Southern Ontario Model United Nations Association
Encyclopedia
The Southern Ontario Model United Nations Assembly is the oldest and largest Model United Nations
simulation run entirely by high-school students in North America. Founded in 1973, it has run continuously for 39 years. SOMA is a registered charity and reports annual revenue of approximately $75,000 CDN, with approximately $70,000 of that money being spent on their programming. The assembly is affiliated with the University of Toronto Schools
in that the Secretary General, Secretariat, Committee Chairs, and other staff are all current students of the school. Secretaries General have a term of one year, and are chosen by the previous year's secretariat. The current Secretary General of SOMA is Rachel Park.
The 39th session of SOMA (SOMA XXXIX) was held from April 27-29, 2011, at the University of Toronto
's St. George Campus.
simulations, SOMA runs 5 categories of committees:
All of the United Nations' 192 member-States are represented at SOMA by approximately 600 student representatives divided into 2 to 5 person delegations.
Model United Nations
Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
simulation run entirely by high-school students in North America. Founded in 1973, it has run continuously for 39 years. SOMA is a registered charity and reports annual revenue of approximately $75,000 CDN, with approximately $70,000 of that money being spent on their programming. The assembly is affiliated with the University of Toronto Schools
University of Toronto Schools
The University of Toronto Schools is an independent secondary day school affiliated with the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
in that the Secretary General, Secretariat, Committee Chairs, and other staff are all current students of the school. Secretaries General have a term of one year, and are chosen by the previous year's secretariat. The current Secretary General of SOMA is Rachel Park.
The 39th session of SOMA (SOMA XXXIX) was held from April 27-29, 2011, at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
's St. George Campus.
Committee
Like many Model United NationsModel United Nations
Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
simulations, SOMA runs 5 categories of committees:
- General AssemblyUnited Nations General AssemblyFor two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
- Economic and Social CouncilUnited Nations Economic and Social CouncilThe Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
- Regional bodies, such as OIC and AOSIS
- Crisis committees, where delegates participate in real-time roleplay situations
- French committees, where delegates participate in bilingual debate
All of the United Nations' 192 member-States are represented at SOMA by approximately 600 student representatives divided into 2 to 5 person delegations.
Opening Ceremonies
SOMA's opening ceremonies are one of the defining aspects of the conference. The events center on an opening speech, usually by a prominent academic or politician. Previous speakers have included:- Alan Rock
- Mark KingwellMark KingwellMark Gerald Kingwell, M.Litt, M.Phil, PhD, D.F.A. is a Canadian professor of philosophy and associate chair at the University of Toronto's Department of Philosophy. Kingwell is a fellow of Trinity College...
- Sujit Choudhry
- John DuffyJohn DuffyJohn Duffy is the name of:* John A. Duffy , American bishop* John Duffy , American soccer player* John Duffy and David Mulcahy , the Railway Rapists, British rapists and murderers...