I.I.M.U.N.

India’s International Movement to United Nations (I.I.M.U.N.)

Abbreviation	I.I.M.U.N.
Formation	2011; 13 years ago (2011)
Type	Youth organization
Headquarters	Mumbai
Location	India
Official language	English, Hindi
President	Rishabh S. Shah
Website	www.iimun.in

I.I.M.U.N. (India's International Movement to Unite Nations, also known as: Indian International Model United Nations or IIMUN)^[1] is a youth organisation comprising 26,000 young organisers who put together student conferences in 220 cities and 35 countries, and work with over 7,500 schools impacting 10 million students annually.^[2][3][4][5] The organization simulates the workings of Indian Parliament and multi-lateral organisations for school students to engage them in debates about international relations, current affairs and world politics.^[6][7] The aim of the organisation is to get Indian students between 13 and 19 to become global citizens with an Indian mind-set.^[8][9][10]

History[edit]

I.I.M.U.N. was founded in 2011 by Rishabh.S.Shah, with its first conference being held from 2–5 August 2012 at the Mumbai World Trade Centre.^[11]

Conferences[edit]

I.I.M.U.N. held a conference inside the United Nations headquarters in New York City in August 2016, and it has since become annual.^{[12][13][14][5][15]} They have conducted the world's largest Mock UNO conference in Mumbai with 7,500 students participating in it.^[16][17][18] Every year, annually in August, the organisation puts together its yearly finale event which has taken place in Aamby Valley City, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel & the World Trade Centre. Winning students from across the country and globe come to participate in the same, which is called I.I.M.U.N. Championship Conference.^[19][20][21] The students learn about yoga and Indian best practices in the mornings, followed by debating on issues after which speakers come and engage with them.^[22][23] The conferences are held in cities in India ranging from Srinagar^[24] to Kanyakumari^[25] & Port Blair^[26] to Kohima,^[27] countries ranging from Japan to Uruguay, Poland to South Africa.^[28][29]

Issues discussed[edit]

One of the central topics being discussed in all conferences has been Security Council reform to get India a permanent seat in the council, which is a topic lobbied for by the Indian government in the actual United Nations.^[1][30] Other issues that are discussed range from debating the 26/11 terror attacks, ISIS, environmental issues, human rights concerns, and economic topics such as demonetisation.^[11][31][32] The organisation also simulates councils based on Indian history and polity.

Initiatives[edit]

Find a bed,^[33][34] an initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, tackled the problem of finding COVID beds for mildly symptomatic and asymptomatic patients in India.^{[35][36][37][38]} Popular celebrities from Karan Johar,^[39] Gauri Khan, Kriti Sanon, Kartik Aryan,^[40] Sania Mirza, Shashi Tharoor amongst others supported the cause. However, the initiative also came under criticism for some of the pictures of ambassadors not being "proper".^[41]

References[edit]