ITHS student to participate spl event for Geneva

Switzerland based Dialog-Institut organizes a special event with the collaboration of United Nation for Geneva within the framework of International Language and Culture Festival (IFLC) in United Nations Office at Geneva (Building E, First Floor, Room XXIV) on Friday, 20 May 2016, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Fariha Khan, class-8 student of International Turkish Hope School will participate for this prestigious event from Bangladesh. It will take a different format and will look less like a celebration and a showcase but will be more in the United Nations Style. The most talented and motivated children from more than 2000 participants of IFLC around the world will be selected to go to Geneva for an International Model United Nations of Children.

Selected students – Fariha Khan is one of them will simulate the Security Council of the United Nations to discuss in large the pressing problems and challenges that today’s children experience, with a special focus on peace and security. The main agenda item of this first ever Copy1gathering of the Security Council will be “Children, Peace and Security” and the main objective of the session will be to adopt a resolution on this issue. In Addition, this event will be also the occasion to celebrate 21st of May, UNESCO’s World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

As the body responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, it is critical that the Security Council addresses comprehensively issues regarding the situation of children from all around the world. The Security Council tackles both, geographic situations and thematic issues. Regarding thematic issues, its agenda includes the protection of civilians, peacekeeping, peace building, conflict prevention, counter-terrorism, maintenance of international peace and security, children and armed conflict, women, peace and security as well as youth, peace and security.

The thematic issue of “children and armed conflict” has been on the agenda of the Security Council for almost two decades by now. The first Presidential Statement on the thematic issue of “children and armed conflict” was made on 29 June 1998 (S/PRST/1998/18). This first Presidential Statement was followed by the resolution 1261 the next year on 30 August 1999 (S/RES/1261). Since then, numerous presidential statements and resolutions considered directly and indirectly the thematic issue of “children and armed conflict”. Taking into account the diverse challenges that children experience today, it is crucial to consider enriching the Security Council’s agenda on children. Security Council’s recent experience with tackling the thematic issue of women can serve as an inspirational starting point for this new endeavor.

To explain briefly, in 2000, the Security Council adopted its historical resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. Since then, the resolution has been expanded into an agenda on women, peace and security, especially with the adoption of seven other resolutions until today. In the same vein, last December, the Security Council adopted its first ever resolution on Youth, Peace and Security, (S/RES/2250) which recognized the contribution of youth in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, and warned against the rise of radicalization and violent extremism amongst youth.

Therefore, the topic of this year’s gathering of the Security Council will be to discuss at largest extent challenges of today’s children and to ensure a planet in which children would not need to worry about a peaceful future. The aim is to come up with a resolution to consolidate children’s agenda at the Security Council and to ensure its effective implementation by the Member States all around the world.


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