US Ambassador Alaina B Teplitz on Monday opened the South and Central Asia university-level regional Model United Nations (MUN) conference.

The event hosted by the Embassy of the United States in Kathmandu in partnership with the Youth Thinkers’ Society (YTS).

The YTS is a youth-driven non-profit, nongovernmental and non-political organization established in 2014. 

As many as 200 delegates from across South and Central Asia are participating in the conference where they will discuss multilateral issues including countering violent extremism, ensuring freedom of expression, adapting to climate change and promoting the human rights of migrant workers, according a press statement issued by the Embassy of the United States. 

“Connecting through programmes like this Model UN is an important way to create linkages among South and Central Asian countries, and the United States is proud to be sponsoring these people-to-people connections,” Ambassador Teplitz told the delegates while opening the conference.

Over the next five days, the conference will simulate four UN committees: Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and Social Cultural and Humanitarian Committee (SOCHUM), said the press statement. “In addition to engaging delegates in extensive discussion of real-word issues, such as climate change and cross-border water management, the conference will also include networking events and  a ‘global village’ to celebrate the richness of culture and diversity of the South and Central Asia region,” added the statement.

MUN is an academic simulation of the United Nations that educates participating students about civics, effective communication and multilateral diplomacy.