29th September 2019.
Joseph Beaden, the President of Durham University United Nations Society, welcomes new members to the society and looks forward to the exciting events in the year to come.
On behalf of the whole Durham University United Nations Society (DUUNS) exec, I would like to congratulate all incoming first years on acing their exams and joining one of the most prestigious universities in the UK! You may be feeling a little overwhelmed by all the societies, colleges, and curriculums, but please allow me to introduce you to yet another one! DUUNS exists to promote, and debate the work of the UN, and the role of global governance in international politics. If you enjoyed Model UN conferences in high school then, congratulations! We have plenty of that here. We send delegates to a host of conferences across the UK, the most notable being Oxford and Cambridge, applications for which open in October.
If you’d rather not travel, then Durham’s very own MUN conference, DurMUN, takes place in January. This conference represents a great opportunity to meet fellow Durham students (and students from across the world) interested in international politics and debating. Our conference is renowned for its fabulous opening ceremony, hosted in the Cathedral (and on the set of Harry Potter, no less!), its high quality of discussion, and the delicious meals included in the price of your ticket. For first time delegates, our conference is an excellent, welcoming environment in which to experience international diplomacy.
DUUNS isn’t all work, however. This year, we’re massively expanding the social aspects of the society, starting with our introductory social. We’ll be visiting some of Durham’s most ‘prestigious’ social spots and playing some International-themed games along the way. The social highlight of our year arrives in November, with our inaugural DUUNS Ball. This event is one of the earliest, cheapest, and most spectacular black-tie balls of the year, and promises to be an amazing introduction to Durham for new students.
Our aim is to establish The Mondial as a centre for original writing and scholarship from Durham students. In our Welcome Edition alone, you will find articles on US migration policies, UN Habitat legislation, LGBT+ rights, democratic processes in the UK, the Greta Thunberg Effect and our exciting new ‘Writer’s Choice’ article.
Finally, one of our most ambitious new projects is the very publication you are reading right now — The Mondial. Our aim is to establish The Mondial as a centre for original writing and scholarship from Durham students. In our welcome edition alone, you will find articles on US migration policies, UN Habitat legislation, LGBT+ rights, democratic processes in the UK, the Greta Thunberg Effect and our exciting new ‘Writer’s Choice’ article. These articles will be published online across the coming week and can also be found in our Welcome Edition, which is being distributed from our DUUNS Freshers Fair stand. For any budding writers, The Mondial is accepting submissions for three general editions, and will publish two conference issues over the course of DurMUN 2020. For more information on how to get involved, join our Facebook group, and attend our society welcome sessions.
Whether or not you choose to join us at DUUNS, we wish you the best of luck throughout your time at Durham, and we hope to see you at some of our events!
By Joseph Beaden
Image by Scazon.
Durham University Model United Nations 