Councils 2026

UNESCO
Beginner Level 
TOPIC A: Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age: Promoting Cultural Diversity and Mitigating Cultural Homogenisation
The rapid development and expansion of digital technologies have fundamentally transformed how culture is created, shared and preserved. While digital platforms enhance global access and intercultural dialogue, they also pose a threat to the growing inequalities in cultural representation. Dominant cultures overshadow minority and indigenous identities, which are often supported by stronger economic and technological infrastructures.
At the core of UNESCO’s mandate lies the safeguarding of cultural diversity as a common heritage of humanity. Through frameworks such as the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, UNESCO emphasises the importance of ensuring that technological advancement strengthens, rather than erodes, cultural plurality. In the digital age, this responsibility extends to promoting inclusive representation, protecting intangible heritage and ensuring equitable access to digital tools, while addressing the risks of cultural homogenisation in an increasingly digital and connected world. How can nations ensure that the digital age becomes a catalyst for safeguarding cultural diversity and strengthening inclusive cultural expression?
TOPIC B: The Role of the International Community in Preserving Cultural Heritage in Conflict Zones: Enhancing Coordination and Preventing Destruction
Heritage sites across the world hold outstanding value to all of humanity. Natural heritage sites are some of the most extraordinarily beautiful and diverse places the natural world has to offer, while cultural heritage sites represent the heritage of entire societies and humanity’s most remarkable achievements. In spite of this importance, the continued existence of these natural and human-made wonders is not a given. Today, a significant number of heritage sites are threatened by war, terrorism, and other forms of conflict and political instability. Violent conflict can pose a significant danger to heritage sites through means as diverse as the breakdown of conservation mechanisms, collateral damage during fighting, and targeted destruction by combatting parties. The loss of these sites in conflict would be irreplaceable. Your challenge, therefore, is to draft a Resolution that will help protect these extraordinary sites in zones of conflict. What is currently preventing heritage sites from being adequately protected? Which measures should be taken to ensure adequate protection of heritage sites? How far may the involvement of the international community go in this? These are some of the questions you will have to answer.

Thijmen Kool – Chairperson of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation

UNHRC 
Beginner Level
Topic A —Addressing Gender–based and Conflict–related Sexual Violence against Women in the Context of Military Coups and Insecurity
The resurgence of military coups and unconstitutional changes of government, particularly in parts of Africa and Asia, has coincided with a deterioration in human rights protections, particularly for women and girls. In contexts of political instability and a weakened rule of law, gender-based violence (GBV) increases significantly, including conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) by armed actors such as state forces, militias and non-state groups. Women and girls are disproportionately affected due to pre-existing gender inequalities, limited access to justice, and inadequate institutional protection mechanisms. Survivors often experience stigma and are unwilling to report incidents, and have limited access to medical, psychological, and legal support. Furthermore, transitional governments following coups often lack the legitimacy or capacity to address these violations, while accountability mechanisms remain weak or non-existent. Key issues include the role of international humanitarian and human rights law, the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping mandates in protecting civilians, and the importance of gender-sensitive approaches in post-conflict reconstruction.
TOPIC B: Human Rights in El Salvador: Addresing the Rising Incidence of Arbitrary Detention, Torture and Internal Displacement
El Salvador has attracted international attention due to its harsh security measures intended to combat gang violence, particularly since the state of exception was declared in 2022. While these measures have contributed to a significant reduction in homicide rates, they have also raised serious human rights concerns. Reports from organisations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have highlighted a substantial increase in arbitrary detentions, allegations of torture and ill-treatment in detention facilities, and violations of due process. Furthermore, this security crackdown has led to patterns of internal displacement. Individuals and families may flee their homes due to fear of wrongful arrest, retaliation, or violence from either state forces or remaining criminal groups. This puts further strain on social systems and highlights gaps in the protection of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Key questions include how to ensure accountability for abuse, strengthen judicial independence, and support victims of arbitrary detention and displacement.

Herve Heyndrickx- Chairperson of the United Nations Human Rights Council

UNCTAD 
Intermediate Level
Topic —Leveraging International Trade for Decarbonisation: Supporting Developing Countries in Transitioning to Sustainable Manufacturing Economies
With the increase in climate-related challenges, developing nations must strike a balance between attaining their industrial development goals and not adopting carbon-heavy models. This issue highlights the role that global trade can play as an enabler in transitioning agricultural-based nations into environmentally friendly manufacturing industries. Currently, non-tariff trade barriers, access to critical minerals, technology gatekeeping and geopolitical fragmentation are all constraining global green industrialisation. Through the lens of the UNCTAD, delegates will explore the opportunities presented by trade, investments, and technology transfer to achieve sustainable industrialization. Some of the critical areas of discussion are non-tariff trade barriers and guaranteeing equal access to markets, combating green protectionism, and sustainable and equitable development.

Mihnea Pasere – Chairperson of United Nations Trade and Development

Legal
Expert Level Topic A — Climate Harm as an International Wrong: Defining State Obligations and Accountability under International Law
Climate change is increasingly framed not only as a policy challenge but as a potential international wrong. Around the world, states are facing legal action for failing to prevent or mitigate climate harm, signalling a shift toward understanding climate change through the lens of legal obligation, accountability, and responsibility.
The recent ICJ advisory opinion reinforces this development. It clarified that states’ climate obligations arise from multiple sources of international law, including environmental treaties, customary norms, and human rights law. Crucially, the Court indicated that these obligations may be owed erga omnes, to the international community as a whole, and that failure to act could trigger consequences under the law of state responsibility.
Yet significant legal uncertainties remain. Questions of attribution, shared responsibility, differentiated obligations, and the appropriate remedies for climate harm continue to divide states. This tension reflects a deeper divide: while climate‑vulnerable states push for recognition of climate harm as a matter of legal responsibility, others maintain that climate action remains primarily political, grounded in sovereignty, consent, and developmental priorities.
The delegates must address not only whether states have binding obligations to act on climate change, but also how far international law can go in defining duties, assigning responsibility, and enforcing accountability in a system built on state consent and unequal contributions to harm.
Topic B —Legal Pathways for Reforming the Use of the United Nations Security Council Veto Vote
The veto power of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, established under Article 27(3) of the UN Charter, remains one of the most contested features of the UN’s collective security framework. While the veto was intended to preserve unity among major powers and ensure the functioning of the Security Council, its frequent use has led to institutional paralysis in situations involving threats to international peace and security. This raises fundamental legal questions concerning the balance between unity in decision-making and structural inequality embedded within the Charter.
From a legal standpoint, the veto reflects a deliberate departure from the principle of sovereign equality enshrined in Article 2(1) of the Charter. As international law has evolved—particularly through the development of peremptory norms, obligations erga omnes, and doctrines such as the responsibility to protect—debate has intensified over whether the unrestricted exercise of the veto remains compatible with the purposes and principles of the United Nations under Article 1
The questions delegates must answer during the debates range from what the legal limits, if any, are on the use of veto under Article 27(3) UNC, and whether the unrestricted use of the veto conflicts with jus cogens norms or erga omnes obligations.
Ultimately, the issue calls into question the compatibility of the veto with the principle of sovereign equality under Article 2(1) UNC, and whether legal criteria can or should be developed to restrict its use in cases involving mass atrocities, without undermining the foundational structure of the Charter itself.

Karina Balaban – Chairperson of the Legal Committee

NATO
Expert Level
Topic — The end of the ROPE: The Future of NATO Under Uncertain Security Assurances
As the fires of war keep raging across the Middle East, the temperatures in the West are plummeting to Absolute Zero. Decades of development of the Allied defence capabilities, trillions of dollars worth of equipment, ammunition, vehicles and ordinance spent, and scores of crises averted. The most powerful and successful military Alliance in human history. And yet, the aluminium shield of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation started to show cracks.
In recent years, some leaders of Member States expressed their dissatisfaction with the Organisation, which sparked serious concerns regarding the preparedness of NATO in the case of a shrinking. Some leaders, experts, and the Secretary General of NATO have expressed their doubts and concerns regarding the resilience and defence capabilities if the contributions of certain member states were to be withdrawn.
With that in mind, the question is rather simple: Is NATO doomed to fall apart, piece by piece? And if so, what can we do to stop it?

Tomaš Kučera – Chairperson of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

Crisis
Expert Level
Topic — Sengoku Jidai: The Japanese Feudal Wars
Japan, late 16th century. For nearly a hundred years, the country has been in a state of constant fighting. After the Shogunate collapsed and no authority capable of controlling Daimyo, war engulfed the whole country. Since then, the Daimyo have governed, expanded and strengthened their territories through warfare and diplomacy.
Now, alliances have formed. Some march under one banner of unification, only a Japan united in belief can rise out of this broken nation. Others follow old beliefs and loyalties, holding on to an order from the past. And then there are those who only serve their own cause, hungry for power. But no group is strong enough to do it on their own.
While diplomacy can do what the sword can’t, your ally marching with you today may burn down your castle tomorrow. There is no single way to success, and it is up to you to rewrite Japan’s volatile feudal history.