The United Nations Association Flanders Belgium ‘VVN’ was established in 1976, in continuation of the former Belgian Association for the United Nations, and has been active in Flanders ever since.
The VVN informs the public of the work of the United Nations, the principles of international cooperation, and how the UN system addresses and resolves contemporary global issues.
Through activities such as conferences, seminars, lectures, and its annual interuniversity Model United Nations (MUN), as well as through the publication of a periodical (Wereldbeeld) and a series of monographs (Wereldvisie), UNA Flanders Belgium raises awareness about the need for international cooperation and consultation.
VVN Youth, the youth and student branch of UNA Flanders Belgium, has been active since 2006 and creates opportunities for the future generations to participate in this process. VVN Youth has chapters at the universities of Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, and Leuven, where it organizes lectures, workshops, diplomatic training sessions, etc.
VVN has several committees or Working Groups: Education, International development cooperation, Communication, Model United Nations, and Youth. These working groups meet regularly to plan new events or prepare new publications.
VVN maintains a close relationship with the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) of which it has been a member since its foundation. Furthermore, VVN has been an active member of the ‘EU Liaison Group’, a Group of UNAs of the Member States of the European Union, established especially to liaise with the EU.
VVN’s current President is Prof. Dr. Jan Wouters, Professor of International Law and International Organizations at the KU Leuven (Catholique University Leuven).
