Edition 1, 30th October 2015
THE
COMMUNICATOR WELCOME TO MUNISH 2015 On behalf of The International School of The Hague, we warmly welcome you to this year’s MUNISH conference. Taking place in The Hague, the city of peace and justice, where several UN organisations are located, MUNISH embraces the multicultural identities and diverse backgrounds of the participating students, encouraging the exchange of ideas within the international community. The conference has been an annual event at the ISH for 25 years now and managed to attract more than one thousand participants from more than 30 schools over the globe last year. This year’s theme for the conference is “Good Governance and Cooperation”, which happen to be two philosophies that the United Nations stands by. For this reason, the organizers behind MUNISH feel the theme to be very fitting to this conference and expect interesting debates and solutions from the participants, who come from all parts of the world. World Forum
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We hope the theme to be the foundation to which the participants form the building blocks in shaping a better world, one where good governance will come naturally and cooperation will be easier to achieve with unanimous willingness. It is with great pride that we thank you for your participation and wish you an exciting and fruit ful 25th annual MUNISH conference! Magdalena Villa 1
Stahili Foundation
The Stahili Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to protect and save children subjected to child labor, who are exposed to abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The Stahili Foundation supports the children by providing them with an education, which is used as a resource to prevent exploitation. The Stahili Foundation also provides the children with shelter, protection, education, medical and psychosocial support, as well as food, clothing, sanitary products, and, perhaps most importantly, love. Michelle Oliel, Laura Walker, Onesmus Muiruri and Hannah Ackerman are the people whom enable the Stahili Foundation to make a difference for the children in need. These inspirational co-founders and local coordinators have made huge changes in these children’s lives, for the better. As we, The International School of The Hague, are partners of the Stahili Foundation, we continue to support them and remain in touch with Michelle. In 2008, Michelle volunteered at an orphanage in Kenya. It was there that she discovered the abuse and exploitation that so many children were exposed to at these orphanages. This inspired Laura and herself to take the first step towards founding the Stahili Foundation and rescuing the children. “Since its founding, Stahili has rescued and supported 37 children who were removed from their families and trafficked to orphanages.” This is all thanks to the dedication and determination of the Stahili Foundation and its kind-hearted people, who work so hard to ensure their aim is achieved. “Together with our friends at the ISH, we have provided the children with full-time education, as well as all of the tools they need to succeed, including food, clothing, and healthcare.” Our contribution to the charity has helped in the 2
process of providing for the children and helping them fulfill their dreams. We are very proud to have organised events and collected money in order to support Stahili, and strive to continue assisting them in their quest to accomplish their mission, a mission that touches the hearts of all those in the ISH community. Our school has raised awareness and helped send money to the foundation through bake sales, events, and donation boxes. We asked Michelle what Stahili’s goals are for the upcoming years. She replied: “Our goal is to continue to rescue and support more children by using education as a tool to ensure that children can fulfill their dreams alongside a family and a warm community.” Justine Meyer Special thanks to Michelle Oliel for her contribution to this article.
Humans of MUNISH
bility to meet new people from a variety of different backgrounds. I find that MUN matches my personality, and with each conference I attend I can feel myself and those surrounding me flourish. What is the toughest part of MUN? I’ve found the ICJ to be the toughest part of MUN as you have to apply legitimate legal principles based on a case you have seen for the past 3 days, in addition to being an impartial, critical judge. Although the function is tough, I enjoy a challenge and look forward to presiding over my committee and hopefully doing it justice. What are your expectations for MUNISH 2015?
Name: Mariana Plaza Cardenas Age: 16 Nationality: Spanish / Colombian MUNISH Position: President of the International Court of Justice Why did you apply to be President of the ICJ at MUNISH? I applied for this position because I felt that my previous experiences in MUN conferences have provided me with the knowledge and skills I need to make MUNISH the best it can be. Furthermore, as the second biggest MUN conference of the Netherlands, I thought being part of the Student Officer team would be an achievement worth fighting for.
I’m expecting MUNISH 2015 to be incredibly successful, to be a new, intellectually stimulating experience that will allow students from various international backgrounds to perform and explore the possibilities of a conference of this capacity. Rita Alves Photo: Sian Blake Thanks to Mariana Plaza Cardenas for her contribution to this article.
Thank you to our hotel partners
What is it about MUN that excites/interests you? I am passionate about debating and public speaking, and MUN allows me to experience both of those while combining my great interest for international peace and justice. MUN also provides me with the possi3
About The Theme:
Good Governance and Cooperation
Good governance is not defined as the council’s ability to make “correct� choices, so to speak, but rather to establish the best possible method of achieving the goals at hand and to implement such decisions. Good governance leads to not only the development of its nation, but also to growth amongst its people, with the aim of reaching a state of equality amongst all citizens and improving the justice system.
equality between people, and cooperation have the power to create progress in a nation. A well-governed country leads to an equally distributed development and wealth for both the upper and lower classes.
A clear example of good governance is found during election procedures in a country. Systemic corruption acts as a main factor in conIn order to achieve such development, certain tributing to poverty, violence, and diminished procedures must be followed. The council must development. It is therefore important for govadhere to the law thoroughly, for without such ernments to adopt policies in order to reduce discipline the justice system will accomplish these factors, which may require a change in nothing. The council must also be prepared to paradigm or perceptions. be held accountable for the outcomes of any decisions put forth. Among other qualities, jus- A key element that could drive massive changtice is particularly important as it will result es to achieve fairness in governance involves in respect and cooperation, which in turn will state recognition for human rights. The Uniprove to have a positive effect on the nation. versal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948 stipulates the inherent rights that all The progress of a nation does not only seem humans are born entitled to, such as the right to be controlled by economic development, but to life, liberty and security of said person. also by good governance. Furthermore, justice, 4
The United Nations works with governments around the world to promote good governance and human equality, and at the same time reduce poverty and violence. The UN Democracy Fund aims to extend universal suffrage and strengthen the opinions of the citizens in the country. In a similar manner, the United Nations includes all member states in democratic procedure. This establishes fair election and promotes human rights for all citizens. The UN Public Administration Network trains and manages the public sector policy in all member states and aims to improve public administrations worldwide. Their internet-based network can link regional and national institutions so that fair elections can proceed from all parts of the country, and communication between the government and towns is improved.
It also helps the governments meet their responsibilities and improve on their governance in an ethical way. Julee Al-Bayaty de Ridder Photos: Beatrice Ejlal
Thank you to our sponsors
Good governance and cooperation is important in every country so that human rights are met. An improvement in governance leads to overall development and equality. Good governance is important throughout the world so that society is confident in their council and is able to vote on its preferred candidate in election procedures.
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Interview with the Secretary General al-life United Nations, and its global adoption is something we all aspire to. Governance and cooperation are factors that affect everyone. What we want to show during this conference is that you can achieve one through the other; to be able to govern in a good way, you need to be able to cooperate; and to be able to cooperate, you need to be able to govern in the right way. What qualities do you believe are necessary for good governance to be achieved? The very interesting thing about good governance is the fact that everyone sees it in a different way: a country in Africa might see good governance very differently to a country in Europe, due to ingrained cultural and institutional differences.
For this first edition of The ComMUNicator, we have organized an interview with the Secretary General: Tim van der Horst, who graciously took time out of his busy schedule to answer the following questions about his position in the conference. Having grown up in multiple countries around the world, Tim has formed a clear understanding of international diplomacy, and now we turn to his views on MUNISH, this year’s theme, and more. Why did you choose “Good Governance and Cooperation” as the theme for MUNISH this year? Well, first of all, the choice of the theme “Good Governance and Cooperation”, was a group decision of the Board of Directors. We agreed unanimously on its importance in the global community. Good governance and cooperation forms the very foundation of the re6
However, the concept of good governance is not exclusionary in nature, as the key quality needed involves decision making based on an open-minded approach, whilst acknowledging external considerations. You need to be able to listen to every opinion, to come to a conclusion that everyone agrees with, through cooperation. As such, good governance cannot be achieved by one person or one government on their own; it requires cooperation both within and beyond national borders. What kind of responsibilities do you have as Secretary General? My function as Secretary General is mainly organizational, with a broad variety of responsibilities. The job of the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General is to lead the Board of Directors, and together with them, organise MUNISH. Together with the Deputy Secretary General, I am responsible for all members of the Board of Directors and their
Left to Right: DSG & SG specific sub-teams. Furthermore, as Secretary General I am also responsible for allocation of delegates into their specific delegations, as well as the general management of the conference. What advice would you give to new delegates this year? I think that the most important thing for new delegates to remember is to remain very enthusiastic about MUNISH. MUNISH is one of the most advanced MUN conferences around the world, and so, a new delegate should be excited to attend, participate, and debate. Not only should you be enthusiastic, but you should also be ready to ‘get out there’, to make sure that you enjoy the experience, and to realize that together with other delegates around the world, you can make a lasting impact at MUNISH.
How will you contribute to make this 25th anniversary memorable? Over the past few years the conference has steadily increased to host over a thousand participants, and this year we will have more participants than ever. Furthermore, we have involved speakers from UN organisations around the world, to make sure that MUNISH is more closely aligned with the United Nations than ever before. I think the important thing about this year’s conference is that it will be the most successful one yet, thanks to the excellent issues up for discussion, a relatable theme and of course an excellent array of delegates, making MUNISH an example for MUN conferences throughout the world to follow. Amy van Rooyen and Magdalena Villa
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Global Strategy for Combatting HIV and AIDS
Answering the great number of cries for help, the UN set itself an extremely needed goal 15 years ago; to halt and begin to reverse the spread of major diseases (mainly HIV/AIDS) by the year 2015. It was also proposed to achieve universal access to the necessary treatment for all those who need it. Thanks to their effort so far, we know that since 2000, the number of people infected by AIDS continues to fall, dropping by 33% since the start of this millennium. We are also glad to know that several countries’ governments and populations have helped in this honorable battle. December 2015, happens to be AIDS awareness month. You may wonder, how has your home country’s government contributed to it? South Africa, a country with 17% of their population infected with HIV/AIDS, attempted to stop the spread of the disease. The government considered providing antiretroviral drugs (known as PrEP) to people at risk of being infected. In addition to this, the University of 8
California in Los Angeles (UCLA) designed a plan to reduce HIV transmissions, which can occur by blood transfusion or sexual transmission. The plan focuses on targeting what we call “hot zones”, areas where the risk of this virus is much higher than the national average. In South Africa, the model predicted that targeting these hot zones would prevent 40% more infections and would be 40% more cost-effective. This method is also applicable to several other nations with hot zones, which is very promising in our plan to fight the disease. In the USA, the Obama-Biden plan to combat the disease was created in 2006. The president decided to travel to Kenya and take a HIV/ AIDS test to raise awareness and encourage African men and women to take it themselves, whilst also declaring that he would continue to be a global leader in this fight. There are some even more interesting and curious cases in other countries further across the globe, such as the case in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
On December 1st of 2005, the government put a giant red condom in the Obelisk, the most famous monument in the city, to raise awareness of the disease and how it can be avoided. There was a similar event in Australia, with the Condom Tree Program that was set up in 1998. With the goal of minimizing the number of people infected by STDs among indigenous Western Australians, the government provided PVC pipes that were painted by members of the local community and hung them up on tree branches with contraceptives placed inside. In spite of all these helpful, and very creative attempts of beating the disease, there are still 2.3 million people infected with HIV/AIDS worldwide. The UN keeps working hard, but
Heads of Press
Journalists
Nadia van der Meer Sissi Ma
Marianne Burke Magdalena Villa Justine Meyer Julee de Ridder Amy van Rooyen Rita Alves
Layout Leon Janssen Annelijne Brouwer Sean Delaney
the results for 2015 were not quite what they were expecting: “We must face the hard truth — if the current rate of new HIV infections continues, merely sustaining the major efforts we already have in place will not be enough to stop deaths from AIDS increasing within five years in many countries.” With AIDS awareness month and day coming up, we urge you to join in the fight against the disease and stand up to raise awareness within your community, because all efforts - although they may seem negligible - contribute to the final outcome. Magdalena Villa and Rita Alves Artwork: Dani Fais
Editors Dagmar Brekelmans Emily Woodward
Visual Media Liam McClain Emilie Masson Valentina Bravo
Beatrice Ejlal Aaron Wang Axelle Do Rego Cecile Pilon Svetlana Martimort Sian Blake Dani Fais Adrian Oderwald - Blazquez 9
72 Hours in The Hague It’s difficult to explore a thriving city like The Hague in just 72 hours. Juggling a full day of debating, socializing, and investigating issues that affect today’s modern societies takes its toll. If you’re looking for places to relax, eat, or explore, this quick but comprehensive guide will help maneuver you through The Hague’s key hot spots.
After a long day at MUNISH there are many different places in the center of town where you can settle down for a scrumptious dinner. All these options are affordable and of varying cuisines.
Eating In The Hague The simplest way for you to experience a bit of the Dutch culture is by visiting the nearby snack bar, Vishandel Ockenburg, only a minute’s walk from the school gates. The quaint little shack is open from 10 am until 8 pm, so pop by during one of the breaks of this busy conference. For the complete Dutch culinary experience, it is best to order a variety of snacks with some friends, so as to taste bits of all the delicious bites the Dutch snack bar scene has to offer. One great traditional food, that is an absolute must-try, is a patatje oorlog, a punnet of fat Flemish fries, covered in mayonnaise, peanut sauce, and chopped up raw onions. The description may seem appalling, but it is worth being adventurous for. A few more noteworthy snacks are Ras patat, kroket, kaassoufflé, frikandel, and patat speciaal, but I’ll leave you to discover what those delights are. Before I forget, just a little tip: if you want to order any kind of patat (fries), ask the kind men at the snack bar for it as a take-away, as you’ll end up getting more fries that way. 10
The Italian restaurant Vapiano is a common favorite amongst students of the ISH. The self-service system they have adopted means you queue up and watch as the chefs prepare your fresh pasta or pizza dishes. For a very reasonable price you can get a starter, main course and dessert, whilst feeling like you have landed in the middle of Italy! A more conventional dinner, with waiters, can be found at the restaurant Burgerz, just along the road from the Palace Gardens (Paleistuinen). Whilst you are seated at a table and waiters run around taking orders, this is no ordinary burger joint. The variety of burgers, with vegetarian and vegan options, is astonishing, as is the quality and portion size of the food. Accompanied with one of their delicious milkshakes, it is definitely worth the calories! Before grabbing dinner, you can meet your friends and newly acquainted fellow delegates at one of the many cafés The Hague has scattered around the city center. Recently opened Urban Cafe, conveniently located in the central Spui area, opposite the tourist information center, offers a wide variety of drinks. Whether you’re in the mood for a perfect, warm, aromatic cup of coffee in the early morning before a long day of debating, or a refreshing iced tea after you’ve successfully passed your resolutions, Urban Café has it all! Not to mention the scrumptious cakes and muffins ready for devouring…
International Zone The Hague is commonly known as the International City of Peace and Justice. On the way into The Hague you will inevitably have passed through the International Zone, recognizable by the two rows of flags along the main road. This zone incorporates many different international organisations and is only a short tram ride away from the famous Scheveningen beach.
The Hague Center From the location at which MUNISH is held, it’s a straightforward trip to The Hague city center. There is a tram stop just around the corner from ISH that takes you right into the heart of the city. Sit back and enjoy the views of the suburban areas The Hague has to offer for about 20 minutes before getting off at the stop Grote Markt or Spui, landing you right in the center of town. The Binnenhof, a series of 13th century buildings along the Hofvijver pond act as our Parliament buildings, the office of our Prime Minister, and the meeting places of government officials such as the Ministry of General Affairs. You can walk into the main court and look around at the astonishing architecture, feeling like a world-class politician. Right in the middle of the center, among the more high-class shops, resides the King’s “working palace”, Noordeinde, in front of which you can take classic tourist pictures. The gardens of the palace, the Paleistuinen, are open to the public during the day and also provide a great view of the royal stables. The final landmark is just a short walk away from the center. You can find the 102-year-old Peace Palace, which was initially built to house the Permanent Court of Arbitration, a community created in 1899 to end war. Nowadays it stills acts as an international law building, accommodating the principal judicial body of the United Nations, the International Court of Justice.
The International Criminal Court for the Former Yugoslavia (ICCFY) resides here, as does the headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The International Zone is also recognised by its interactive museum, its parks, and its international citizens that frequent the European, French, and German schools located nearby. Only a short walk away from the imposing organisation buildings, you can also find a miniature representation of The Netherlands in the Madurodam museum, which I really think is the best part of this entire area! Marianne Besson-Burke Photos: Cecile Pilon and Axelle Do Rego Snack Bar Wijndaelerweg 3 2554 BZ Den Haag Noordeinde Palace Noordeinde 68 2514 GL Den Haag Peace Palace Carnegieplein 2 2517 KJ Den Haag Vapiano Buitenhof 45-51 2513 AH Den Haag Burgerz Den Haag Prinsestraat 23 2513 CA Den Haag
Addresses: Illy Urban Café Den Haag Spui 130 2511 BT Den Haag OPCW/Dutch Minister’s Residence Johan de Wittlaan 32 2517 JR Den Haag Madurodam George Maduroplein 1 2584 RZ Den Haag
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The Brain Teaser The first inhabitant will deny being a politician whether he’s a politician or not. Therefore, the second inhabitant is not a politician because the first inhabitant denied being a politician. If the third inhabitant is not a politician and is truthful, then the first inhabitant is a politician. If the third inhabitant is a politician and liar, then the first inhabitant would not be a politician. Answer: one politician.
You are traveling around the world and you discover a unique island. You learn that the inhabitants of this island possess unique qualities. First of all, every politician is a liar, and they always lie. The inhabitants that are not politicians always tell the truth. When you meet the first inhabitant you ask him if he is a politician, he answers. Upon meeting the second inhabitant, he claims that the first inhabitant denied being a politician. The third inhabitant then states that the first inhabitant is, indeed, a politician. How many politicians have you encountered?
C r o s s w o r d Across 1. Creators of these articles 2. When delegates exchange information with each other Down 1. What is this conference? 2. The people who tend to the cloakrooms and guard the doors 3. You pass them around 4. Working with other people cooperatively Answers Across Down 1. Pressteam 1. MUNISH 2. Lobbying 2. Admins 3. Notes 4. TeaMwork 12
Crossword & Brainteaser by: Justine Meyer