Lobbying (Page 3)
Delegates spent much of Monday garnering support for and merging their resolutions, and developed various strategies for success in this unique form of informal debate.
DAILY **** The Netherlands | January 24th 2012
MUNATION Issue #1
Check us out at thimun.org for more articles.
IMPORTANT EVENTS | Opening Ceremony
THIMUN XLIV begins
BY CHARLOTTE SMITH AND ANNA BRADLEY-WELL ACS HILLINGDON, AMERICAN SCHOOL OF PARIS
PHOTO | Leah Cumming, Tyler Payne
What makes “home,” home?
Delegates left yesterday’s ceremony feeling empowered and motivated for the Conference ahead. The ceremony began with the British School of the Netherlands swing band’s music as the delegates poured in, and after everyone was asked to take their seats a moment of silence was held in remembrance of all those who died in man-made and natural disasters. Before the ceremony began there was great excitement among the delegates who would attend, and those who wouldn’t were very envious; it is always difficult to choose which three members of the delegation will get to experience this opening. Daniel Sullivan, delegate of Cape Verde in Disarmament Sub-Commission 1, said that at his school, the places are assigned based on “seniority.” The delegation of the Bahamas, in contrast, played “rock, paper, scissors” to choose who would get to be part of the prestigious event. The Deputy Mayor and the Alderman for Education from the Municipality Den Haag, Ingrid van Engelshoven began the ceremony by speaking about The Hague and the importance of THIMUN to the city. She emphasised that The Hague is not only the international city of peace and justice, but also the second UN city after New York City. She hoped that its values
Continued on Page 2
In fitting with the theme of the conference, the highlight of the ceremony was keynote speaker Dr. Sylvia Earle, world famous oceanographer. Yesterday, Dr. Earle spoke, inspiring THIMUN delegates new and old, stating that, “the next ten years are perhaps the most important time in the next 10,000 years,” because CUMMING | ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
BY SOPHIA HENGELBROK JOHN F. KENNEDY SCHOOL BERLIN
In the last issue of MUNITY, a world map showed the breakdown of schools participating at THIMUN XLIV. Each school was displayed by a red dot on the map that, although small and simple, represents someone’s home. These little dots become much more complicated once one digs deeper into the delegates’ backgrounds,
of cooperation would be present at this week’s THIMUN. “Knowledge and education are the tools that will enable us to tackle the problems that will face us in future,” she said, and addressed the importance of mutual respect as the basis for collaboration. Encouraging the delegates to learn from each other, Ms van Engelshoven concluded that she wished “fun and success” for the week to come. Linda Dubock, Chair of the THIMUN Board and the next speaker of the afternoon, spoke of the theme and the choice of Greenpeace as this year’s charity. She addressed the positive connotations of oceans and seas and how we often overlook their full value, saying they are “essential, yet --we don’t fully appreciate them.”
making the criteria for what really defines a delegate’s nationality much more difficult to discern. A member of the delegation of Lichtenstein elaborated on her difficulties defining her nationality. Continued on Page 4
The Raffle This year’s THIMUN raffle will benefit the NGO Greenpeace, which works for environmental conservation and the preservation of endangered species.
ON OTHER PAGES THIMUN
NGO’s & IGO’s: who needs voting? Hours of debating, note passing, and amending all end in one thing: the vote. For a specific group, however, this pivotal moment is not about raising placards, it is about waiting. Page 8
WORLD
On riots and reactions Causes and government reactions to civil commotion in Greece, Russia, the United States, and Nigeria. Page 11
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DAILY MUNATION Tuesday January 24, 2012
Conference News
THIMUN | CONFERENCE NEWS
Opening Ceremony CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
She challenged the delegates to take their innovation past this conference, and “put back into society what you have been privileged to take out of it.” In fitting with the theme of the conference, the highlight of the ceremony was keynote speaker Dr. Sylvia Earle, world famous oceanographer. Yesterday, Dr. Earle spoke, inspiring THIMUN delegates new and old, stating that, “the next ten years are perhaps the most important time in the next 10,000 years,” because this is such a pivotal time for the future of the ocean. She stressed that the ocean is the origin of all life and encouraged delegates to take care of it because, after all, “there is a Plan B but no ‘Planet B.’” As per THIMUN traditions, around two hundred delegations with the actual ambassadors of nations covered the World Forum Theatre. Around 50% of the ambassadors had their real-life counterpart from Holland and Brussels joining them. Alexi Bennink, Assistant President of Disarmament Sub-Commission 2, articulated the importance of the ceremony. “The General Assembly Opening is symbolic in that the ambassadors of the real United Nations hand over the flags to the ambassadors of THIMUN, making it more official. The actual opening of the conference allows delegates to unite in the excitement for the week to come.” Finally, completing the celebrations, the Secretary-General, Ms. Leonie Reese, started by saying how excited she was that everyone here has “the chance to step out of those children’s shoes and into the fancy heels and formal black attire’’ and become adults for a week. Speaking about how she sometimes feels knowledge comes “pre-digested,” she welcomed us to take our turn answering “the questions of world politics” and make it our turn “to find realistic solutions to the problems that concern not just us, but everyone.” However, Leonie focused her speech on the issue of this week, Oceans and Seas. Opening our eyes to the diversity of Oceans and Seas as an issue, Ms. Reese stated honestly
Speak Dutch!
BY HANNAH HEMPERLY MONT’ KIARA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
For an English speaker coming to the city of den Haag, it is pretty easy to get around considering most locals speak English – at least well enough to help you find the right tram or the cost of the “patat” (French fries). But for those of you who want to make an effort to use and learn some basic Dutch words and phrases during the week, here are a few!
Greetings:
CUMMUNGS|ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
BAND MEMBERS ENJOY A LAUGH
that, “the world’s seas and oceans provide food and drinking water for millions, the water to generate energy and serve as a habitat to an overwhelming variety of species.” She was keen to say that the issue, “goes beyond purely environmental motivations,” and that each commission will have a different viewpoint of the subject to discuss this coming week. The president of the General Assembly, Nina Kamaruddin, banging the gavel, declared the fortyfourth session of THIMUN open. The chairs and delegates stood and applauded her in excitement – THIMUN 2012 had begun.
1. Hello 2. How are you? 3. What is your name? 4. My name is_______. 5. Nice to meet you! 6. Please/ You’re welcome 7. Thank you 8. You’re welcome. 9. Yes 10. No 11. I’m sorry. 12. Do you speak English? 13. Good morning 14. Good night 15. Where is the toilet? 16. When is the next tram? 17. Are you in THIMUN? 18. What committee are you in? 19. Do you want a MUNITY newspaper? 20. I love you
Translations: 1. Hallo 2. Hoe gaat het? 3. Hoe heet u? 4. Mijn naam is____. 5. Aangeneem! 6. Alstublieft 7. Dank u 8. Graag gedaan. 9. Ja 10. Nee 11. Sorry. 12. Spreekt u Engels? 13. Goedemorgen 14. Goedenavond 15. Waar is het toilet? 16. Waneer gaat de volgende tram? 17. Bent je in THIMUN? 18. In welke commissie bent je? 19. Wil je een MUNITY krant kopen? 20. Ik hou van je.
Weather Forecast Tue
CUMMUNGS|ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
TRADITIONAL FLAGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD LINE THE WORLD FORUM THEATER AS DELEGATES AND AMBASSADORS EXECUTE THE PASSING OF THE TORCH
Wed
Thu
Fri
HIGH: 8°C HIGH: 8°C HIGH: 9°C HIGH: 7°C LOW: 3°C LOW: 7°C LOW: 4°C LOW: 3°C
DAILY MUNATION Tuesday January 24, 2012
Conference News
ADVICE FOR DELEGATES |
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LOBBYING-FRIENDS OR FOES
Art of lobbying The value of collaboration towards a common goal is perhaps most apparent during lobbying time BY ANNA BRADLEY-WEBB AMERICAN SCHOOL OF PARIS
Lobbying, in theory, is simple. Delegates informally garner support for their resolutions, have the chance to merge, decide who will be main submitter, and edit their resolutions to make them most likely to succeed in formal debate. However, below the surface, lobbying is complex and difficult to master. Without the order of formal debate procedures, many are unsure of how to approach other delegates and how to push their resolution forward without seeming overly aggressive. There is a fine balance between listening to others’ ideas and promoting one’s own, and often delegates find these procedures more difficult than the normal days of debate. It is rewarding, however, to find others who share the same position or ideas. Each delegate needs fifteen co-submitters for a resolution to be approved, and delegates often sign the resolution under the condition that some of their ideas are
incorporated. The value of collaboration towards a common goal is perhaps most apparent during lobbying time, as delegates strive to work together and to combine clauses. It’s all about “socializing” and “making friends,” delegates Paul Ryan in GA-6, Alexandre Rulmy in GA-1, and John Ozturk in Disarmament agreed. Many co-submitters become friends on a personal level and keep in touch for the rest of the Conference. Lobbying also allows delegates to become familiar with their country’s allies and cooperators and to get an idea of whom to work with for the week. Many committees began the lobbying process long before the THIMUN Conference. “We began lobbying online on Facebook,” said Jaime Bell, a delegate of Disarmament commission. Many delegates found this helpful, and felt more comfortable going into the actual lobbying process knowing they had co-submitters and allies already.
However, conflicts arise when two or more delegates hope to act as main submitters for a merged resolution. “Everyone wants to be main submitter,” said Ben Matthews, delegate of Disarmament. This can sometimes lead to the need to implement a more formal structure to these debates and to self-govern. On Monday morning, a large group of ECOSOC delegates organized a procedure to choose a main-submitter for a resolution to which all would contribute. The group sat in a circle and those who wanted to main submit stood and spoke about their ideas and the reasons their resolutions were the most pragmatic to use as “backbones” for the ideas. The delegates even went into voting procedure, with their committee president acting as an impartial facilitator. Unfortunately, it soon became clear that the two resolutions were too ideologically different to come to consensus, and the group had to split. Such procedures and disputes are common in lobbying time.Delegates quickly develop strategies for effective lobbying. Most agree that being sociable and friendly is the key, as is taking initiative and approaching other del-
Bastaki|AISK
Delegates make first impressions at conference
‘mini-speech’,” to get their points across effectively.
egates. “Don’t sit at the back with a laptop, not talking to people,” said Ruarirdh Paton, a delegate in the Disarmament Commission. “Talk,” agreed Mustafa Abdullah, also in Disarmament. To break the ice and establish common positions, “ask for topics first,” Disarmament delegate Josif Vlaski advised. Mike Winnick, an ECOSOC delegate, also emphasized the need for similar views and ideals. “Find countries who are close trade allies,” he sug-
gested. Sofia Schachner, an ECOSOC delegate recommends to “find a large group.” Fifteen co-submitters are hard to come by, and often the easiest way to attain this is to collaborate with as many people as possible. Anthony Ghosn, the President of ECOSOC, advised the delegation from his school that to be successful in lobbying they should “prepare and synthesize their ideas into a quickly communicable
4 | Conference News THIMUN |
DAILY MUNATION Tuesday January 24, 2012
Conference News
What makes “home,” home?
CLARKSON|BRITISH SCHOOL IN THE NETHERLANDS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Coming from Icelandic ancestry, born in the United States, and now living in the Canary Islands, she describes her struggle with the question of what her nationality is. “I usually ask [do you mean], originally, where I live now, or where I was born because I have three different things I could say.” Moving around due to parents who work as diplomats, businessmen, teachers or other professions, many delegates attending THIMUN face a similar obstacle when defining their home countries. Many respond with long, complicated answers when posed with the dreaded question, “So where are you from?” A delegate of Brunei answered, “I was born in Brazil, and when I was two years old I went to New York and lived there for ten years, and now I’m back in Brazil.” Although he fondly described his time in the United States, he describes himself as Brazilian because, “I guess people like to know that, because Brazil is just an awesome place and people love to meet Brazilians. They’re a little more interested than when I just say I’m American.” Although frequent moves can sometimes be difficult at the beginning one delegate related his ex-
Genevieve greets Dina with a smile
A day in the life of a Coat Check BY DINA FARAG JOHN F KENNEDY BERLIN
HENGELBROK|JOHN F. KENNEDY BERLIN
AS THIMUN DELEGATES REPRESENT COUNTRIES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, THEIR PERSONAL HISTORIES INFLUENCE THEIR DECISIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND FUTURES
perience flying from Africa to the United States while sick with malaria - most delegates describe their travel as constructive and positive experiences overall. An admin who has lived in England, the US, and Mexico stated that her time in international countries opened a lot of doors and allowed her to meet new people. She acknowledged that it was, “tough to move and adjust all the time,” but in the end the experience has been a positive adventure. Not only are delegates experiencing different cultures, but many are multilingual as a result of their relocations. A delegate of Cyprus stated, “I speak fluent Catalan, Spanish, English, Portuguese and I’m learning French.”
The cultural perspectives of THIMUN attendees are definitely multi-faceted, making debating and working within committees easier tasks. Many delegates interviewed agreed that the struggles of making new friends in new locations constantly aided them in lobbying and creating stronger resolutions. Representing countries other than the one’s own can be difficult, but the delegates who come from international backgrounds say that with their experiences, different perspectives become easier to understand. The delegate of Cyprus learned the importance of understanding and respecting other cultures through her transitions among countries, saying, “Not all of the
people our age are lucky enough to have experienced all that I have.” She also stated that her time at THIMUN has also enhanced her previous perspectives. “I’m meeting people all over the world, and it’s really exciting to make more friends.” After interviewing many different delegates who were only a tiny percentage of the attendees at this year’s conference, I realize what a great opportunity THIMUN is to meet a variety of interesting people. Speaking to different delegates is a chance to broaden your horizons and learn not only about UN policy, but about different cultures and people from countries all over the world.
Come One, Come All: THIMUN Premiere of “The End of the Line” Have you ever thought about where the fish on your plate came from? Many people are concerned about mal-treatment of farm raised cows or pigs for slaughter. Even more are concerned about the amount of animals becoming endangered or extinct each year. But there are millions of fish in the sea, right? BY ALLIE MILLER AMERICAN SCHOOL OF PARIS
Wrong. In the documentary “The End of the Line,” the director Rupert Murray investigates the devastating consequences overfishing has on fish populations worldwide - it targets governments and big fishing companies who have refused to impose catch limits to ensure a sustainable amount of fish remain in the world’s oceans. Murray claims that the effects of this have been substantial. From Newfoundland’s cod industry collapse to Senegalese fishermen abandoning
their jobs due to starvation, the fact of the matter is the fish are disappearing. What can we do to help this crisis? The film lays out not only the facts, but also proposals that make even a fish enthusiast reconsider tonight’s dinner of choice. In consideration of this year’s theme “Ocean’s and Seas”, “The End of the Line” will be shown at THIMUN Tuesday night at 19:30 in the World Forum Theatre. The director, Ruppert Murray will also be attending.
Many take their service for granted, and only a few realize how much they contribute to the Conference, but the coat checkers behind the scenes allow THIMUN’s day-today progression to advance as comfortably and conveniently as possible. When the numerous participants of THIMUN enter the World Forum Convention Center, the first thing they do is hand in their jackets to the coat check staff. Receiving the, at times, unfriendly delegates (more often than not due to lack of sleep) with a smile on her face, twenty-year-old coat checker Genevieve works behind the scenes, so that the Conference proceeds without complications or difficulties. In addition to living with her mother and her eighteen-year-old brother, Genevieve studies child care at Zadkine in Rotterdam, where she was born and raised. She switches shifts between coat checking and waitressing in the cafeteria, working eight hours per day to earn additional money throughout the course of her academic studies. When asked about her opinion on the THIMUN conference, Genevieve remarks that she finds the diverse cultures and multicultural atmosphere very refreshing and exciting, especially because she herself originally comes from Suriname in South America. Besides coat-checking, Genevieve also works as a waitress and cleans in the cafeteria, her shift starting at eight am and proceeding to six pm. Furthermore, Genevieve states she has met numerous charming and cooperative co-workers during her time as a member of the staff, making her experience even more memorable. Due to the fact that Genevieve is a diligent and eager worker, she spends most of her free time sleeping or resting and barely has time to go out with her friends. Nevertheless, when she does, Genevieve is just like any other twenty year old college student, enjoying going to restaurants or the movies. Workers like Genevieve are essential to THIMUN, and without them the Conference would not be as successful and entertaining as we know it to be. A small gesture or even a friendly smile here or there to those determined and engaged workers means more to them than one might think.
DAILY MUNATION Tuesday January 24, 2012
THIMUN
Conference News
Conference News
Do’s and don’t’s
Don’t...
Get your grammar right on your resolution before submitting.” “Keep your badge on at all times.” “Bring a pen.” “Brush your teeth in the morning.” “Wake up early for the tram because it’s really crowded.” “Have a flat pair of shoes in your bag at all times.” “Bring lollipops for bribery.” “Write a resolution so that you can participate in your committee” “Be grateful that you are here.” “Make sure that your skirt doesn’t ride up too high.” “Shower before the conference.” “Expand your perspective, dress up, and go out.” “Raise your placard when you have nothing useful to say.”
Wear really high heels on the tram.” “Make fun of the chair.” “Wear a really short skirt.” “Abuse the Admins.” “Wait until the last day to speak.” “Throw water bottles at other delegates.” “Forget to bring a USB stick.” “Try to impress others by wearing fancy designer clothes.” “Arrive late on the first day.” “Be cocky about your resolution.” “Text when the committee is in session.”
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Tips from THIMUN participants BY ISLA MCDOUGALL BENENDEN SCHOOL
CUMMING
Do...
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CUMMING
CLARKSON
Stress in the World Forum BY SEKHEENA DESLORIEUX MONT’KIARA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
T
he first day of the Conference brings lobbying, speech giving, meeting new people, and learning the way around the World Forum Convention Centre – a multitude of activities that are doubtless accompanied by bouts of anxiety. Doing research and writing resolutions can be done in the comfort of one’s hometown, but merging ideas, and in some forum giving opening speeches on day one, brings the unfamiliar to the forefront. Some delegates have found the first day of the conference to be a great time, free from stress and nervousness. Others find it to be the most stressful day. For most of the delegates, the first day is spent lobbying. Atreyo Sinha, the
Delegates stress over the participants packet
UNHCR expert in the Advisory Panel, from the Dhirubahi Ambani International School, finds lobbying to be a good time. Sinha, who gave his opening speech yesterday, finds that even though he did not prepare much for his speech, he did not find it stressful to give. He finds that it is nice to meet new people and though he was anxious at first, once the ice is broken, the experts on the Advisory Panel start having a great time. Similarly, Yohan Morris, the delegate of Myanmar in General Assembly 1 from Mercedes Benz International School, thinks that THIMUN Conferences are not stressful at all. Regarding speech giving, he says, “It’s like a drug. You want to keep going up there and keep talking.” His advice to other delegates is that the more you talk, the less nervous you get.
CLARKSON
On the other hand, some delegates find the conference to be a stressful experience. Krena Sivlal, the delegate of Belarus in General Assembly 5 from the Marymount International School London, predicts that the conference will be a quiet one for her. Though she usually likes to talk, she finds that the stress of saying something wrong will prevent her from giving many speeches. Krena does not find making friends to be a nervous experience because she says, “You can only really talk about yourself and there is nothing much else to say.” Bernardo Marques, the delegate of India also in GA5 from the American School of The Hague, finds that THIMUN conferences are more tiring than stressful. He finds that it is more natural to make friends than to make a speech. He thinks that
Watch out for the fry burglar!
when giving speeches, all of the attention of the crowd is focused on the speaker, who must be very prepared to avoid saying something incorrect and making his/ her speech invalid. Nicole Mempin, the delegate of Liberia in GA3 from Beacon Academy, finds that the stress of the conference pushes her to perfection. She thinks that with the added pressure of speaking at the world’s largest High School Model United Nations conference brings her to practice her speeches, and check her facts multiple times before using them. To experience anxiety, and to step out of one’s comfort zone, is a learning opportunity, and although delegates may feel nervous, they will learn much about others and about themselves by pushing through discomfort.
CLARKSON
DAILY THIMUN Tuesday January 24, 2012
CANDIDS
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Delegates immersed in Oceans and Seas
There are plenty of fish in the sea!
Clarkson and Cummings
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DAILY THIMUN Tuesday January 24, 2012
Photo Spread
CANDIDS
Delegates pose and smile on the first day of the Conference
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DAILY MUNATION Tuesday January 24, 2012
Conference News
NGOs & IGOs Who needs voting? ALLISON SHAPIRO HEIDELBERG AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL
Hours of debating, note passing, and amending all end in one thing: the vote. For a specific group, however, this pivotal moment is not about raising placards, it is about waiting. These students represent NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs) and Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs). The United Nations, under Chapter X of its charter, allows for the participation by NGOs as well as international and national organizations, and THIMUN follows suit. The students representing these organizations have the same duties as delegates but none of the voting privileges. Azimjon Rakhimov, representing Greenpeace, admitted that it can be frustrating to represent an NGO. “We’re not allowed to vote,” he said. “That’s the one thing that we don’t like.” He will be spending the week with the Environment Commission, trying to influence others to vote for policies he favours. Rakhimov added that, while not powerless, students who represent organizations have to work to make themselves heard. “We can encourage. We can tell people, but we can’t directly have a say in the resolution. We have to rely on other people to get our point across,” he said. “I just applied to be a delegate,” said Azimjon. Like others, he didn’t apply for a position as an NGO. His school, the British School in the Netherlands, was assigned both The Netherlands and Greenpeace, and his teacher passed theNGO position on to him. For Adeyla Rae Paul and Rita Mascarenhas, both from St. Julian’s School in Portugal, the situation was similarly out of their control. “We were only four in our school,” said Mascarenhas. “We had a limited choice. We couldn’t be a country, so we had to be an NGO. We didn’t have a choice because we had so few people doing this.” These delegates prepared for this conference like everyone else. Despite being unable to vote, they are able to submit and sign resolutions. In regards to his preparation, Rakhimov said, “I made sure because I’m Greenpeace that [the resolution] suits my beliefs. Anything that protects the environment, we’re for.” Paul received similar instructions. Her advisor told her to treat the organization like it was a nation with its own set of beliefs. Despite the challenges that come with his assignment, Rakhi-
mov is satisfied. “I think I’m happy, yes,”he said. “[Greenpeace] suits what I think.” Paul, representing United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (INSTRAW), agreed that she liked her position. As a woman, she feels particularly strong about her organization’s positions. “I mean, there have been so many advances in the last decades with the [feminist] movements. I think it’s important to have women’s rights organizations. It gives the whole conference more opinions“, she added. Mascarenhas, representing the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said that it was her first THIMUN and she was not sure what her goals were. However, as an NGO she hopes to see resolutions that line up with her own agenda. “I’m doing something on child migration,” she said. “I hope resolutions pass that deal with war and children, using children as child soldiers or sex objects.” While they can’t vote, NGOs and IGOs can be major players within their committees. Matthijs Kosicki, Assistant President of the Disarmament Commission 2, said that the importance of NGOs and IGOs “always depends on the topic.” For example, he described how the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) played an important role in a discussion about the implementation of chemical weapons. “The OPCW is also an NGO. They are the monitoring body for that treaty, so they play an important role.” Kosicki believes that NGOs are important when the delegates push their issues. “It’s the same with countries,” he said. “If the issue isn’t from their country, it doesn’t apply to them.” Kosicki added, “… basically, NGOs are allowed to submit a resolution… They are not allowed to vote. In debate they can make speeches to convince people of their views.” Mascarenhas has come to enjoy her unique role as both impartial organization and advocate. “We have to be on both sides of the fence. You have to be tolerant of every country,“ she said. The role of an NGO or IGO is to offer support to nations and back up resolutions that are in keeping with the organization’s policies. She gave advice for those who will represent NGOs and IGOs in the future, saying, “You have to be open minded to be an NGO… You also have to respect a country’s culture, religions, and traditions, so the country can preserve [its] integrity.” Although NGO’s can’t vote, their hands hold influence
soer | lycee francais vangogh
DAILY MUNATION Tuesday January 24, 2012
Conference News
BEHIND THE SCENES |
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THIMUN application process and the ICJ on tour
Who applies to THIMUN? In various ways, students here find their way to THIMUN XLIV BY LAURA ANTUNA ZURICH INTERNATIONAL
Coming from all over the world, more than 3,500 students have arrived at the annual THIMUN conference. With many different positions, most students have had diverse paths to get here. Depending on if you are a delegate, an admin, a student officer, Security Council, or an Editor in Chief for the MUNITY Newspaper; you all have had different application processes. Also, the application process depends on the school you come from. For example, in many schools, THIMUN is taken as a class while in other schools, it is known as an after school club. Dana Frose, the coordinator and delegate selector for her school Acadamia Cotopaxi in Quito Ecuador (AIS), has one advisory panelist on her team. For her school’s selection process, the delegates signed up for an after school club at the beginning of the year, and needed teacher references to get accepted to THIMUN. After the process, the club invited many MUN students from schools around the area and created a local conference to get them prepared for THIMUN. It was a different story for the mem-
ber of the advisory panelist. They had to be invited to apply since they were handpicked by their coordinator, Dana Frose. It was the advisory panelist decision to attend the conference but before, Mrs. Frose looked at various factors such as grades and at least a year or two of THIMUN experience. All admin staff is from various schools of The Hague such as British School of The Hague, American School of The Hague, German School of The Hague, and the International School of the Hague. Julia Roch, a student at the American School of The Hague (ASH), signed up for her position at the beginning of the year as well. For Julia, her teachers had to be contacted to see if she was eligible to miss a week of school, and took a test on the procedures she needed to know as an admin staff. Anouk Jurgens, a student officer from the ASH had to write a proposal on why she would be qualified for THIMUN. Unlike many delegates and admin staff, Anouk had to move up in rank to become a student officer. She had to have many years of experience in THIMUN, and had to send her application to a special advisor in THIMUN who takes care of all the applications for student officers. Caroline Ludeman, the Editor in
What the heck is an advocate? BY ALLIE MILLER AMERICAN SCHOOL OF PARIS
Advocate Faces the Court
The International Court of Justice, commonly known as the ICJ, is the main judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established in 1945 and is located in the Peace Palace in The Hague. The court is comprised of 15 judges who are voted on by the UN General
Assembly and Security Council, each serving for nine-year terms. Cases covered in the
BLISS|JBS
court are legal issues between states of the UN. It does not take cases of individuals, or any other group or organization. The official languages of the court are English and French. Then how does the ICJ differ from other International courts? Unlike the Interna-
Delegate reviews her application thoroughly.
Chief for MUNITY, the THIMUN newspaper, was introduced by Mr. Newman, the coordinator for MUNITY, to THIMUN. She was a reporter in last year’s conference. She said she was at the “right place at the right time,” and she had to “work her way up.” All the MUNITY staff was asked to write a personal essay on why they believed they were qualified for her position to be submitted to the head of MUNITY, Mr. Newman. The secretary general, Leonie Reese, a 17 year old from ISH also commented on how she was able to apply for her position in the THIMUN conference of 2012. Last year, Leonie was a Deputy Secretary General but with her passion for MUN, she decided to take on to a bigger role in the THIMUN community. For her role in MUN, she had to apply
tional Criminal Court, the ICJ cannot try individuals for war crimes or crimes against humanity. The cases must be solely between states, therefore a prosecutor cannot initiate a case. Many other International courts such as the European Court of Justice, the European Court of Human Rights, and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights also take on cases from individuals. Some cases that have been in the court include the dispute of a maritime boundary between the US and Canada, and an accusation by the Republic of Macedonia that Greece violated an Interim Accord. What many delegates do not know is that there is a simulation of the ICJ at THIMUN. Twenty-five students were accepted to be advocates and judges for the court. I had the opportunity to talk to David Rubinstein, the president of ICJ at THIMUN. We discussed the differences between ICJ and the other committees as well as the topics of the court this week. The two issues are Peru vs. Chile and Costa Rica vs. Nicaragua. Peru vs. Chile is a dispute over a boundary delimitation in an area of the Pacific Ocean between the two coun-
SOER| LYCEE FRANCAIS VANGOGH
on the THIMUN website and then write a letter of motivation explaining her enthusiasm for Model United Nations. She also had an interview with three members of the THIMUN board which did not represent her school. Today, she is the link between the adult and student world of THIMUN and is in charge of the chairs and running the conference smoothly. From a delegate to the secretary general and everyone in between, we have all journeyed to the world forum on various different paths but have all come together at the same destination for the same reason, to be a part of something bigger.
The Judges Listen and Take Notes
tries. The dispute between Costa Rica and Nicaragua is concerned with the imposition of a fee to any Costa Rican tourist entering the San Juan River, which belongs to Nicaragua. The difference between having these issues brought up in the ICJ as opposed to another UN committee is that in the other committees you try to “find a political solution to the problem” whereas in the ICJ they are solved with binding rulings.
BLISS| JBS
When asked why he decided to apply for ICJ David stated, “I was a judge for the ICJ last year and really enjoyed it. I’m also interested in international relations between countries.”
10 | Editorial EDITORIAL |
DAILY MUNATION Tuesday January 24, 2012
A LIFE’S JOURNEY TO THIMUN
Building bridges: I´m home BY MARIANA DOMINGUES CAISL
It is a commonly used phrase that is sometimes taken for granted or not looked at closely. I mean, how do you know where your home is? Is it the place you were born, the place you grew up? Growing up, I’ve often thought about these questions and have always found them extremely difficult to answer. The truth is, when someone asks me where I’m from, I feel as if I have bits and pieces of every country I’ve lived in, not only my motherland, Brazil.
school. After a year in Ecuador, my father was transferred to South Africa. By this time, I was two years old and had already
Since before I could even walk or talk, I have been a foreigner in my own home. When I was about 23 days old, my family and I moved to Ecuador for my dad’s job. My mother and father
After a year in South Africa, I moved to Florida which would be my home for the next nine years. During that time, my brother and I were able to experience the diversity of the American culture. English was probably the most important aspect of the experience my brother and I were able to take away; it is our dominant language and has given us universal opportunities. We left the States when I was nine years old and about to complete the fourth grade. At this point, I had grown accustomed to calling Florida my “home.” This soon changed when I moved to the most intriguing place I have ever lived – Abu Dhabi, a city at the heart of the United Arab Emirates.
were exposed to a culture and language very different from that of Brazil, which would open many doors.
When I was old enough, my mother taught me Spanish-- a language that I studied more deeply in middle school and am currently studying in high
lived on two continents.
This was a drastic change from living in America, from culture to religion to even the food. It also proved to be one of the most memorable chapters of my life. I went to the American Community School, which exposed me to several cultures and nationalities that allowed me to step out of my comfort zone. I met people that changed the way I looked at life-- my friends taught me about their cultures and customs, and I taught them mine. The city in general was also a source of great diversity. I learned about the Arab
the strong bond among one’s kin. The country taught me to trust my instincts, to explore, to take risks, and, no matter what, to learn about my surroundings. I grew to love the different people around me, to appreciate their individuality as well as my own. Right now, I am currently living in Lisbon, Portugal. Even though only a year has gone by, I have already fallen in love with the nation. My Brazilian background shines through in this country where both histories are intertwined. It was in Portugal that I first began to get involved in
Model United Nations. This opportunity to meet new people, collaborate on ideas, and learn
culture, some of their customs such the fasting month, Ramadan, or traditions like camping in the desert, and even a little bit of the complex language. Abu Dhabi taught me that family comes first because of
about fascinating cultures has allowed me to better understand myself. Whether debating as a delegate or reporting for the press team, you can bridge the gap between cultures. If you don’t step out of your comfort zone, how will you discover who you truly are?
DAILY MUNATION Tuesday January 24, 2012
National News |11
WORLD NEWS | CURRENT EVENTS AND CONTROVERSIES
On riots and reactions BY MAX ENTHOVEN JOHN F. KENNEDY BERLIN
GREECE
arresting 37 in Thessaloniki, and detaining 70 in Athens for questioning on the first day of protests. Since Europe’s heavyweights are determined to preserve the single currency, so will attempt to keep Greece upright until its debt can be restructured in a manner that does not destroy the euro, for it is the Greek predicament, in which protesters violently react to the European political and economic crisis.
RUSSIA
the deployed riot police arrest dozens of protesters so far, according to Taipei Times, but they also took opposition leaders Alexey Navalny and Ilya Yashin into their police station. While Vladimir Putin has been a benefactor for some, and a tyrant for others, how things will turn out in Russia depends on the speed with which Putin convinces the dissatisfied that he is not a tyrant.
As riots culminated in Greece, protesters vented their anger at their leaders’ perceived incompetence in dealing with Greece’s economic crisis, as well as rising unemployment and underinsurance. Protestors called their president Karolos Papoulias “traitor,” lit fires in front of the parliament, and threw Molotov cocktails and petrol bombs. The Greek riot police heavily suppressed the riots, In Russia, public support for the political team Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev has waned, and taken the form of protests after citizens were informed that Putin’s United Russia Party won December’s parliamentary election under suspicions of fraud. Russian media estimated the number of protesters up to 8,000. Not only did
CLARKSON|BRITISH SCHOOL NL
UNITED STATES An acute discontent not only with the current banking system in the United States, but also with the perceived exploitation and aristocratesque behavior by the financial elite, triggered the formation of the Occupy Wall Street Movement. As the heart of the financial district in New York, Wall Street is the home to many of the most globally significant banks, thus protesters initially demonstrated their dissatisfaction by pitching camp and finding shelter in the Zuccotti Park nearby. Instead of aggressively
attacking banks or other institutions whose actions have caused these protesters’ yearning for economic justice, the Occupy Wall Street movement is a more or less passive force that portrays its rage by occupying the whole street. A specific example of government reaction was the mass arrest of 250 participants mostly due to “resisting arrest and disorderly conduct” on November 18th, 2011. On that day, over a thousand police officers were deployed, and received overtime pay for it. In total, 4,000 protesters were arrested.
NIGERIA One of the demonstrations inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement includes Occupy Nigeria which calls for an end to corruption, social injustice, and centralized power of the government. Most importantly, the movement is the Nigerian workers’ response to the government remov-
ing their subsidies for oil. With vehement resistance, the police tried to stop the uprisings, an effort that resulted in five deaths. Riots all around Nigeria commenced on January 2nd, and just like Occupy Wall Street seemed like a contagion. Occupy Nigeria might even spark a sub-Saharan spring.
Modern-day Titanic: Costa Concordia BY LEILA ELABBADY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BRUSSELS
counted for. Ironically, one of the first people off the ship was Captain Francesco Schettino,
If you replace the glacier with a coral reef, and the name Titanic with Costa Concordia, the recent shipwreck off the coast of Italy can be considered a sequel to the tragic event of 1912. As globalization and international interactions become more and more prominent in our world today, the ecological and marine setbacks we face begin to hold greater importance. Accordingly, delegates are spending THIMUN XLIV debating a range of topics all relating to this year’s theme of Oceans and Seas. The recent shipwreck of the Costa Concordia on January 14 is the ‘live’ event of the week, as the safety and rescue teams take the necessary steps to try to bring everyone back to shore. Just yesterday another body was found by the rescue team, pushing the death toll up to 13 while 24 people are still unac-
who is now being held under house-arrest, accused of alleged manslaughter, causing shipwreck, and abandoning the ship before all passengers were rescued and evacuated. To give some background on the enormity of the situation, over 4,000 people (including passengers and crew members) were on board this 300 m long and 35 m wide vessel. Weighing 114,000 tonnes, this ship carried 2,400 tonnes of fuel. As delegates debate the issue of oil pollution in the seas, engineers wait pensively to begin the oil
extraction process. Fuel extraction cannot take place until the rescue teams have evacuated the vessel, yet the choppy
a worry in lengthening the process. The Costa Concordia has two main fuel vessels, one on either side of the ship; one of them is entirely above the surface, while the other is well underwater.
waters are making the necessary submerged rescue more difficult causing a small setback in the overall time table. Although the ship is currently carrying tons of potentially hazardous and polluting fuels, no ecological contamination has yet been reported. Smit Tak (the Dutch Oil Company responsible for extraction) engineers wait while the changing climate becomes
Engineers worry that if the tide gets stronger and the waters colder, it may elongate the process of extracting the fuels from the lower tank. In order to sustain the current position of the Costa Concordia, sea water will be pumped into the ship as oil is pumped out. Members of the Italian Coast Guard in Giglio Porto assure the international
community that this process should take around three weeks, yet the climatic factors may lengthen it respectively. Regarding THIMUN XLIV, this event can be discussed in all forums especially Environmental Sub-commission 1 and 2, General Assembly sub-commission 2, and Special Conference sub-commission 2. Just walking around the conference centre, one can tell the Costa Concordia is a popular topic of discussion and, with over 80 Italian students and several schools from Italy, many of us have something to say on the topic. Munim Syed, an LIU|JBS Italian student from the American Overseas School in Rome, tells us that many Italians consider this whole event an embarrassment, and place most of the blame on Captain Schettino, as he refused to re-board the ship during the initial rescue period. As you start debate, keep Costa Concordia in mind as a prime example of a current
12 | Entertainment FUN PAGE
DAILY MUNATION Tuesday January 24, 2012
Bored?
Editors in Chief Caroline Ludeman Isabelle Stillman Text Editors Seohyun Bae Hannah Hemperly Yasemin Parlar Lily Rivkin Reporters Laura Antuna Anna Bradley-Webb Sekheena Deslorieux Mariana Domingues Leila Elabbady Maximilian Enthoven Dina Farag Sophia Hengelbrok Vicky Liu Isla McDougall Alexandra Miller Aury Naranjo Allison Shapiro Charlotte Smith
Across 2. The Secretary General of THIMUN 2012 4. Where are we now? 8. What is this year’s THIMUN theme? 11. One of the most endangered aquatic animals 12. What is the largest ocean in the world? 13. The most common nationality at THIMUN 15. 19_ schools are here at THIMUN 16. An alternative energy source involving water
Down 1. What is the name of the cruise ship that sunk in Italy? 3. This year’s keynote speaker 4. What is the title of yesterday’s paper? 5. Which international treaty prevents the trade of endangered wild species and plants? 6. “___ of the line” is the movie we will watch tomorrow 7. The Capital of Morocco 9. THIMUN was founded in 196_ 10. How do you say ocean in Dutch? 14. Official THIMUN newspaper
Layout Rebecca McDonald Nicole Novey Tyler Payne James Roh Photographers Tamara Bastaki Maggie Bliss Tomas Clarkson Leah Cumming Anna Soer
Spot Five Differences! CORRECTION
On Page Seven of the Monday January 23 Issue, MUNITY stated that THIMUN welcomes four new schools to the Conference. This year, there are in fact twelve new schools attending the Conference. Welcome to Colegio Bilingue Richmond from Colombia, AIS Bucharest from Romania, Kent Denver School from the United States, Ellesmere College from the United Kingdom, Groupe Scolaire Oasis from Egypt, Experimental HS Beijing and Guangdong Experimental HS from China, Haarlemmermeerlyceum and Amsterdam Int. Community School from the Netherlands, Herlufsholm Skole from Denmark, Chisipite Senior School from Zimbabawe, Lycee Francais Jean Monnet from Belgium, TASIS Switzerland from Switzerland, St. Andrew’s Junior College from Singapore, Mercedes Benz International from India, Jeddah Knowledge Intl. School and Advanced Learning Schools from Saudi Arabia.