Ahead of the 9th Model African Union (AU) Assembly ? to be held over two days, from Friday 20 to Saturday 21 November, at the National Assembly Members' Office Building ? the Korea-Africa Foundation held an orientation session for the delegation on 21 August at KNDA Hall, Diplomatic Town.

The Model AU Assembly is an annual programme organised by the Foundation to give young people a first-hand sense of the role and functions of the African Union, and an opportunity to debate the issues facing the continent in their own words. This year's delegation, selected through keen competition among applicants from across the country, will take the floor representing 30 member states.

The orientation opened with the chairs and delegates sharing the personal ties that have drawn them to Africa and their aspirations for the Assembly. Dr Lee Han-kyu, Director of the Africa Knowledge Sharing Institute, then gave a lecture on "Understanding the AU," laying the groundwork for the delegates to examine both the organisation and the continent in a systematic way. The assigned country and agenda item for each delegation were announced at the close of the lecture, marking the start of their journey towards the Assembly proper.

In the months ahead, the delegates will meet with members of the African diplomatic corps in Korea, engage with a mentoring group of African students studying in Korea, and take part in agenda-specific preparatory sessions, approaching Africa from a range of perspectives in the run-up to the Assembly. The team awarded the Minister of Foreign Affairs Prize at the Assembly will also be given the opportunity to visit AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.