From April 1st through April 5th, over 5, 000 students from nearly 200 colleges and universities from around the world gathered in New York City to take part in the National Model United Nations (NMUN) conference. The conference was a simulation of United Nations bodies including General Assembly, ECOSOC, and other UN bodies. As part of the conference, a select group of student delegates took part in a simulation of the future July Diplomatic Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty.
On April 3rd, staff of the Control Arms International Secretariat had the opportunity to meet with delegates at NMUN’s Opportunity Fair. The delegates, many of whom were taking part in the ATT simulation, were eager to learn more about how their work measured up against what was happening in “the real UN.” The students displayed exceptional knowledge of the ATT including intricate details of scope, criteria, and implementation measures. After speaking with the Control Arms Secretariat staff, many of the students were inspired to take action by signing the Speak Out! Control Arms Now petition.
