Welcome to the General Assembly
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to the twenty-eighth session of the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference! With all of you here, and the preparations in order, this is going to be one of the most engaging and fun ILMUNCs Penn has seen! Model UN has been a part of who I am since freshman year of high school, making this my seventh consecutive ILMUNC. I’m so excited to be one of your Undersecretaries-General for the General Assembly committees this year, and I’m here to make this a rewarding and memorable experience for everyone.
I hope that as delegates you get to know me this weekend. Born in New York, I went to a French school, spoke Bulgarian to my parents, and studied Spanish and Russian for years. I am currently a junior in the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business, and just came back from studying abroad in Cuba. Outside of school, I am a member of the Sigma Kappa sorority to help out with charity events. I also love to swim and bake.
After working closely with the General Assembly chairs and moderators, I am confident that this year’s committees are tailored to be the best. In particular, I am overseeing SOCHUM, SPECPOL, and UNPBC, this year’s Novice Committee. We chose topics based on creativity, wrote in depth background guides and invited schools from all over the globe. Most importantly, every single Staff, Dais, and Secretariat member is devoted to your experience and to helping the conference run smoothly.
I know how nerve-wracking it can be to walk into the first committee session, to make your first speech, or to send your first rose gram. It’s all worth it by the end of the weekend: ILMUNC memories keep you coming back. Even though we’ve worked so hard to make ILMUNC XXVIII unsurpassable, we’d love to hear your ideas! Please don’t hesitate to come up to me during conference or to email me beforehand! I can’t wait to meet you in committee, and good luck researching and preparing until then. Remember, your enthusiasm and dedication make the conference what it is. See you soon!
Much love,
Alice Kissilenko
Under-Secretary-General, General Assembly
Ivy League Model United Nations Conference XXVIII
usg-ga@ilmunc.com
Dear Delegates,
It is with tremendous pleasure and eagerness that I welcome you to the twenty-eighth session of the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference. Last year, I served as an Assistant Secretary-General, and it is truly an honor to serve as your Under Secretary-General for the General Assembly this year. The General Assembly at ILMUNC offers one of the finest United Nations simulations fathomable. The quantity of delegates, quality of debate and excellence of our staff all contribute to what will undoubtedly be an unforgettable conference.
ILMUNC provides the remarkable opportunity for you to engage in stimulating debate about pressing global issues while honing your skills in communication and diplomacy. The entire ILMUNC XXVIII Secretariat has worked tirelessly to develop a conference that balances the gravity of devising creative and innovative solutions to some of our world’s toughest issues with the thrill of getting to make friends from all over the globe.
My fellow Secretariat members and I are committed to ensuring that your ILMUNC XXVIII will be as exciting, interesting and fun as possible. My first ever MUN experience was on an ILMUNC GA committee five years ago, and I can confidently say that this will be the best ILMUNC to date.
In addition to serving as your USG-GA, I am a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Modern Middle Eastern Studies. At Penn, I am active in Hillel, a West Philadelphia mentoring program and Penn’s rich Greek life on campus. Originally from New York City, I participated in Model UN for all four years of high school. Over that period I attended conferences all over the globe, including one in Istanbul, Turkey. Throughout my MUN career, I have always been partial to General Assembly committees. I am, therefore, particularly excited to watch you discuss the fascinating topics your staffs have prepared for you.
Please do not hesitate to contact me to introduce yourself or to address any concerns or questions. I greatly look forward to meeting you all!
Best,
Stephen Rutman
Under-Secretary-General, General Assembly
Ivy League Model United Nations Conference XXVIII
usg-ga@ilmunc.com
Committee Overview
First Committee: Disarmament and International Security
Third Committee: Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural
Fourth Committee: Special Political and Decolonization
Sixth Committee: Legal
Historical GA: 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference (New This Year)
United Nations Children’s Fund (Novice Committee)
The General Assembly, the centerpiece of the United Nations, offers representation to all 192 UN member states. These committees will be the largest at ILMUNC XXVIII and will give delegates the ability to debate traditional global issues in a larger forum. This year, delegates will discuss a number of relevant topics that span the entire spectrum of international relations. Alongside four of our hallmark committees, we are excited to present for the first time the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference of 2009 as our Historical General Assembly this year. We are also proud to continue offering an all-novice committee for first time delegates, the United Nations Children’s Fund.