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Dear BERMUN 2024 Participants,
Welcome to Germany, welcome to Berlin, and most importantly welcome to BERMUN 2024!
At this year's BERMUN we will be discussing: “Fostering Global Citizenship among Identities and Responsibilities.” As we move towards a more globalized world we must address how we treat our fellow human beings while maintaining our own identities. In the ECOSOC this year we will be discussing, “Ensuring the economic independence of Indigenous groups.” The UN defines indigenous people as “[having] in common a historical continuity with a given region before colonization and a strong link to their lands.” In many cases, indigenous groups are independent of their nation's economy and dependent on agriculture or the environment. However, due to the effects of climate change, modernization, and globalization, many ways of Indigenous ways of life are under threat. One might think integration offers benefits to Indigenous people as they gain access to the technology our modern society offers and sometimes lives can be saved that otherwise wouldn’t be. The majority of the time, however, this integration does not benefit indigenous people. Indigenous people cannot simply integrate into society as they lack resources and information and in many cases, they do not wish to integrate as they feel a responsibility to maintain the natural world they live off of. It is therefore our responsibility to help others to create a sustainable world where we are conscious of our global impact, responsibilities, and citizenship.
I have been attending MUN conferences since 2019 and have been chairing since 2022. MUN speaks to the collaborator in me while also being a challenging experience. The central themes of problem-solving, peace, and teamwork are values we can all take away from BERMUN. I am 16 years old and a senior at the John F. Kennedy School in Berlin. I am super excited to collaborate with my co-chairs. Some of my interests are literature, writing, playing Go, and music.
I look forward to seeing all delegates learn and improve in debate, as well as supporting you in our rigorous debate environment.
Sincerely,
Samuel Beere
