Goals
The overarching goal of Austria Model WHO is to strengthen the global health community in Austria and build a network of future global health leaders.
Model World Health Organisation (Model WHO) is a simulation of the World Health Assembly conducted at the World Health Organisation every year in Geneva, Switzerland. Participants act as Delegates of countries and get hands on experience in diplomacy and health policy making. Model WHO is inspired from the Model United Nations, which is popular across the world. Having participated in and having organised such conferences in the United Kingdom, we want to introduce this prestigious conference model to Austria. We want to conduct this event in Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems, and put Lower Austria on the map of International Global Health community.
Project
In October 2022, we conducted a taster event online via Zoom as an introduction to Model WHO. The theme was “Energy Security and Health”. We had 10 participants who role played as delegates from EUR and SEAR region countries, and INGOs. We did a training session in the morning session along with two speaker talks. In the afternoon delegates engaged in policy debates and wrote two Draft resolutions. These resolutions were then discussed and passed by the plenary as a whole. It was a successful event. We are hopeful and excited to organise and conduct the next Model WHO in April in-person.
In April 2023, Austria Model WHO will conducted over a weekend - Friday to Sunday, on the theme “Climate Change and Health”. In the simulation, participants role play as the delegates of member countries, and act in the interest of their assigned countries. On Friday and Saturday participants will engage in discussions within their regional blocks (EMR, SEAR, PAH etc), with countries they are connected to, geographically, economically and politically. Together they will write a draft resolution which they will then propose to all the member countries in a plenary session on Sunday. All the regional groups come together to debate and defend their resolutions. The resolutions that are passed make up the policies for ‘WHO’. These discussions are enriched with speaker talks, and social events help promote network building. These debates give the participants first hand experience in health policy making in a simulated environment. This is a great opportunity for those interested in global health to meet their peers, discuss health policy and lay foundations for potential collaborations.
Registrations for the simulation “Climate Change and Health” are open right now!
Contribute
You can contribute to Austria Model WHO in many ways:
- Share information and awareness about Austria Model WHO in your university, company or among your friends.
- Participate in Austria Model WHO simulations if possible.
- Follow us on social media and share our posts on your feed.
Connecting global health enthusiasts in and around Austria.
