President Leonel Fernández Serves as Keynote Speaker at the Montessori Model UN at United Nations Headquarters

President Leonel Fernández delivered the keynote address at the Montessori Model United Nations (MMUN), held in the General Assembly Hall at United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

He participated in his capacity as President of the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) and the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), as well as former President of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA).

In his address, President Fernández underscored the importance of academic initiatives that promote global awareness, civic engagement, and leadership development among young people in an increasingly complex international environment.

“When I look around this hall, I do not see children playing politics. I see future leaders, future agents of change, future architects of the world that will emerge in the coming decades. And that fills me with hope, a hope we urgently need in these difficult times,” he stated.

President Fernández also reflected on his first visit to United Nations Headquarters as a student, noting that he could not have anticipated that he would later return to the same venue to address the international community as President of the Dominican Republic.

As part of the opening ceremony commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the Montessori Model UN, President Fernández received recognition for his contributions to the United Nations system and for his efforts to promote democratic values, particularly through the advancement of Model United Nations programs in the Dominican Republic.

The recognition was presented by Judith Cunningham, Executive Director of the Montessori Model UN. In his remarks, President Fernández encouraged students to continue their academic preparation as a foundation for building societies grounded in dialogue, peace, and sustainable development.

The ceremony also included the participation of Ambassador Omar Said Al Kathiri, Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations; Ambassador Dionisio da Costa Babo Soares, Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the United Nations; as well as representatives of the multilateral system and conference organizers.

Each year, the Montessori Model UN convenes more than 4,000 students from educational institutions worldwide, positioning it among the Model United Nations programs with the highest level of international participation.