The opening ceremony of CUIMUN XX
One of the most prestigious and certainly the oldest MUN conference in the United Kingdom,Cambridge University International Model United Nations (CUIMUN) held its 21st Session this year on 20-22nd November 2015. Since its first edition back in 1994, this conference has grown year on year into today’s gathering of some 500 students from all over the world in the breathtaking city of Cambridge.
CUIMUN, well known from previous years as one of the top-notch conferences on the UK circuit, included some interesting changes this year. Besides its usual General Assemblies and specialist bodies, this year’s CUIMUN saw the noteworthy addition of the Economic Community of West African States, which plays a huge influence in one of the most important developing regions of the world; the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, which deals with one of the more niche but increasingly important aspects of international relations; and the INTERPOL.
In addition, one of the most fascinating Crisis cabinets any MUNer might have asked for: a fully-integrated Historical Crisis simulation run across four committees, with a personnel of 15 Crisis Directors, representing the same number of nationalities, and with literally hundreds of conferences of collective experience among them.
The setting of the Crisis was the Graeco-Turkish War of 1919-1922 – known in Turkey as part of the Turkish War of Independence and in Greece as the Asia Minor Catastrophe. Featuring an organically evolving and self-amending League of Nations responding to the competing governments of Eleftherios Venizelos, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and Sultan Mehmed VI, the Crisis started just before the Treaty of Sèvres made its mark on the future shape of the Middle East. Directed by the very soul of CUIMUN, Mr Jesse Harrington, a well-known figure in the Crisis circuit, Jesse believes that the conference’s traditional combination of historic venues, high quality of delegates and directors, and experienced secretariat teams are what has made previous editions of the conference unique. It has to be added that CUIMUN every year sets new, extraordinary standards for Crisis teams, with Crisis ‘experts’ such as Daniel Gindis, Jack Smith, Aaron McPherson, and David-Jan Bosschaert all having had their first or most formative Crisis experiences at the conference.
In practical MUN chronicles, CUIMUN XXI can be summarised as a passionate conference, with a high calibre of chairs and delegates, and definitely a must-include for every MUN résumé. With impressive speakers such as Danish ambassador Claus Grube, whose vision of a united Europe is well-known to every student of international affairs, and President of Corpus Christi College Stuart Laing, known for his colourful career as a diplomat in the Middle East, one simply didn’t want the opening and closing ceremonies respectively to finish! Socials that materialised the UK nightlife alongside an outstanding level of debate marked a simply incredible experience for everyone.
Looking forward to CUIMUN XXII!
