CUMUN 2017
“Moralizing Youth for a World Free of Terrorism”
- ~400
- Delegates
- 26
- Executive Board members
- 5
- Countries represented
- 4
- Conference days
Geopolitical stability is not preserved by silent majorities; it is forged by moral courage. In the wake of escalating global militancy and the profound domestic impact of the Holey Artisan Bakery tragedy, the responsibility of the next generation shifted from academic discourse to active structural resistance. Confronting this critical historical juncture, the Chittagong University Model United Nations Association convened its third international session from January 19 to 22, 2017.
Staged across the expansive, verdant campus of the University of Chittagong, CUMUN 2017 consolidated its status as the absolute powerhouse of diplomacy in southern Bangladesh. The conference mobilized nearly 400 delegates and 26 elite Executive Board members traversing international boundaries — including delegations from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Malaysia. Operating under the urgent mandate, "Moralizing Youth for a World Free of Terrorism," the session bypassed conventional diplomatic platitudes.
CUMUN 2017 introduced critical institutional upgrades to maximize structural friction and intellectual output. For the first time in the conference's history, a Continuous Crisis Committee was implemented, forcing delegates to negotiate volatile, real-time geopolitical emergencies under extreme temporal constraints. It was an uncompromising challenge to systemic radicalization, demanding rigorous legal analysis, tactical negotiation, and immediate policy solutions.
The chambers
Committees
The committees for CUMUN 2017 were explicitly engineered to reflect the gravity of the conference theme. Delegates were placed within specialized organs, development banks, and human rights bodies to debate complex international legal frameworks, security directives, and socioeconomic policy.
Behind the scenes
The Secretariat
The operational and logistical execution of CUMUN 2017 was engineered by a synchronized administrative Secretariat of University of Chittagong students. Managing a massive logistics net that successfully integrated international executive boards, cross-border delegate onboarding, and rigorous university protocol, the Secretariat maintained an elite standard of execution — positioning the university as a premier hub for international youth diplomacy.
The Shuttle Train Experience & CU Tour
What fundamentally separated CUMUN 2017 from conventional circuit conferences was its total integration with the heritage of its host institution. On the second day, visiting international and domestic delegates embarked on the iconic Chittagong University Shuttle Train ride, transforming the commute into a venue for informal diplomatic alignment. This was followed by the 'CU Tour' — an adventurous, fast-paced trek through the unique green terrains of the largest university campus in the country.
Photo gallery
Moments from CUMUN 2017
Opening Ceremony
The conference commenced at the Lecture Hall of the Faculty of Business Administration. Before the formal parameters of debate were established, the chamber observed a solemn minute of silence in memory of late CUMUNA family member Noman Chowdhury. The introductory keynotes underscored a vital reality: as radicalization targets vulnerable demographics, high-level extra-curricular forums are critical to immunizing the professional leadership of tomorrow.
The Socials Night
On the third evening, the formal register transitioned into a high-octane cultural display at the Faculty of Social Sciences. The evening opened with a traditional patriotic choreography by the CUMUNA Secretariat, followed by a show-stopping traditional dance routine by the Nepalese delegation. The night reached its zenith with a live concert by local rock band Natai, covering iconic anthems from Creed, Linkin Park, and Warfaze.
Closing Plenary
The final day required a rapid acceleration of parliamentary workflow as committees rushed to compile working papers and pass binding draft resolutions. Official commendations and awards were distributed to individual delegates and delegations for outstanding research capacity, oratorical precision, and consensus-building skills — bringing CUMUN 2017 to a structured, purposeful close.
With thanks
Partners of CUMUN 2017
The institutional scale and operational execution of CUMUN 2017 were underwritten by the crucial support of strategic and corporate partners.
In the press
Media coverage
Through the analytical coverage of media houses and domestic correspondents backed by external outlets, the policy outputs of CUMUN 2017 were broadcast directly into the wider public square. CUMUNA records its formal appreciation to the entire press corps for documenting these four historic days with absolute professional seriousness.