For students of all faculties!

At the 2005 World Summit, UN Member States endorsed the concept of the Responsibility to Protect, affirming that each State has the "responsibility to protect its populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity". Where States are manifestly failing to assume this responsibility, it shifts to the international community to take collective actions through the UN Security Council to ensure the protection of the population. The responsibility to protect remains controversial among UN Member States, as debates surrounding the crisis in Libya and recent events in Syria show. For the Security Council many questions arise: In which cases does the responsibility to protect apply? Which are the appropriate measures to be taken? Under which circumstances is a military intervention authorized by the Security Council legitimate? Does the responsibility to protect encompass regime change?

We like to invite you to a simulated Special Session of the Security Council to discuss these and other issues involving the Responsibility to Protect and the main organ responsible for international peace and security according to the Charter of the United Nations: the Security Council. Class sessions prior will give you an ample overview of the topic. With this class we hope to deepen your knowledge about the functioning of an international body, various aspects of international diplomacy, negotiation techniques, and also hopefully the roots and causes of the diverging opinions on the subject among UN-Member States.

You will be asked to represent one of the members of the Security Council or an invited State and take an active part in the class and negotiations. Participants are expected to research their respective countries position independently and take over the presentation of a topic listed below by preparing a 4-6 page summary on the subject and a handout for the presentation (up to 3 presenters per topic = team work). Delegations are also asked to prepare a one-page Position Paper. Each Delegation will consist of 1-2 persons.

 

Please note that the seminar/conference language will be English. It is possible to receive 5 ECTS-credits (Schlüsselqualifikationsschein oder Fremdsprachenfachkompetenz, FB Rechtswissenschaft). All faculties are invited to apply.

 

Application Procedure and Schedule

Applications are to be sent via email until 15 April 2018 to Peggy Wittke

 

 

For further information please contact:

 

Dr. Peggy Wittke

Model United Nations / Model European Union

Freie Universität Berlin

Boltzmannstr. 3, 14195 Berlin

Phone:  (030) 838 547 05

Email: peg@zedat.fu-berlin.de