Esteemed MUN advisors, honourable delegates and future participants,
On behalf of the Secretariat it is our honour and privilege to cordially invite you to participate in this year’s 14th annual Costeas-Geitonas School Model United Nations Conference hosted in the city of Athens 6th -8th December, 2019 on “Cyber Governance: Towards e-democracy”.
Today we find ourselves on the cusp of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Digital technology is changing and its culmination will modify the way in which society operates, calling into question our perception of what it means to be human. As our digital footprint increases, new liabilities are created. Autonomous weapons system unlock their deadly potential, terrorist groups develop new recruiting methods, virtual data become an integral part of our everyday lives and social norms are shaken to their core with the development of Artificial Intelligence and other revolutionary digital entities. With the diffusion of virtual data, both promise and peril are to arrive; in all the areas of our lives, ranging from cultural issues to security threats. This newborn issue is epitomised in the words of the United Nations International Telecommunications Union Secretary-General: “as our physical and cyber worlds overlap, there is an increased need to address the related challenges of ensuring security, human rights, rule of law, good governance and economic development”. In this year’s CGS MUN session, we want tomorrow’s citizens have a chance to grasp the significance of these imminent threats and prepare their defence.
As such, in order to offer a unique experience which would simulate the work of the United Nations but also prove valuable to the participants, we are enriching our conference. This year we decided on the addition of the 6th General Assembly (Legal Committee) which will operate along the existing 4 General Assembly committees, as well as the addition of the Historical Security Council of the year 1956, where students will have the opportunity to represent and debate with the states of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Yugoslavia.
The goal of CGS MUN is not to address only the aspiring young diplomats, but all forthcoming citizens of the international society. Model United Nations offers a unique, thought-provoking opportunity to contemplate upon realities with global and individual impact and participate in their resolution. In our platform we value each and every voice, embrace innovation and aim for diversity, for our participants to get a full feel of what the world is like.
As Nelson Mandela once said “one of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others”. This is precisely what CGSMUN strives to do; place the participants in a context of discussions where their creativity is summoned, their temper of the will awakens and their views are challenged only to be enriched and strengthened for their future endeavors.
On behalf of CGSMUN, we look forward to welcoming you to Athens in December!
Yours sincerely,
The Secretary General The President of the General Assembly
Bill Michalis Maria Patouna
