SW Florida Model United Nations conference for high school students set for March 4-5

Naples Council on World Affairs has announced its 2024 schedule and topics for the 31st Southwest Florida Model United Nations (SWFLMUN) competition program. More than 220 high school participants from Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties will compete, and more than $60,000 in scholarships will be distributed to students across the SW Florida region.

NCWA partners with Florida Gulf Coast University to host the annual SWFLMUN competition with students from 18 high schools participating. The 2024 competition is set for March 4-5 at FGCU.

The keynote speaker for the closing ceremonies on March 5 will be Daniela Barata Herrera, a first-year medical student at Johns Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore, and a Cape Coral High School graduate in 2017, and award-winning Model UN leader.

Ms. Barata is among the thousands of SWFLMUN alumni who have gone on to impressive achievements in their careers. She and other successful SWFLMUN alumni will be represented on video at the closing ceremonies on March 5.

BARATA HERRERA

“This year’s SWFLMUN competition will be an impressive show of debate and research talent among hundreds of students participating in our 31st event,” said Alan Van Egmond, SWFLMUN Chair and NCWA board member.

Southwest Florida high schools set to participate are: Aubrey Rogers, Barron Collier, Bishop Verot, Canterbury, Cypress Lake, Donahue Academy, Fort Myers, Gulf Coast, Immokalee, Lely, Lorenzo Walker, Naples, North Fort Myers, Palmetto Ridge, Port Charlotte, St. John Neumannm and two schools outside of Southwest Florida.

The topics to be researched and debated by students at the conference will be:

• Emerging Crisis: Delivering Humanitarian Assistance to Conflict Zones

• Disarmament & Security: Peacemaking in the 21st Century, Military Stabilization

• UN Office on Drugs & Crime: The opioid crisis; drug and crime cartels and syndicates. Is military response warranted?

• UN Human Right Committee: International protection and human rights of journalists

• World Health Organization: Establishing new protocols and rules for major epidemics and plagues

• Human Right Committee and Interpol: Combating Human Trafficking and protecting rights of victims

• UN Food and Agriculture: Placing Curbs on Factory Farming

• UNESCO: A lost generation: Managing the Impact of Covid 19 on education

• International Monetary Fund: Updating the international financial and monetary system

• International Maritime Organization: Regulating air emissions and dumping of waste for international shipping

• UN Convention of Law of the Sea: Deep sea mining, managing natural resources

• International Telecommunications Union: Developing standards for the use of AI for social media such as ChatGPT; 3D printing and other applications

“We are pleased to have hosted the SWFLMUN competition since 1998. Thousands of students have competed at the SWFLMUN conference since then. We are proud of what we have accomplished in the partnership between FGCU and NCWA over the years,” said Dr. Richard Coughlin, academic coordinator for SWFLMUN, and associate professor of political science at FGCU.

As a part of NCWA’s mission, Southwest Florida Model UN provides mentoring, inspiration, support and scholarships to participating students. Dozens of NCWA members volunteer as judges and administrators for the program.

NCWA has sponsored and administered the Model United National program for Southwest Florida high schools since 1989 as a part of its educational outreach objectives. The highlight of the year of mentoring and competition is the Southwest Florida Model United Nations (SWFLMUN) competition, with hundreds of students competing from a dozen high schools.

Model United Nations programs (MUNs) are focused on teaching negotiating, bargaining and communication skills; driving awareness on critical global issues; and informing students about the objectives of the United Nations.

Students prepare their committee research for several months before the annual SWFLMUN conference in March at FGCU. At the conference, judges provided by NCWA evaluate the student delegates’ performances at each of the committee meetings, which this year includes a Crisis Committee to determine how humanitarian relief can be delivered to conflict zones.

Winning teams and individuals are declared at the end of the conference and thousands of dollars in scholarships are distributed.

For more information about SWFLMUN, contact NCWA Board member and SWFLMUN Communications, Martha L Williams, 847-778- 9806, or email mwilliams@wnmn.org .

Over the last 40 years, NCWA has been providing Southwest Florida’s globally curious with a complete international affairs experience. NCWA has 1,700+ members from Collier and Lee counties. Membership in the World Affairs Council of America: 93 Chapters in 40 states, 90,000+ members. To learn more, visit www.ncwa-fl.org/ . ¦

The post SW Florida Model United Nations conference for high school students set for March 4-5 first appeared on Bonita Springs Florida Weekly .