Introductory Letter

Dear MUN Directors,
We cordially invite you to attend the seventeenth annual Berlin Model United Nations Conference to be held at the John F. Kennedy School.

When this year’s theme - Empowering Women: A Prerequisite for Global Development - was first considered, the female members of the local MUN community responded enthusiastically; their male counterparts, however, responded with puzzlement and hesitation. After all, they argued, young men in German society are for the most part no longer worried about losing power because it is already a reality. Angela Merkel’s position as the most influential political factor in the Federal Republic of Germany seems to support their point. Many of these young men are definitely aware that young women are overtaking them in terms of school achievement, success at the university, and even when competing in the job market. So why, they ask, select this theme?

It is evident that girls and women adeptly apply their skills when in competition with boys and initially appear quite capable of holding their own. However, the substantially lower wages, the lack of women in higher positions in business, politics, and academics, or the numerous incidents of violence against women do not speak for equal opportunities.

When looking at the situation in other parts of the world, the picture darkens even more. Women and girls form the majority of the world’s poor and hungry. Girls are dropping out of primary school at rates far greater than boys, and the spread of HIV disproportionately affects women and girls. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro claims that, ”empowering women is not just an end in itself; it is a prerequisite for reaching all of the Millennium Development Goals – our common vision to build a better world in the 21st century.”

Such realities should make BERMUN participants aware of the relevance and urgency behind this year’s theme and strive to make a difference. As Marianne Mollmann, a women’s rights activist stated recently, “it’s not enough to say you want equality—you need the power to do something about it.” The UN was created in 1945 with a stated objective to put into practice the shared principle that men and women are absolute equals. Since then, only three women have been elected President of the UN General Assembly, and none have served as Secretary-General. The organization has established agencies and offices for dealing with sex-based discrimination, but has provided them with grossly inadequate funding and virtually no political influence. In other words, the United Nations sees itself as a women's rights advocate, yet it has failed to create equality within itself.

Regional MUN conferences such as BERMUN provide participants with many opportunities to demonstrate that change is possible as they debate various political, economic, and social problems related to the gender issue. Students will be challenged at this conference to examine their own attitudes as they represent their assigned country’s views. In so doing they may become the avant-garde of their generation through their support of the concept of gender mainstreaming. With the choice of this theme, we hope to continue in the BERMUN tradition of raising awareness, provoking meaningful debates, and seeking feasible solutions.

In the deliberations of the BERMUN International Court of Justice and the BERMUN Youth Assembly, the gender issue will always be represented. The BEARMUN Press will provide informative and critical coverage throughout the conference. Your students are also welcome to apply for positions in these BERMUN organizations. Please refer to the applications.

We look forward to welcoming all those who have worked closely with us over the last years and to making new friends at the seventeenth annual Berlin Model United Nations Conference.

Yours truly,
Dr. Walter Peterson, BERMUN Director
Karin Hövermann, BERMUN Director