,
Happy New Year! We hope you had a good start to 2024 and wish you all the best for the new year!
Our first newsletter of this year will catch you up on a variety of topics - Happy reading!
MUN at Kantonsschule Rychenberg Winterthur
On the 18th of December Mila Grönros, our Chief Head Delegate, and I had the honour and pleasure to chair a MUN Event at Kantonschule Rychenberg. Continuing an ongoing tradition at Kantonschule Rychenberg, we aided a joint class event for History and English Students, in which they develop both required skills in a MUN setting. The topic covered at the event was “Freedom of Religion”. The students had the opportunity to hold opening speeches, question each other’s statements and positions and also work together to create amendments for a prewritten draft resolution. Overall the experience was an interesting and rewarding one. On the one hand we got to see beginners in MUN slowly learn how the rules of procedure within the UN work, whilst also watching their confidence and willingness to speak in front of everyone grow. Overall I was very satisfied with the chance to give the younger generation a look into what MUN is like, and I hope that we may have inspired at least one future diplomat.
Melkon Yengibaryan - President
Upcoming Events
Geneva Trip
To start off the new year we will embark on an exciting journey to Geneva, Switzerland, a city renowned for its international significance and home to various United Nations organizations. First, we will explore Swiss diplomacy at the Swiss Mission, and immerse ourselves in its rich history and commitment to peaceful resolutions. Then, we will visit the World Trade Organization (WTO) and witness discussions shaping the global economy. At the UNODA, we will delve into initiatives promoting peace and disarmament. Finally, we will conclude our journey at the ICRC Museum, a tribute to humanitarian efforts, to gain insights into ICRC's history and guiding principles.
Geneva, with its picturesque landscapes and international allure, offers a truly immersive experience for those interested in global affairs. We are very grateful to the Deputy Head of Communication at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the UN in Geneva, Frédéric Ballenegger for making this trip possible.
Irchelbar
Get ready to mark your calendars for a fun night! On the 7th of March, we're partnering with the Informatics club of UZH (ICU) to bring you an unforgettable evening at Irchelbar, creating an atmosphere where diverse perspectives converge, and friendships are forged. Connect with fellow tech enthusiasts, students, and professionals in an environment designed for meaningful conversations. Whether you're looking for potential collaborators, mentors, or friends who share your passion, this event provides the perfect backdrop for forging new connections.
Francesca Peacey - Head of Events
ZuMUN 2024
Get ready for ZuMUN 2024! Mark your calendars for the conference taking place from April 12th to 14th! This year's theme «Democracy» promises to delve into pressing global issues, inviting delegates to construct, explore and debate resolutions that strengthen the foundations of democratic governance.
To secure your spot, sign up on mymun before April 5th: https://mymun.com/conferences/zumun-2024. There you will also find further details on conference fees, the application process, etc.
Keep an eye out for announcements about committees and socials coming soon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zumun_conference/
We are looking forward to welcoming you at ZuMUN 2024!
Your ZuMUN 2024 Organizing Team
The board during semester break
Hi everyone!
Hope you all had a good holiday and a nice start to 2024. I flew to Finland to spend Christmas and New Years with my family, which was lovely! A fun fact about Finnish Christmas is that most people eat the same food every year: casseroles, ham and/or turkey, different salads, dark bread, and salmon prepared in different ways. We also bake holiday-specific pastries and of course gingerbread! As usual, I was busy with exam preparation and other assignments and life kept things busy as well. One was the absolutely freezing weather (the coldest we had was -23C), going sledding on icy hills and also my stepdad breaking his wrist when we were out playing ice hockey... All in all, it was fun to go back after one and a half years!
Good luck to everyone who still has exams, looking forward to seeing you in the spring semester again!
Mila Grönros - Chief Head Delegate
Have you ever been a tourist in your own country? At the beginning of the month my friend from exchange flew all the way from the US to Switzerland to explore the country with me for ten days! And we definitely had a super packed itinerary. We went on day trips to Oeschinensee, Blausee, Lauterbrunnen, Zermatt, Luzern and Mount Rigi and also spent a few days skiing and hiking in Engelberg. Despite having lived here all my life I got to see and experience quite a few things for the first time alongside my friend, which was super fun! Of course I also introduced her to the culinary hallmarks of this country such as Raclette, Fondue and Älplermagronen, which she enjoyed a lot (despite the heavy dose of cheese). Overall, we had a great time and despite not having left Switzerland once, I also felt like I had gone on vacation by the end!
Looking forward to seeing all of you again soon!
Anna Iten - Head of Communications
We look forward to another great year of MUN filled with fun events and inspiring conferences!
See you soon,
Your Board
Melkon, Tara, Mila, Eli, Kai, Francesca and Anna
Copyright © *2023* *MUN Team UZH*, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
info@mun-uzh.org
We would like to thank Swiss Re, VSUZH and UZH Alumni
for being our main sponsors this year!
