The largest Model UN (MUN) conference of South Asia, the Dhaka University National Model United Nations (DUNMUN) 2024, commenced in an elegant manner at 3:00pm today (30 May) in the presence of 500 delegates in the Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban of the University of Dhaka.
The 11th edition of DUNMUN focuses on the theme “Sustainability Beyond Conflict: Forging Equitable Peace Through Unified Actions”, reads a press release.
The opening ceremony was graced with the presence of distinguished guests and the Senate hall observed their knowledge, wisdom and vision. For the commencement of the conference, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Dhaka and the Chief Advisor of DUMUNA, Professor Dr ASM Maksud Kamal, was present as the Chief Guest of the Opening Ceremony. Alongside him, the Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, Professor Dr Sitesh Chandra Bachar, and the moderator of DUMUNA, Professor Dr Delwar Hossain, attended as the Special Guests to the opening ceremony. Furthermore, The Register of Brac University, Dr. David Dowland, and the Former President of DUMUNA, MJ Sohel, were also present at the ceremony as the Guest of Honor and Alumni Guest respectively.
The conference, this year, will be led by the Secretary General, SM Nahian Islam, the Deputy Secretary General, Hossain Azmal and the Director General, Md Asifuzzaman. Under their supervision and guidance, the secretariat board and conference officers successfully organized this edition of DUNMUN.
For the 11th edition of DUNMUN, DUNMUN 2024 will feature 11 committees ranging from the BRICS Plus to the NATO Military Committee. The delegates of each of the committees will discuss agendas assigned to their respective committees. Through this they will practice and enrich their soft skills such as public speaking, negotiations, documentation etc while enhancing their understanding of international relations.
Addressing the opening ceremony, the guests shed light upon the theme of the conference and emphasized on the importance of concepts like equity, equitable peace and sustainability.
The chief guest, Professor Dr ASM Maksud Kamal emphasised on sustainability in his address to the ceremony saying, “We must find ways to promote sustainable practices.”
The Guest of Honour, David Dowland, in his speech mentioned, “Empowering the next generation aligns perfectly with the mission of DUMUNA and it truly illustrates the efforts of DUNMUN.”
Lastly, the Secretary General made a bold statement in his speech saying, “We are always standing in solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and sisters and the theme of DUNMUN 2024 is an example of our commitment towards justice”. It showcased the values and principles DUNMUN and DUMUNA fosters and follows.”
The opening ceremony was concluded with the announcement of the commencement of the conference with much elation of the attendees present at the ceremony. Following that the conference moved towards the Opening Plenary session as part of the official proceedings of MUNs.