MUNUSAL 2023

Welcome back for the 15th edition if the international model of the United Nations held in Salamanca. The University of Salamanca is the oldest university in Spain, and the fourth oldest educational institution in Europe. 
 

The Cultural and Youth Association Model United Nations, University of Salamanca (MUNUSAL) was created as a vehicle for the students of the USAL to interact with the world of diplomacy and the MUN community, in Spain and in other countries. Since its conception, the association has taken an active role in various prestigious models abroad. Over the years we have attended BerlinMUN (Germany), PoziMUN (Poland), MIMUN (Madrid), KULMUN (Belgium), UCIMUN (Portugal), BIMUN (Germany) among others and we are looking forward to attending many more.

This year's theme is “Our world at Odds: Multilateralism in an Age of Multipolarity”. Our world is becoming increasingly complex. Geopolitical balances are shifting through the rise of new contenders and decline of old powers. New blocs are emerging, old conflicts are flaring up, and global political and economic instability is plaguing the world community. In this situation, it becomes inevitable to ask the question whether multilateralism and institutions such as the United Nations can still maintain their positions as the foundations of the current world order, or if they will suffer the same fate as the League of Nations in the past. 

As more and more nations progressively develop their economic, military and technological capabilities, they increasingly stand in a position to participate in exchanges within the international community. With this new bargaining chip, they understandably seek strategic autonomy and demand an international society in which their interests are better represented. Despite this, one cannot ignore the ever-increasing mutual reliance between member states through continued globalization and global interconnectedness. Only a few, if any, issues can be solved by unilateral or bilateral solutions, as our world has reached the point where the strongest nations can barely survive without another. 

Through the debates and simulations of the various committees in MUNUSAL 2023, we aim to discuss this phenomenon, how it has impacted the work of the United Nations across the whole spectrum of its activities and what can be done to address these new challenges to the UN.