“To distribute information on the structure and workings of the United Nations and its subsidiary organs as well as education and mutual understanding amongst the people by conveying the fundamentals of international relations, insights into the workings of international organizations as well as knowledge about the countries of the world and international affairs to its members and other interested persons”
— UNSA Mission Statement
Find out more about the ideas that define UNSA!
UNSA´s 5 Missions
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Every year, UNSA is proud to host several socio-academic events among which, lecture series and workshops are to be found just as well as debates on most diverse topics. The focus of these events vary from offering direct insights into international politics through its own magazine the “Maastricht Diplomat” for example, to offering its members contacts at and information about job opportunities at different international institutions.
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One of UNSA’s most important dimensions is represented by a set of the most diverse social events, which take place in Maastricht throughout the entire academic year. From elegant galas in Maastricht’s finest venues, to neon-parties and city-trips – UNSA offers everything you need to build of a strong, international network of friends from all over the world.
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Throughout the last years, UNSA has evolved to being one of the most renowned debating societies of the Netherlands. Providing its members with an extensive training-program, UNSA’s delegations were awarded numerous decorations for their performances. This year again, UNSA is planning on actively discovering the world of diplomacy by sending delegations to more than 10 MUNs in Switzerland, Italy, Scotland, Israel and many other countries.
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In close cooperation with numerous international NGOs in developing countries, UNSA already successfully prepared and delegated more than 150 volunteers to development-projects across the world. Benefiting from the experience of several generations of UNSA-volunteers, our participants undergo an extensive training-program before spending their summer holidays working for one of these NGOs in India, Nepal and Madagascar for example.
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Every year, as an outstanding tradition, UNSA welcomes more than 300 internationally oriented students in the frame of its own MUN-conference. In 2022, UNSA hosted the 14th edition of what has evolved to be one of the most European MUN-conferences, featuring an extensive pre- and social-program and heated debates on different issues of international politics.
Letter From the President
In fall of 2022, while feeling out of place and intimated by the new and often overwhelming experience of Maastricht student life, I sat on the floor of my apartment and drafted a motivation letter to the External Relations Committee of UNSA. To be perfectly honest, I, like most of us starting out, had no idea what I was talking about and had very few expectations of what was to come.
From my time as an ER committee member, to getting the opportunity to serve on the 23/24 Governing Board as Head of External Relations, to now, having the great honor of being the 24/25 President, each step I’ve taken has been full of surprises and UNSA has rapidly become the most wonderful and fulfilling part of my student life. The association has given me my closest friends, my greatest career connections, and has taught me so much about who I want to be in the world.
As President of UNSA, I hope to take everything the association has given me and invest it back into making a wonderful year for so many other Maastricht students. Whether you attend a few of our events or spend multiple years getting active in our work, I hope you find a sense of community that is not only diverse and international, but one that is kind, welcoming, and can offer you a sense of belonging right here in Maastricht.
Addison Shelton I President