2020 Blog

This is the first online conference in IMUN history and this year’s officers were keen to adapt to an online format. They’ve been preparing for this unusual conference for many months and even though they’ve encountered many challenges, they were determined to make it a memorable experience for everyone. Some of the officers kindly agreed to participate in an interview in order to share their perspective of the conference.

Do you ever wonder how many girls and boys participate in IMUN? Or where each school is from? If you do check it out. 

This year there was a tense and suspenseful election for the United States. President Donald Trump ran for office as a republican for reelection, while former Vice President, Joe Biden, joined the race as Donald Trump’s democratic competitor. The results were tight, and the race could have swayed either way. In the end, Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris pulled out a win - a win that will go down in history.

A ceasefire is an agreement between two nations to stop a conflict so that both nations can focus on themselves and help provide peace for their country. In the response to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a ceasefire recently proposed by the United Nations was accepted by many nations.

It has been seen countless times that nations have formed empires whose foundation lies in the work of others that do not get to reap the benefits of the work they have done. Many of the nations that are being represented in this conference are guilty of oppression and theft of not only cultural artifacts but also the lives of the people who have been exploited by the formerly colonial European countries.

Many industries have collapsed as a result of the pandemic, and a significant amount of people in Portugal find themselves without food. Banco Alimentar, the Portuguese branch of the European Food Banks Federation, has received more and more requests for food donations. 

Mental health is one of the main and most important elements to live a happy and healthy life. Unfortunately, the mental health of some people is fragile and can be easily affected. Michelle Obama once said “our mental health seriously affects our physical health. So there should be no stigma around mental health, none at all.” 

The global pandemic has been the source of panic throughout the world for the most part of 2020. Countries have been put to the test, and their leaders have been forced to use their leadership and problem-solving skills.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a problem of legality arises: the question of vaccination patents. Countries and private institutions around the world are on a race to discover the first working vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the elusive virus responsible for the disease aptly dubbed COVID-19. As with any other invention, the vaccine must have an owner— an institution that will benefit from the monetary gains of the vaccine, as well as take responsibility for any fatal errors.

The Black Lives Matter movement (BLM) is one of the most discussed topics of 2020. After an African American teenager, Trayvon Martin was unjustly shot by a police officer in 2012, three African American women Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi started a social movement, which originated as a Facebook post, using the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. 

The Question of the Stabilization of Lebanon.

The Question of Holding International Bodies and Member States Responsible for Their Involvement and/or Measures Towards COVID-19.

The Question of Legitimate and Internationally Recognized Elections in Belorussia.

The Historical Security Council (HSC) is one of the novelties that has been introduced this year for the 26th Iberian Model United Nations Conference, replacing the International Court of Justice (ICJ). It functions similarly to the Security Council; however, it presents an interesting twist on this type of committee, discussing the issue of the past instead of the present.