Kevin Cahill spoke about the Rotary Model UN program. Kevin serves as General Counsel of Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. He has been a Rotarian for over 26 years. He is a member of Del Mar-Solana Beach Rotary, and was their founding President in 1992-93. He was Interact Chair, 2005-2018 and Youth Service Chair 2012-2018. It is specially worth noting that Kevin Cahill is a recent District Rotarian of the Year.
Kevin has served as our District 5340 Chair of the Model United Nations program from 2011 thru today. With a passion for inculcating the Rotary spirit in the youth of our c0mmunities, he has chaired and expanded the Model UN program into a truly international experience during the last 8 years.
Kevin spoke with passion and commitment. Rotary International has a long and proud association with the U.N., with Rotarians involved in its charter, and having the highest consultative status of any nongovernmental organization. We are partners with the U.N. in our PolioPlus initiative. Our District 5340 is the only one in the United States with a Rotary Model United Nations Program, started by our District's Pathways to Peace Committee thirteen years ago.
The Rotary Model UN starts in January of each year and ends in March. Rotary clubs select teams of two high school students and one advisor, who can be a Rotarian, teacher or parent. A club can sponsor more than one team. This year there were 101 total students in the program.
Several months before the Conference, the students are given two current-day UN Resolutions to address, and will undergo a day of training in analytical and negotiating skills, what to expect at the actual Conference and then the students select the countries to which they will become ambassadors. Advisors are also given training and advised of our District's Youth Protection Policy.
Kevin showed a 10-minute video with speeches from several model-UN participants. He took several questions from the Carlsbad Rotary audience.
Website – Rotary District 5340 Model UN Program: https://modelunrotary5340.com/