I.I.M.U.N.
{{Short description|Youth organization with headquarters in India}}
{{AfDM|page=I.I.M.U.N. (2nd nomination)|year=2025|month=April|day=7|substed=yes|origtag=afdx|help=off}}
{{infobox organization
| name = India’s International Movement to United Nations (I.I.M.U.N.)
| image = Indian_International_MUN_logo.png
| image_border =
| size =
| caption =
| abbreviation = I.I.M.U.N.
| formation = {{Start date and age|2011||}}
| type = Youth organization
| headquarters = Mumbai
| location = India
| language = English, Hindi
| leader_title = President
| leader_name = Rishabh S. Shah
| website = [http://www.iimun.in www.iimun.in]
}}
I.I.M.U.N. (India's International Movement to Unite Nations) is a youth organisation, founded in 2012, that hosts academic simulations of United Nations sessions for students aged 13 to 19. It organizes events where participants role-play as diplomats and deliberate on local, national, and international issues in committee sessions.{{Cite news |date=5 August 2016 |title=Indian International Model United Nations hosts its first Dehradun Chapter Conference |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/53561255.cms |work=The Times of India}} At its conferences, students represent bodies such as the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations Environment Programme, discussing topics like reforms to the Security Council.{{Cite news |date=26 September 2016 |title=SGI school wins top honours at international model UN event |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/SGI-school-wins-top-honours-at-international-model-UN-event/articleshow/54515939.cms |access-date=2018-12-13 |website=The Times of India}}
I.I.M.U.N. has conducted conferences across India and internationally, and became the first organisation to hold a Model UN conference at the United Nations Headquarters. In addition to its educational activities, I.I.M.U.N. has organised large-scale public events, including a peace march supporting India’s bid for permanent membership in the Security Council, and the “Find a Bed” initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic to help patients locate hospital and quarantine facilities.
History
In 2016, I.I.M.U.N. held several conference across India and internationally. Its first Dehradun chapter took place at Ecole Globale International Girls’ School, with over 400 students from twenty educational institutions participating. Committees simulated a range of bodies, including the World Trade Organization, the United Nations Security Council, and the Indian Cabinet. That same year, I.I.M.U.N. held its first international conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York City,{{Cite news |date=2016-08-24 |title=A future PM is learning his first lessons of diplomacy at IIMUN: Rishab Shah |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/a-future-pm-islearning-his-first-lessons-of-diplomacy-at-iimun-rishab-shah/articleshow/53836486.cms |access-date=2018-12-13 |work=The Economic Times}} followed by a large-scale conference in Mumbai that drew 7,500 students.{{Cite web |title=March to demand permanent membership for India in UNSC |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/cmcm/march-to-demand-permanent-membership-for-india-in-unsc |access-date=2020-02-29 |website=Free Press Journal |language=en}}
In September 2016, a chapter was held at the Kolhapur Institute of Technology (KIT), with approximately 200 student-delegates debating topics such as reforms to the Security Council. That same month, I.I.M.U.N. also organized a four-day conference at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai, where 500 students from over 100 cities simulated the UN General Assembly and debated issues including terrorism and India’s bid for permanent membership in the Security Council. Speakers included lawyer and politician Ram Jethmalani, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, film director Rohit Shetty, and Prakash Shah, India’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations.{{Cite news |date=14 September 2016 |title=Students debate terror issues to mark 26/11 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Students-debate-terror-issues-to-mark-26/11/articleshow/54320902.cms |url-status= |access-date=2018-12-13 |website=The Times of India}}
Public outreach
In April 2016, I.I.M.U.N. announced a peace march in Mumbai involving approximately 65,000 participants to advocate for India’s permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council. On the same day, over 10,000 students attended a Model United Nations conference organized by I.I.M.U.N. at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium in Mumbai. I.I.M.U.N. describes itself as a non-political network of students aged 16 to 24, and organized the event to build youth support for India's role in international affairs.{{Cite web |last1=Vibhute |first1=Kranti |date=2016-04-08 |title=Mumbai to host world's largest mock UN conference |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-mumbai-to-host-world-s-largest-mock-un-conference-2199333 |access-date=2020-02-29 |website=DNA India |language=en}}
In 2021, during India’s second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, I.I.M.U.N. launched the “Find a Bed” initiative to help patients with mild symptoms or those who were asymptomatic locate available hospital and quarantine facilities.{{Cite web |date=14 June 2021 |title=How A Team Of Students Is Helping Non-critical Patients Find Beds |url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/covid19-frontline-warriors/how-a-team-of-students-is-helping-noncritical-patients-find-beds/68453/1 |access-date=2021-12-27 |website=Forbes India |language=en}} Developed over 72 hours by 194 student volunteers, the initiative created a multilingual website that listed more than 19,000 centers, including hospitals and hotels converted into quarantine spaces, across 446 Indian cities. According to I.I.M.U.N., more than 20,000 of its members volunteered to support the initiative. Prominent Bollywood actors, including Karan Johar, Shraddha Kapoor, and Boman Irani, supported the initiative by sharing information on bed availability through their platforms. The initiative also had a Bollywood cause ambassador.{{Cite magazine |author=Samarth Srivastava |date=May 13, 2021 |title='Find a bed' initiative helps Covid-19 patients search for hospital beds |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/-find-a-bed-helps-covid-19-patients-hospital-beds-1801945-2021-05-13 |access-date=2021-12-27 |magazine=India Today |language=en}}