The UNO will display an art exhibition in the Union Art Gallery in November. The exhibit will show pictures Dube took this summer when she helped orphans suffering from AIDS through Operation Crossroads Africa.
The UNO also hopes to implement the Adopt a Minefield campaign. This effort - drawing from the Adopt a Highway idea - asks for donations to deactivate minefields all over the world.
In addition to the UNO's efforts on campus, Model United Nations - a UNO committee - allows the group to work on a national level.
The 20-member group imitates the real United Nations. At conferences, universities form delegations from specific countries and argue actual pressing concerns of the nations they represent.
The delegates from each country meet in committees - such as Weapons and Mass Destruction - and confer with countries who share similar interests to develop solutions for problems that affect the world.
"It can be very tense and excited. You forget that you are pretending and become your country, so you make sure that their interests get looked out for," said Model U.N. Chairwoman Carrie Callaghan, a junior from Olney, Md.
The next conference will be held in Washington, D.C., later this week, where two UNC delegations will represent Canada and Algeria. Awards will be presented to the "Most Outstanding Delegate" and "Most Outstanding Delegation."
"The winners of these awards show the prestige of their schools' Model U.N. programs," Callaghan said.
A major concern of the UNO and Model U.N. is the absence of an academic course students can take to better prepare them for conferences - an option many other schools offer.
"One of our goals is to incorporate the Model U.N. program into the academic curriculum to strengthen its presence in the Model U.N. conferences and also to highlight international issues for the student body," Karvelas said.
Beyond these campus and national efforts, the UNO works to bridge the generation gap by working with the local chapter of the United Nations Association.
The UNA is an organization of adults throughout the country who are either retired members of the United Nations or share an interest in the organization.
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The local chapter boasts more than 300 members and shares the same goal as the UNO. "Our role is to help educate the public in our area about the U.N. - why, what and how it relates to us," said Jerry Burke, UNA president of the West Triangle Chapter and former U.N. employee.
UNO holds two positions on UNA's executive board, giving the UNO strength and leadership. "Being a member of the UNA is great. We get officially recognized and we're growing; it helps us be more established," Dube said.
The UNA provides the UNO with countless contacts, educational resources and valuable speakers.
UNA also helps fund the Model U.N. conferences. This year UNA contributed $1,000. But some Model U.N. members still will be forced to pay for a portion of the trip themselves.
"We want to foster as much as we can the UNO at UNC and to help underwrite costs. Students paying out of their own pockets is an indication of their dedication and desire," Burke said.
Yet, the UNO and the UNA share more than just speakers and resources - they share a common drive and goal.
"It's really exciting to work with them because they are very enthusiastic about working with young people and helping us learn about the U.N.," Callaghan said of UNA. "That enthusiasm is contagious - it makes us more excited."
UNO members hope they can share their passion with students during their day of celebration.
Burke said, "The U.N.'s future depends on college students, they are the leaders of tomorrow - that's a practical fact of life. Promoting what we believe in and helping college students understand is very much a two-way street."
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