Dear MUN Director, Advisor, Delegate
On behalf of the Secretariat, it is our utmost honour to cordially invite you to the 19th Costeas Geitonas School Model United Nations Conference (CGSMUN), to be held from Friday the 6th to Sunday the 8th of December, in the city of Athens, Greece. This year, the theme of our conference is to be “Ethos Versus Progress – Reassessing our values in a fragile world”.
This year’s theme accurately represents the undeniably changing standards, concepts, ethics and values of today’s globalised world. As technology changes, our traditional perception of conflicts is challenged. Our perception of foundational concepts such as justice, democracy, the rule of law and equality changes. As we move forward towards an unrecognizably modern society, we must take a moment to reconsider and reassess the ways in which we perceive, integrate and deliver diachronic aspects of the understood modern society. In this process of reforming our beliefs and values, it is crucial to include voices that cover a wide range of backgrounds, and points of view.
We must thus turn to the United Nations, and other Intergovernmental Organisations to provide this platform, in order to allow discussion, cooperation, and unity. Achieving peace and stability in such a fragile world would be entirely impossible without organisations such as the UN. Despite the UN’s shortcomings, it still holds its place as a source of ethos and reassurance in an increasingly unstable world. It gives us the ability to uphold international law, and maintain balance in the international community in times of conflict and discord. The UN acts as a beacon of hope for conflict to be resolved through diplomatic means, for human rights to be upheld, and for democracy to prevail.
The very concept of Model UN is a chance for young minds to learn and develop through the values of the UN, and flourish through discussion and compromise. CGSMUN, now reaching its 19th session, has strived to provide students with a voice since its very beginning. We aim to allow students to practise transferable skills, such as negotiation, critical thinking, and collaboration that seem to be ever disappearing in these times, yet remain so important for the maintenance of stability on all levels of society. CGSMUN aims to promote a global understanding to its delegates, while showcasing the plethora of issues that plague our world today. Within our 18 committees the delegates will be tasked with researching, resolving and debating around contemporary issues ranging from environmental catastrophes to nuclear proliferation. Thus, we sincerely hope this session of CGSMUN will inspire and influence all parties involved.
On behalf of the entire CGSMUN team, we hope you are just as excited as us for the 19th session. We are looking forward to seeing you in December!
| The Secretary General, Kalliopi Vareli |
The President of the General Assembly, Alexandros Panagiotis Ritsos |
My name is Kalliopi Vareli, and for the 19th session of CGSMUN, I am honoured and delighted to serve as the Secretary General. As a rising IB2 student at Costeas Geitonas School, I have witnessed the conference evolve, inspire, and make a difference over the past five years I have been involved. It is a privilege to be part of its history and to have observed its impact on myself and others.
MUN has the profound ability to transform a young person's life in ways that words can hardly describe. The almost subconscious attachment to MUN and the passion that grows with each conference exemplifies why, after 19 years, CGSMUN remains as strong as ever. Young people are afforded the opportunity to be seen not as naïve, but as well-informed, responsible individuals tasked with diplomacy, ethics, and objectivity in the face of complex global challenges.
My own journey has taken me from an unassuming, timid delegate to a passionate public speaker now serving as the Secretary General in a conference that is part of the web of some the most significant student-oriented activities, not only in Greece but worldwide. Throughout my MUN career, I have met inspiring personalities, formed true friendships, and experienced the sense of community that MUN provides. I have broadened my horizons, learned about politics, society, power, and struggle. Witnessing the profound impact a three-day conference initially, but a community principally, can have on a person, it is my honour to officially invite you to research, discuss, debate, defend, and flourish through a platform we are truly privileged to have.
I look forward to seeing the incredible work that will be done in December!
My name is Alexandros Panagiotis Ritsos and I am an IB1 student at Geitonas School. This year, I have the honor to serve as the President of the General Assembly in the 19th session of CGSMUN.
Model UN has and always will have a special place in my heart. To me, MUN serves as a reminder that youth political participation will always be significant, but also as a way to grow.
I got into model UN in 2022, when I was only 15 years old. And I can proudly say that my participation in such conferences has allowed me to grow and develop into an individual that can stand his ground in a complex argument, while also maintain an open mind.
I sincerely hope that conferences such as CGSMUN will continue to inspire many more people like me.
I cannot wait to meet you all in December!
My name is Konstantina Plesti, an IBDP Year 1 student at HAEF-Psychico College, and I will have the utmost honor of serving as the Deputy Secretary-General for the 19th session of CGSMUN. My MUN journey started back in 2022 with the 17th CGSMUN being the first conference I ever attended. On that note, serving as a Secretariat Member in the 19th session is a full-circle moment for me.
Even though I started MUN as an extracurricular activity, it has developed into so much more.
MUN is not only a learning experience but also a place where I can grow and meet new people.
I hope that this conference will provide you with the opportunity to realize its importance and acquire a new perspective. I look forward to meeting all of you in December!
My name is Elena Protonotariou and I’m an eleventh grader at Costeas-Geitonas School. This year I have the honor and pleasure of serving as a Deputy Secretary General in the 19th CGSMUN Conference.
Back in 2021, when I initially took up MUN as a means to pass the time during quarantine, becoming a Student Officer, let alone a member of the Secretariat was a far fetched dream. Today however, a few years and many conferences later, it fills my with joy that I have the opportunity to serve in a position as such.
Throughout my participation in conferences, I have come to the realization that MUN is a lot more than heated conversations between debate-kids; it is a challenge to step out of your comfort zone, an immersive educational experience that allows you to explore the world of politics, ethics and the economy, and most importantly, it is a family and a community unlike any other.
Through my position in this year’s conference, I wish to share this exact experience with every participant and contribute to the creation of a beautiful collective memory.
I’m looking forward to meeting you all in December!"
My name is Maria Artopoulou and I am a 11th grade student at Ekpedeftiki Anagennisi High School. In this year's 19th CGSMUN, I have the utmost honour of serving as the deputy president of the general assembly.
For approximately four years, I have been an active member of the MUN community and participated in various conferences as a delegate and a Student Officer, representing countries from all around the globe and researching a variety of issues. I have drafted resolutions and research reports, made passionate speeches, won awards, and been offered positions, achievements that my 12-year-old self could never have imagined.
Throughout those years, MUN has played a vital role in my life. Having delved into international law and politics, I discovered my fervent desire to effect positive change in our world and uphold the values that underpin a just and equitable world.
It is my greatest hope to promote these values at the 19th session of CGS MUN, a collaborative forum where we can reassess our principles in our fragile world and work together toward meaningful progress. I promise to do everything within my power to provide you all with the most memorable experience.
I am eagerly looking forward to seeing you all in December!
