Activities
VVN Youth Leuven organises many activities: lectures, during which we invite guest speakers to comment on a specific subject using their own professional experience; visits, during which we learn how international organisations work exactly. These activities are open for everyone. For our members, we also organise movie nights, informal meetings with for instance diplomats and we also send delegations to participate in Model United Nations all over the world.
Lectures
During our lectures, we invite guest speakers to inform us on a certain subject from their own professional experience. In the past, we welcomed representatives from the UNODC, UNHCR, Amnesty International,... Furthermore, we can always count on the presence of KU Leuven academics and we have invited, among others, Prof. Dr. Paoli and Prof. Dr. Drieskens. Some subjects we covered during these lectures are the famine in the Sahel, the refugee crisis in Syria and human trafficking. After each lecture, we organise a Q&A during which you can ask your questions to the guest speakers. Afterwards, there is always a reception so you can make informal contacts, ideal if you're working on a thesis or a paper.
Moreover, VVN Youth Leuven regularly organises a UN&YYOU, during which information about the United Nations is combined with information regarding job and internship opportunities. Also during these UN&YOUs, we offer the opportunity to interact with former interns.
Lectures are usually in English and are open to everyone.
Visits
During our visits to international organisations, we rely on experts for in-depth information about the organisation's work. Past visits include the NATO headquarters, the European Court of Auditors, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the International Criminal Court, the European External Action Service, the Belgian embassy in Luxembourg and the UN Regional Information Center. During these trips, we were welcomed, among others, by diplomats of the Belgian mission to NATO and by the Belgian ambassador to Luxembourg, H.E. Thomas Antoine.
Our visits are usually organised in English and are open to everyone. Of course, we try to limit the costs as much as possible.
Model United Nations
During a Model United Nations (MUN), some institutions of the United Nations are simulated, such as the Security Cuncil. You represent a country and together with other representatives you have to work on a current issue in world politics. At the end of the MUN, you are supposed to agree on a resolution that is in your country's interests.
In the past, VVN Youth Leuven members participated in the GMUN in Geneva, the LiMUN in London, the OxiMUN in Oxford and the WorldMUN of Harvard University. VVN Youth Leuven helps its members during the application process, but also by arranging transport and accomodation.
Other
For our members we also organise informal meetings with for instance diplomats. We had the chance to welcome, among others, H.E. Jan Luykx, Belgian ambassador in Switzerland and H.E. Julie Bynens, Flemish Representative to the European Union.
We also have more relaxing activities. We organise movie nights, teambuilding activities, or we just go to a bar.