Organizations of the UN system and USAID in partnership with the Government of Turkmenistan conducted the 1st Turkmenistan Ashgabat Model United Nations Regional Conference

On November 10-11, 2023 the Government of Turkmenistan jointly with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), the United Nation Resident Coordinator Office in Turkmenistan (UN RCO), the Regional Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Central Asia (OHCHR) and US Agency of International Development (USAID) “Safe Migration in Central Asia” program organized the 1st Turkmenistan Ashgabat Model United Nations (TAMUN) Regional Conference to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Human Rights Declaration as part of the Global UN Awareness Campaign.

Youth organizations contributed significantly to the Conference’s organization. Young experts from the Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT SU) were invited to co-organize the Conference to introduce the participants to the MUN world, including the MUN rules and procedures. Leaders of the “Regional Network of Youth Organizations and Youth Champions of Change in Central Asia for drug free, healthy, safe and secure societies” also attended the event to facilitate Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) session on drug use prevention.  Young SDG Ambassadors in Turkmenistan and alumni of UNRCCA Preventive Diplomacy Academy were deeply involved in ensuring the event’s success. 

In total around 100 students from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated in a 2-day TAMUN conference in November 2023 simulating the work of 4 committees: 

     1. Security Council to discuss the role of youth to prevent the online extremism propaganda; 

     2. Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) - Trafficking in persons and the use of technologies; 

     3. UN Committee on Civil and Political Rights (UNCCPR); 

     4. Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) - Prevention of drug use in CA. Participants simulated the work and structure of the respective UN committees and commissions.

Thematic sessions and plenary discussions also provided an opportunity for participants to interact with the international experts from the UN bodies and share their experiences and opinions with each other.

Overall, the TAMUN conference provided a valuable opportunity for young people in Central Asia to gain insight into the work of the United Nations, to enhance their understanding of international affairs but also to cultivate critical thinking, diplomacy, and teamwork skills. It is a significant contribution to the ongoing efforts of UNOCT, UNODC, UNRCCA, UNRCO, OHCHR, USAID in Turkmenistan and Central Asia aimed at creating a positive impact in the years to come and in engaging the youth in addressing global challenges and promoting peace and sustainable development.

The Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an extra-curricular activity in which students roleplay United Nations delegates of the Member States and simulate various UN committees. Organized together with high school or university students with subject matter expertise, Model UN conferences draw young participants from the UN Member States and through simulations that follow procedural rules adapted from actual UN rules advance the understanding of contemporary global issues and the importance of the work of the United Nations. 

This initiative was launched in Turkmenistan in 2022 with the aim to support and complement the initiative of the UNODC on the roll-out of education materials in Turkmenistan and other education initiatives carried out by UNOCT, UNRCCA, OHCHR , and USAID SMICA in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.