Model United Nations and other student-focused activities
The International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO) offers logistical support to a cross section of secondary, college, and university-level students who organize and conduct Model United Nations events. This support, geared towards raising awareness on multilateral goals and governance as pursued under the United Nations and ICAO, also involves the provision of speakers and experts to address students on specific subjects, as well as the necessary protocol assistance to ensure that the young leaders experience a productive immersion in international diplomacy.
Model ICAO activities
ICAO currently supports two Model ICAO events aimed at students:
- The official Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) ‘Model ICAO’.
- ‘Model ICAO Forums’ conducted as part of our Organization’s annual Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Global Summits.
UQAM-hosted ‘Model ICAO’
Delegates representing ICAO’s 36-member Council attend a Model ICAO Council in 2016
Organized annually and conducted on ICAO’s premises, the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) ‘Model ICAO’ is an extra-curricular activity whereby students can role play as Delegations to ICAO’s 36-member Governing Council, simulating its committees, reviews and other governance and policy related outcomes.
The Model ICAO is designed to give participants insight into international diplomacy and the challenges associated with forging global consensus on air transport governance issues such as collaborative safety approaches, air navigation procedures, the adoption of international Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and their formal incorporation into the Annexes to the Chicago Convention, and aviation’s critical role in fostering sustainable socio-economic development.
University-level students pursuing courses in the fields of international law, political science, management, and engineering from Council Member States are eligible to participate in the Model ICAO Council. The event usually involves substantial research, public speaking, debating, as well as critical thinking, and participants enhance their writing skills and work towards conflict resolution and cooperation, thereby developing leadership skills.
The NGAP Global Summit Model ICAO Forum
ICAO Secretary General Dr Fang Liu (centre) is joined by the President of Concordia Model United Nations (ConMUN), Mr. Andrei Bochis (far left). With them are Aaron Clark-Ashe (left), Marwa Ahmed (centre-right), and Christopher Fabian (far-right), who emerged as the winners of the Model ICAO Forum Case Study Competition held on the sides of the inaugural NGAP Global Summit in Montréal in 2017.
Held every year in parallel to the NGAP Global Summit, the Model ICAO Forum targets high school, college, and university-level students from all 193 Member States of ICAO. Participants study global aviation's challenges and, through a Case Study competition, propose solutions to a panel of industry experts on emerging topics such as: Socio-economic Benefits of Air Transport; Capacity-building and Aviation Security; Unmanned Aircraft Systems; and Dangerous Cargo; to name just a few.
The event also features speed mentoring sessions with seasoned aviation professionals, and career exhibits by major air transport and industry organizations attending the NGAP Global Summit.
Through these engagements, ICAO aims to raise awareness on the projected shortage of aviation professionals by broadening the scope of its outreach to young leaders, whose active involvement is crucial to sustainably managing the future global aviation sector.
For further information, please contact:
communications@icao.int.
