CUMUN stands for Chittagong University Model United Nations, a simulation of the United Nations involving debate, diplomacy, and negotiation to engage young people in policy-making and establish a legacy in the MUN circuit. CUMUN started its founding journey in 2015 with 5 individuals.
Ijaz Mahmud, founder & former president of CUMUN, who has been working with different youth organizations for over 12 years and is currently working as a deputy manager in recruitment and selection at Teach For Bangladesh, was invited to share the exciting yet inspirational journey with YSSE.
YSSE: Can you tell us a bit about your education, upbringing, current activities, etc.?
Ijaz Mahmud: I’m Ijaz Mahmud. I work on TFB, a non-government organization under the Teach For All network, which works on educational inequality in 63 countries worldwide. I was born and brought up in Dhaka.
I have my bachelor’s and master’s in international relations from Chittagong University. Later, I completed another master’s in social protection systems from Germany.
YSSE: How did your journey with CUMUN begin?
Ijaz Mahmud: International relations (IR), my field of study, dives deep into the fascinating world of global political dynamics. I also had a fascination with the world’s political history and wanted to grow my career on an international platform like the United Nations.
In my second year at university, I participated in the DUNMUN (Dhaka University National Model United Nations) conference with friends and surprisingly won the best position paper award, the sole accolade from my team. Inspired by this, we decided to organize a national conference on campus the following year and launched our first MUN workshop for 150 participants. The workshop’s success led to some attendees becoming executive members, marking the start of our journey in MUN.
Before launching, we trained our members and participated in various MUN competitions, winning seven awards for the best delegations. This success helped us launch the first MUN competition at CU with 350 delegates, and we continued to thrive from there.
YSSE: Why did you conceive this idea beyond merely engaging in debate?
Ijaz Mahmud: Before MUN, various clubs had already made their mark in CU, each with significant contributions and agendas that deserve recognition! MUN is a unique activity where delegates represent different countries and must persuade their committee members to present ideas like real United Nations scenarios. We wanted to introduce something new to the campus.
YSSE: How has this journey affected you and your current profession?
Ijaz Mahmud: As a human being, my activities, movements, hobbies, and even my companions—everything is affected by this journey. I have gained a wide range of skills from this club, like networking, decision-making, and organizing, which have shaped me both personally and professionally. Additionally, I had the opportunity to mix with diverse individuals, allowing me to learn from them.
YSSE: What challenges have you faced throughout this journey?
Ijaz Mahmud: Well, the first challenge was political, as there was a vehicle strike during our first on-campus MUN. So, it was quite tough to arrange delegates from all over the country. Then, convincing the administrative panels and teachers about this was another challenging thing, but we managed to address this issue maturely.
YSSE: Who or what has been your inspiration?
Ijaz Mahmud: My first award during DUNMUN was my inspiration. Also, the team spirit and dedication of my mates were another to add.
YSSE: Can you share some fun or memorable experiences from your time as the president of CUMUN?
Ijaz Mahmud: On the 2nd day of CUMUN 2016, our food got rotten, and we had to manage the lunch for 350 people within 30-40 minutes. Though we had to delay the lunch schedule, we were able to manage the food within time. That was quite a terrible yet exhilarating experience.
YSSE: If you were to write a slogan for this journey, what would it be?
Ijaz Mahmud: I would say
“Further Together”
for completing this big milestone.
YSSE: What is your further plan in this sector of youth development? What do you like to do for leisure?
Ijaz Mahmud: I aspire to be a consultant for youth development projects in youth organizations. I like watching documentaries and movies, playing games, and ukulele in my leisure time.
YSSE: What would your advice be to young people for their careers?
Ijaz Mahmud:
- The first and foremost advice is to study and be academically sound to grow more confidence.
- Get involved in your relevant fields so that it doesn’t get boring.
- Involvement in leadership development opportunities.
- Try to influence others with your work.
- Last but not least, do what you do best and find your passion.
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Writer
Tanmira Takwa
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE