Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM)

The United Nations Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee was commissioned in 1945 as the United Nations’ third committee with the goal of advancing human rights, overseeing indigenous issues, and improving women's rights and education, among other mandates. In a world continuously threatened by conflict and instability, SOCHUM grows increasingly relevant as natural rights are transformed into mechanisms of warfare, economic leverage, and coercive control. Delegates are challenged to debate, negotiate, and understand the power dynamics and sociocultural and political-economic factors involved in the status of education and cultural heritage.

DIRECTOR: KARINA TORRES

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Karina Torres Figueroa (she/her/hers) is a 2nd-year Geography and Russian major as well as an International Studies in Agriculture and Life Sciences minor. She is currently serving as University of Florida Model UN’s Director of General Assembly Member Development and as a Director for both of UF’s conferences, GatorMUN and SunMUN. Karina has competed in Model UN for 5 years as a GA delegate and has previously co-chaired and staffed many conferences including GatorMUN, SunMUN and FlagMUN.

Aside from Model UN, Karina is an intern at UF’s Center for European Studies and is a National Security Language Initiative for Youth and Critical Language Scholarship recipient, having studied Russian abroad in Daugavpils, Latvia and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. In her free time, Karina loves to travel, listen to music (ask her about Car Seat Headrest, Ziferblat, or any rock music), reading, rollerskating and side questing with her friends. She is so excited to direct this SOCHUM and cannot wait to meet all of you!