The International Model of the United Nations started at SSU. The participants of the student marathon will have to try on the roles of diplomats for several days, representing the positions of world states on global issues. The large-scale event is attended by students of the Faculties of Economics, Law, Sociology, Foreign Languages and Language Teaching Methods, the Institute of History and International Relations, as well as the Institute of Philology and Journalism, SSU.

There are taking part not only students of Saratov State University, but also students of Saratov State Law Academy, Yuri Gagarin Saratov State Technical University, Povolzhsky Institute named after P.A. Stolypin, RANEPA, Saratov State Medical University, Dagestan State Pedagogical University, as well as schoolchildren of Karl Marx Secondary School, Marina Raskova Educational Centre.

At the opening ceremony on March 20, the audience was greeted by Vice-Rector for International Affairs, SSU, Dmitrii Konakov. ‘The history of this project dates back to 2011. Today, the UN University Model is a successful symbiosis of research and role-play, where participants represent their countries in the circumstances of existing UN committees and put forward their position on topical issues. The value of this project is that you can not only demonstrate skills in your future career, but also learn how to achieve your goals and find a compromise.’

The participants of the SSU UN International Model were also welcomed by Dean of the Faculty of Law Galina Komkova, Director of the Institute of History and International Relations Tatyana Cherevichko, and Director of the Institute of Philology and Journalism Lyudmila Borisova. They noted the importance of continuing the university tradition – in 2011, enthusiasts from the Faculty of Law contacted the International Office and offered to create such a project. In 2012, the first UN Model was held at Saratov State University.

Vice-President of the World Federation of UN Associations Alexei Borisov handed over a welcoming letter to the participants and moderators of the conference. Vladimir Shashko, Chair of the Saratov regional branch of the United Nations Association for Russia, wished the young people good luck in a video message and noted that the International Model of the United Nations is very popular with students. Nikita Tolkunov, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Sciences, introduced the participants of the Model to the current international agenda from the point of view of a political scholar.

Traditionally, the UN Model is held as a student conference. The students immerse themselves in the atmosphere of their future profession under the guidance of experienced mentors in a role-playing game t. The main goal of the project is to adopt a final resolution on the agenda of the Committees of the Security Council, the General Assembly, and UNESCO (the language in the UNESCO committee is English). To do this, the participants will listen to the positions of the countries, unite in coalitions, hold debates, and vote for further adoption of the final amendments. This is how they will demonstrate their communication and diplomatic abilities, as well as public speaking skills. During the three working days of the Model, highly professional experts will monitor the students’ progress, some of whom, in their student years, had participated an active part in organising and conducting the UN Model at Saratov State University.

The pool of experts of the 2024 SSU International UN Model is represented by:

• Olga Rybalko (Associate Professor of the Department of International Relations and Russian Foreign Policy of Russia, the Institute of History and International Relations, SSU);
• Denis Alekseyev (Associate Professor of the Department of International Relations and Russian Foreign Policy of Russia, the Institute of History and International Relations, SSU);
• Evgenii Korenev (Associate Professor of the Department of International Relations and Russian Foreign Policy of Russia, the Institute of History and International Relations, SSU);
• Alexander Kazakov (Professor of the Department of Political Sciences, Faculty of Law, SSU);
• Daria Kondrashchenko (Associate Professor of the Department of Constitutional and Municipal Law, Faculty of Law, SSU);
• Nikita Tolkunov (Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Sciences, Faculty of Law, SSU);
• Roman Pavlenko (Associate Professor of the Department of Literary Studies and Journalism, the Institute of Philology and Journalism, SSU).

The International Model of the United Nations will be carried out until March 22 in Bldg. 18, SSU. The journalists from the Mir, Russia Today, and Sputnik news agencies are helping the participants keep up to date with the discussions and decisions of the committees. The news of these communities can be found on VKontakte.

The event is held with the organisational support of the following units of Saratov State University: International Office, the Institute of History and International Relations, the Faculty of Law, the Institute of Philology and Journalism, as well as the Institute of Pre-University Education.