Model United Nations

I have just returned from a Model United Nations conference with some of my students and was delighted to see that the Holy See was represented. It is easy for the Catholic voice to be ignored entirely and so having the Holy See as one representative among many at such conferences is very welcome. 


The presence of the Holy See at the UN upsets some but it's important to remember that, as the official website of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations puts it, "The Holy See enjoys by its own choice the status of Permanent Observer at the United Nations, rather than of a full Member." The Vatican is not muscling in on the international community; on the contrary, it does not insist on what might be regarded as its right to full membership.


To find out more about the Holy See and the UN click here. To read Pope Benedict's speech to the General Assembly of the UN in 2008 click here and to read the Vatican's views about reform of the UN (from 2004) click here.