Non-Governmental Organizations Program

Dear Delegates,

It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to the Non-Governmental Organizations Program for Harvard National Model United Nations 2010. My name is Alyssa Yamamoto and I am a rising sophmore at Harvard College. Next year, I will be residing in the beautiful abode on the river, Dunster house (where Al Gore and Tommy Lee Jones once lived!). I intend to concentrate in Social Studies, focusing on international development. Although I was born and raised in Westchester, NY, my entire family, other than my mother and sister, still lives in Japan. Asides from directing HNMUN’s NGO Program, I will serve as the director of both a futuristic Security Council for a conference for Harvard freshmen, and Harvard’s International Relations Week, a conference dedicated to spreading awareness about current international affairs via speaker events, charity fundraisers, dinner discussions, photo exhibits, and much more! I am also heavily involved in Harvard College’s Global Health and AIDS Coalition, particularly its licensing movement targeted at Harvard’s research institute. In my free time, I love trying new food, traveling around the world, shopping, singing and holding spontaneous dance parties!

The NGO Program is very special to the HNMUN conference. After each delegate is assigned to a specific NGO, he or she is given the independence to participate in one or more of the conference’s committees, as long as the selected topics prove to be relevant. NGO delegates offer a critical voice to the committee, one unhindered by the limited national interests of the public sector. In this manner, NGO delegates have an extremely unique perspective that can greatly impact the flow of committee dialogue. By providing expertise in their field, including statistics, potential resources and analyses of past attempts at solutions, NGO delegates can help formulate feasible and successful resolutions that fully address the issue at hand. I hope that you will choose to join HNMUN 2010’s NGO Program for a memorable, distinctive conference experience!

Sincerely,

Alyssa Yamamoto
Director, Non-Governmental Organizations Program
Harvard National Model United Nations 2010

The NGO Program offers a unique opportunity through which to experience HNMUN. Unlike any other committee, the NGO Program allows each delegate to explore a variety of other committees in the GA and ECOSOC organs, partaking in all the substantive debates as a valuable source of resources and expertise. NGO representatives will possess the expertise regarding current issues affecting our world today. Furthermore, beyond knowing what the problems are, each NGO also offer solutions on how to address such issues.

Delegates will represent local, regional, and international NGOs from around the world. Beyond knowing just what the problems are, each NGO will be able to provide in-depth solutions and programs for addressing the issues. The International Committee of the Red Cross, for example, will provide the latest information on emergency relief drives. Women’s rights organizations, such as Women for Women International, will call for gender equality initiatives, while children’s rights organizations, like Save the Children, will advocate for policies to protect children and preserve stability for future generations. Groups such as the Human Rights Watch and the MDG Global Watch will watch out for efficiency and sustainability, to ensure specific progress towards global goals. These are just a few examples of NGOs that may be represented at HNMUN, that each have the power to change the world.

Representing an NGO is a fulfilling and unparalleled experience as each delegate will be able to contribute and influence a committee and provide an outsider’s perspective on how to address the issues discussed in that committee. Every NGO delegate will have the opportunity to engage in issues that affect our real world and provide feasible and realistic solutions to affect the committees throughout the conference.