US Ambassador to Nepal Alaina B. Teplitz has urged South and Central Asia youth to play constructive role to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that promise inclusive and equitable access to security, combating extremisim, peace, education, and economic opportunities” for all.

Addressing the third regional Everest International Model United Nations in Kathmandu on Monday, the US envoy expressed hope that youth across the region will discuss the impact of these SDGs.

While the United States and my generation of diplomats are responsible for drafting the SDGs which you will be addressing over the next few days, the impact of these SDGs will affect your generation more than any other demographic group, she said in her statement.

“Of the 1.8 billion people in the world under the age of 30, one quarter of them – 450 million young people – are living in situations of violence and conflict.  As the key stakeholders in your own futures, I urge you to think about what you see as essential in enabling young people’s freedom of expression and ensuring access to economic and social opportunities.”

Over a quarter of our participants travelled long distances to be here in Kathmandu – from Bangladesh to Uzbekistan, from Bhutan to Hungary, from Kenya to Tajikistan – we want this event to give you a real picture of what it is like to work in a multilateral institution, she said.

During the three-day session, the participants will discuss about achieving SDGs through inclusive local governance, to strengthening effective participation of women in decision-making roles in politics; from advancing human rights through the promotion of gender equality, to articulating linkages between policy and programming to ensure gender responsive budgeting.

The US Ambassador also urged the young people to become peers and examples of the positive role young men and women can play in building sustainable peace, combating extremism, and empowering youth.

“As you engage each other over the next week, I want you to develop friendships and partnerships with peers from across – and beyond – the South and Central Asian nations represented here,” she said.

Model United Nations is a dynamic and increasingly relevant learning experience, where you can exchange ideas and debate the course that the world is taking, the envoy said.

Model UN is an authentic simulation of the UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, or other multilateral body, which introduces students to the world of diplomacy, negotiation, and decision-making.

At Model UN, students step into the shoes of ambassadors of countries that are members of the UN, from Argentina to Zimbabwe. The students, better known as “delegates”, debate current issues on the organization’s vast agenda. They prepare draft resolutions, plot strategy, negotiate with supporters and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and navigate the UN’s rules of procedure – all in the interest of resolving problems that affect the world.

Before playing out their ambassadorial roles in Model UN, students research the particular global problem to be addressed. The problems are drawn from today’s headlines. Model UN delegates learn how the international community acts on its concerns about peace and security, human rights, the environment, food and hunger, economic development, and globalisation.

Model UN delegates also look closely at the needs, aspirations, and foreign policy of the country they will “represent” at the event. The insights they gain from their exploration of history, geography, mathematics, culture, economics, and science contribute to the authenticity of the simulations once the actual role-playing gets underway, and ensures a lively and memorable experience.

Model UN not only involves young people in the study and discussion of global issues, but also encourages the development of skills useful throughout their lives – skills including research techniques, writing, public speaking, problem-solving, conflict resolution, compromise, and cooperation.