Students from the University of the Free State (UFS) and institutions across South Africa gathered in Bloemfontein from 31 July to 2 August 2026 for the fourth annual Kovsie Model United Nations (MUN) Summit, hosted by the United Nations Association of South Africa (UNASA) UFS Chapter. The three-day summit provided a platform for young leaders to engage with pressing global issues through debate, diplomacy, and policymaking. 

As the UNASA UFS Chapter's flagship event, the summit is an academic simulation in which delegates represent different countries, stepping into the role of heads of state to debate international challenges from the perspective of the nation they have been assigned. This year's programme centred on the theme, At the Crossroads of Power: Reimagining Multilateralism in an Unequal and Polarised World, encouraging participants to explore the complexities of international cooperation in a rapidly changing world. 

The opening ceremony welcomed several distinguished guests, including the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) of the Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture, and Recreation, Ntombizanele Sifuba; Ambassador André Groenewald; and representatives from the Free State Centre for Human Rights. The summit programme also included General Assembly sessions, committee debates, a gala dinner, and an awards ceremony recognising outstanding delegates.

Building diplomacy through simulation

For Monde Buthu, Institutional President General of the UNASA UFS Chapter, the event marked an important milestone in the organisation's growth.

“Having led the planning committee for the past four years,” he said it was a surreal moment. “Every year we set ourselves new goals, and every year we continue to grow. It has been an incredible journey, and despite the nerves at the beginning, the summit was a great success.”