United Nations Day
United Nations Day Celebration 2012
The UALR International Simulations Association invites local high schools to come celebrate United Nations Day annually on the UALR campus. This year’s U.N. Day celebration will take place on Friday, October 26. U.N. Day at UALR promises a day of fun and interactive learning for students. Events include mock United Nations sessions where students pretend to be actual U.N. ambassadors representing various countries, an essay contest, a presentation on a current event, and an international trivia contest. To sign your school up, please fill out the form below. For more information, please contact Joshua Thomsen at jcthomsen@ualr.edu.
Schedule of Events
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM: Registration
9:30 AM – 9:45 AM: Opening Statements
9:45 AM – 11:30 AM: Mock U.N. session
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Lunch
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM: International Issues Trivia Challenge
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Keynote Address and essay award presentation
Opening statements will be from Professor of Political Science at UALR Dr. Rebecca Glazier and President of the Model UN student organization at UALR Hamza Arshad. Keynote address by UALR Professor of Anthropology Dr. Simon Hawkins. Students will be responsible for their own lunches. There are many options to choose from in the UALR cafeteria.
Essay Contest
This year, thanks to a grant from the UALR College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, we will be having an essay contest with a cash prize for the best essay. Essays should answer the following question:
Out of the following topics that are on the current UN agenda, which is the most important & why?
a. Conflict in the Middle East
b. Stopping the spread of nuclear weopans
c. Peaceful responces to the Syrian civil war
d. Mitigating the effects of global climate change
e. Encouraging the recognition of women’s rights worldwide
Essays must be 1,000 words long and turned in during registration. Prize will be awarded during after the keynote address.
History of United Nations Day:
In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly declared 24 October, the anniversary of the Charter of the United Nations, as which “shall be devoted to making known to the peoples of the world the aims and achievements of the United Nations and to gaining their support for” its work. In 1971 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a further resolution (United Nations Resolution 2782) declaring that United Nations Day shall be an international holiday and recommended that it should be observed as a public holiday by all United Nations member states. United Nations Day is devoted to making known to peoples of the world the aims and achievements of the United Nations Organization. United Nations Day is part of United Nations Week, which runs from 20 to 26 October.
What is the International Simulations Association?
The “ISA” is a student organization at UALR that participates in Model United Nations and Model Arab Leagues. ISA participates in the Collegiate Model UN conference in Russellville, Arkansas; the Midwest Model UN conference in St. Louis, Missouri; and the National Model Arab League conference in Washington D.C. As a service to Arkansas high schools, ISA chairs a committee at the Arkansas Model UN conference, hosts the annual UN Day celebration at UALR and hosts the UALR High School Model Arab League conference. The academic year culminates for ISA when they host the Southwest Model Arab League conference. ISA plans to expand by adding Model European Union to the simulations program. For more information on ISA contact the faculty advisor Dr. Rebecca Glazier at raglazier@ualr.edu.