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Rotary Model United Nations Assembly or MUNA is all about building bridges of goodwill for world peace and understanding in the minds of our youth.Regrettably many leaders have exploited differences of race, religion and nationalism among their followers simply to consolidate their own power. The lessons from two great world wars and numerous lesser conflicts should be absorbed by our youth so that they can avoid repeating the mistakes of history. MUNA challenges our youth to respect and tolerate differences of race, religion and nationalism whilst retaining their own individualism and the best of their national traditions. MUNA as a concept arose in North America from the desire of young people to simulate the great debates of the United Nations Assembly. MUNA was first conducted in Rotary by Rotary at Winnipeg in Canada, and introduced to Australia by the Lake Cargelligo Rotary Club in 1980.In 1988 Forbes Rotary Club realised the potential for Rotary to spread MUNA more widely and undertook MUNA 88 - a Rotary Bicentennial Project for Youth. The challenge issued by Forbes has been taken up by many Rotary districts so that now MUNA has spread throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and world wide. The first National MUNA is to be held in the Australian Parliament in August, 1997 The United Nations has given enthusiastic support for the ongoing growth of this very worthwhile project for youth. |
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