The Dominican Association of the United Nations Inaugurates the Dominican Republic Model United Nations in New York
New York – Dominican Republic Model United Nations (NYDRMUN 2007)
New York, April 23th, 2007.

The United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic (ANU-RD) held the fifth Dominican Republic Model United Nations at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City.

550 students and professors from Dominican and international institutions participated in this event. The objective of the event was to promote discussion between students concerning present day conflicts taking place across the globe. Discussions later culminated in the development of conflict resolution proposals. 

During the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Graciano Gaillard and Ms. Crisermy Mercada, representatives of Global Youth: Leaders of the Future, a program of the United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic, presented this year’s guest speakers. Presentations by guest speakers were followed by student debates.

Presentations:
Mr. Jeremy Travis, President of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice welcomed participants and event coordinators to NYDRMUN 2007, and stressed the important role that the Dominican Republic Model United Nations plays in integrating the Hispanic community, and promoting social equity at an international level.

Ambassador Erasmo Lara, Permanent Chief of the Dominican Republic Mission to the UN, extended a cordial welcome to participants, and expressed the importance of integrating youth in activities designed to generate discussion regarding pressing global issues, and the responsibility of the international community in achieving this goal. He posited that the fusion of ideas is fundamental to both community and national development.

“It is a privilege for us as Dominican representatives of the United Nations Organization to stand before you, because we see in each one of you the reflection of what we desire, and what we dream of for the nation --- individuals interested in working and living for peace,” declared the ambassador.

Lara then thanked the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology for providing funding to students participating in NYDRMUN.

Ms. Rosemarie Maldonado, Advisor to the President at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, commended the students for their involvement in this activity aimed at promoting international dialogue. “The youth that participate in the Model United Nations honor their nations and their parents through the act of demonstrating their interest in resolving international problems,” declared Maldonado.

Mr. Juan Carlos Brandt, Chief of the UN Department of Information/ Non-Governmental Organizations (DPI/NGO), then read a message from the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon. Ki-Moon posited that the complexity of today’s global challenges cannot be addressed by any one nation alone and stressed the importance of the UN in international governance. He ascertained that the demands of the UN continue to increase as new challenges to peace, security, development, and human rights continue to arise.

The UN Secretary General stressed that the future of the international community was in the hands of today’s youth, and that their ardent work would yield advantageous outcomes. “You can construct a better understanding of the UN: what it is, what it does, and what it can achieve …,” affirmed Ban Ki-Moon.

Pilar Sandoval de Jackson, Executive Director of the United Nations Association for the Dominican Republic, thanked the John Jay College of Criminal Justice for its support in realizing this event, and recognized the United Nations Association for the Dominican Republic and GFDD/FUNGLODE’s work organizing this event. She urged participants, as embassadors of their nations, to promote the work of the UN in the debates carried out by their respective committees.

Later, Raymond Ratti, Secretary General of NYDRMUN 2007, encouraged participants to seriously weigh the issues that surface in their debates. He also articulated the need to continually work towards implementing positive societal change. Following Mr. Ratti’s remarks, students assembled in their committees, and began discussing key themes, and devising conflict resolution strategies.

The last day of this event, Saturday, April 21, took place at the UN headquarters, and included presentations by UN representatives.