The University of Lethbridge is excited to announce its first ever High School Model United Nations Conference. During the conference, students will learn how to creatively solve problems that may arise by building leadership skills, innovative thinking, teamwork, expressing ideas and listening to others.

Model United Nations is a series of groups and clubs in education institutions across the globe that participate in conferences directed toward past, current, and future issues and events. Such conferences serve to resolve these issues in the style of debate held by the United Nations and many have gained international acclaim for themselves, as well as for the schools which attend them.

This year’s simulation is based on a Venezuelan crisis, and will challenge the participants to deal with an event that is currently unfolding. The socio-political situation in Venezuela is a product of years of decision-making and government influence and we are seeing the results in real time today. The participants will be responsible for taking on the role of one the world’s nations in the Third Committee of a General Assembly of the United Nations. They are tasked with analyzing the claims of human rights violations in the country and deciding whether or not any action should be taken.

Lethbridge MP Rachael Harder and Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips will speak at the opening ceremonies on Friday, Feb. 2.

The conference schedule on Friday is from 1 to 10:30 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3. For more information and a full schedule, visit ulethmun.com.