Eagle Down Supports “Northern Model UN Conference”
In Canada’s Northern Region

The Eagle Down Foundation, together with the Government of Canada’s Security and Defence Forum and the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Department of Education, Culture and Employment launched a very successful Northern Model United Nations (UN) Conference for youth from Canada’s Northern region. 

As the Northern Model UN was developed to engage youth from Canada’s Northern region in the work of the United Nations, a special effort was made to include students with First Nations backgrounds.

The Conference took place on the 15th to 16th of February, 2008 at The Tree of Peace Friendship Centre, in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. 

Drawing on previous participant training which was held by United Nations Association of Canada (UNAC) staff in November 2007 and also supported by The Eagle Down Foundation, many of the students were already well-versed in the rules and debating procedures involved in the Model UN simulation.

A Model UN is an event that simulates the activities of specific committees of the United Nations and other similar rule-based institutions and organizations.  Students represent country ambassadors and stakeholders from around the world and assume the viewpoint of that individual as they debate, negotiate and pass policies on emergent national and international issues.  The Model UN programme has become a principal resource for students, teachers, youth, community leaders, politicians, and the private sector interested in pursuing a dynamic and effective mechanism to improve youth engagement in world affairs.

Four schools were represented at the Northern Model UN:  Aurora College (Yellowknife Campus), Sir John Franklin High School, St. Patrick’s High School, and Yukon College. 

The Northern Model UN participants debated two separate issues:  Arctic Sovereignty and The Crisis in Darfur.

Positioned to become an annual Model UN event, the Northern Model UN will continue to increase participation of students from more remote areas of Canada’s Arctic Region in future simulations.