The United Nations’ General Assembly was established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations. It is the only organ of the UN in which all 193 member nations have equal representations. The topics addressed in the GA range from setting and codifying international law, admission of new members, financial matters and maintaining peace and security between all nations. While the UNGA suggests and establishes possible solutions, other organs of the United Nations are responsible for implementing these actions such as the Security Council. UNGA’s versatile role makes it crucial to attaining and even setting many of the UN goals; such as the current “Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals” which include ending poverty, ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all ages and strengthen and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. The president in charge of the sixty-ninth session (September 2014-september 2015) is Sam Kutesa from Uganda. This year’s topics are:

1. The right to privacy in the digital age
2. Humanitarian disaster relief assistance

This year’s plenary session’s topic is:Sustainable development in the Middle-East and Africa

The International Court of Justice, also known as ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the Charter of the United Nations after the end of World War II in June 1945. Situated in The Hague in the Netherlands at the Peace Palace, it started operating  in April 1946. Out of the six principal organs of the United Nations, it is the only one not located in the United States of America,precisely in New York. The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies. Lead by Ronny Abraham since the 6th of february of  2015, The Court is composed of 15 judges, that  are elected for a nine year term of office by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. The court is assisted by a Registry, its administrative organ, headed by the the registrar. The court’s official languages are English and French. This year’s case is:Jurisdictional Immunities of the State (Germany vs. Italy)

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the 6 primary organs of the United Nations. It was established by the UN charter in 1945 along with the creation of the United Nations itself. Its current president is the Austrian Ambassador of the United Nations, Martin Sajdik, who was elected for this role on the 14th of January 2014. The Economic and Social Council is responsible for directing any social or economic work for numerous United Nations agencies, functional commissions, and five regional commissions. The Economic And Social Council is composed of 54 members, rotated every 3 years chosen by the General Assembly of the United Nations The council’s goals in the United Nations are the following:

• Promoting higher standards of living, full employment, and economic/social progress;
• Identifying solutions to international economic, social, and health problems;
• Facilitating international cultural educational cooperation;
• Encouraging universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms

One of the main subsidiary bodies of ECOSOC is the Statistical Commission, which is responsible for any number related information, releasing at the end of each calendar year an international trade statistics yearbook. Other important subsidiaries are the Commission for social development, and the Commission on the status of women, which are in charge of advising the ECOSOC on social policies in general for the former, and monitoring gender equality by supporting inter-governmental bodies for the latter.These commission’s’ mandate is to promote the economic and social development of its member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for regional development (i.e. focusing on macroeconomic policies, natural resources, regional integration and trade, etc…)

Topics:

1. Increasing sustainable development practices through gender, racial, social and economical equality.
2. Measures to counteract Bankruptcy and financial crises in world economies

Most of the environmental issues, if not all, are caused by mankind. The planet is being destroyed at an increasing rate: every day, animals are hunted, ocean levels rise, and deforestation occurs. Consequently, the United Nations has made it its priority to minimize the damage that has been caused. To tackle such concerns, the UN Climate Change Summit and the UN Climate Change Conference are organized in order to address possible ways of solving current issues. OISMUN decided to create the commission in order to emphasize on the importance of the environment. The delegates must provide resolutions to the Commission that accomplish its aims. The Environment Commission thus seeks :

• To provide valid solutions to environment related problems, such as the ecosystem and the ecology of planet earth.
• To sustain the environment through strict regulations that limit threats to the balance of ecosystems and the cleanliness of natural water and air.
• To spread awareness about environmental issues through education.

• To limit destruction and control human impact on the environment and thus to replace current statistics with less extreme ones.

Topics

1. Animal poaching and it’s effects on the ecosystem
2. Measures to manage the rapid deterioration of the Arctic

The Special Conference committee is purely a Model United Nations committee, since it does not exist in the United Nations. Each year different themes dictate the topics and procedures of the committee. During the 7th annual OISMUN, the theme revolved around Egypt and fixing a number of issues in the country, such as the energy and economic crisis. The committee’s structure resembled that of a parliament. The delegates’ entities were based upon the theme, which were political parties, such as the national party, or important individuals in the country such as ministers, the president etc.. This year, the committee is a historical committee, addressing topics that have occurred in past. Set in specific time periods, the committee aims tackle historical conflicts with today’s international mind set. There are two topics which will be treated during the conference, Firstly, the American intervention in Vietnam. Secondly, resolving Arab-Israeli conflict, the topic is set after the Yom Kippur war, Therefore, delegates will be representing countries like most Model United Nations committees, however they will be from the specified time periods of the topics, which will be around the early, 1970, such as the Soviet Union, and the delegates will have to study the countries’ policy from that time. No information beyond the specified time period will be allowed during the proceedings of the committees. Topics

1. The Arab-Israeli conflict (Maintaining stability in the region after the Youm Kippour war)
2. Assessing the United States of America’s military intervention in the Vietnam war.