THIMUN 2017 MUNITY Friday Issue by Markus Schicketanz

THIMUN PRESS CORPS

THE MUNITY VOLUME XXV

FEBRUARY 3, 2017

ISSUE 5

1 EURO

Looking Back and Moving Forward

by: Holly Roberts

by: Samantha Arnorld As this year’s annual THIMUN conference comes to a close, participants will soon be packing their suitcases and exiting the doors of the World Forum. It is safe to say that all participants will be leaving with content smiles on their faces. It is hard to believe that this international conference, first established in 1968, will be 50 years old next year. THIMUN has come so far since the first conference was held at the American School of The Hague. Frances Laughlin, the current Co-Chair of the Board, commented that, “It started as such a small conference and it was just a school conference and it was...maybe 100 people, and now we vary between 2500 to 3000. It’s how we exploded that has been much of a surprise to us, and how it has exploded around the world.” Laughlin also stated, “In many ways it has become more delegate friendly, it is more focused on delegates and their needs, rather than the show aspect of it, and I think that is something that

NEWS Closing Ceremony

we have been working on over the years that it is not just a big prestigious event; it is something for delegates and that they get the best experience.” Without a doubt there have been some incredible experiences and memories that have blossomed here at the World Forum, some that participants will never forget. David Williams, who served as Chair of the THIMUN Foundation Board, expressed, “What I want to do for the 50th is reflect, but also to look forward, because participation in THIMUN has had an influence on people’s lives later on. That’s what I want to look at, beyond the fifty years, what influence it has had. But there are other stories that I would like to collect. One of my former students, he said he is choosing which school to send his kids to on the basis of whether they do MUN or not. That is how important it was to him in his life!” It just goes to show how significant THIMUN is in many different aspects.

OPINION Effectiveness of the UN

When looking back at some of the main highlights, it is impossible not to consider the visit from the Secretary General at the time, Kofi Annan. Not only was it a meaningful and substantial experience for the delegates, but also for the organisers and members of the board. “The real ultimate highlight for me was in 2002 when the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, came to our conference. As Chairman of the Board as I was at the time, I had to greet him when he arrived and he had a whole entourage of security guards and advisers. He was such a nice man, he was so pleasant and he put me at my ease and the students at their ease. When he walked into the general assembly plenary, delegates all rose to their feets and started shouting at him as if he was a rock star!” said Mr. Williams. Continued on page 13...

The MUNITY FRIDAY, 3RD FEBRUARY 2017

by: Ginger Shuppan

Continuation of Historical Conflicts ICJ’s Struggle for Justice by Sarah Kim The Republic of Nauru is a small island country with a long history of violence and abuse. From the ten-year Nauruan Tribal War to a short but painful period of Japanese occupation, inhabitants of Nauru suffered occupation for most of their history until they were finally liberated in 1945, when the Japanese surrendered the island to the Australian Army. However, even this period of independence did not last very long. In 1947, the United Nations established a trusteeship with Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom as trustees. In subsequent decades, the three nations formed the British Phosphate Commission (BPC), which extracted phosphate from the rich mines in the Nauru. Despite the economic success of the BPC— earning a revenue of $745,000—the mining caused extreme environmental damage and resettlement of indigenous inhabitants in Nauru. Considered to hold the predominant administrative power in the trusteeship, Australia and its failure to rem-

edy the harm it caused to Nauru led to the International Court of Justice coming together in 1992 to make a judgment. This struggle from more than two decades ago was brought back in 2017 through THIMUN, where judges and advocates of the ICJ discussed the rights and wrongs of the Nauruan-Australian conflict from the past. Kayra Copur, Ambassador of the United Kingdom in the 4th Committee of the General Assembly, was one of the witnesses called up to the stand. Copur answered questions with the belief that only the United Kingdom has the responsibility to compensate for Nauru’s current state, as Australia was under the British Commonwealth during the time of the mining. She maintained her stance even when asked by Judge Joseph Hilditch if “any decision in the world made by any Commonwealth nation should be the responsibility of the United Kingdom.” When asked by Judge Alison Dudu if “the strongest obligation rests with the governments that

Oops! An article covering the THIMUN Opening Ceremony, published on Tuesday on page one of issue two, stated that the deputy director of Europol, Rob Wainwright, was the keynote speaker. In fact, his name is Wil van Gemert. Our apologies for this mistake.

have benefited from the low price and high quality [of phosphate] to provide the most generous assistance [to Nauru],” Copur argued that the United Kingdom has already been taking steps to pay for reparations and for rehabilitation of the country. The next witness called up to the stand was Carl Schiller, Delegate of Nauru from the 6th Committee of the General Assembly. Despite being the representative of Nauru himself, Schiller spoke up against the Advocates of Nauru in the ICJ under the idea that Nauru “misinterpreted agreements that it had with the BPC.” Schiller asserted that this was a corporate matter, as the BPC was like an alliance between different countries primarily driven by economic desires to earn revenue from the phosphate on the Nauru. However, this point was countered by Judge Elizabeth Nicolescu when she questioned if a “band of countries” damaging the welfare of another country is really a corporate, not a national, matter. Many judges on the panel

seemed to be most interested in the witness’ stance on nations taking responsibility for the damage it caused on the Nauru. Judge Hilditch asked the witness if there “would be an onus, especially on Australia, to intervene and stop this exploitation [of natural resources] from damaging the lives of the Nauruan people.” Though Schiller agreed that trustees should take legal responsibility to a certain extent, he argued that Nauru was the country that “bought [the BPC] to mine on their territory, and there are no other legal documents or pieces of evidence that will dispute this.” The debate regarding liability for Nauru’s current damaged state continued on in the ICJ for the rest of the day. The ICJ’s efforts is one of the many aspects that shows the beauty of THIMUN—a conference where delegates and judges fight for justice not just from the present, but also from the past.

THE MUNITY

Friday, February 3rd, 2017

Productive or Expectations Destructive Debate vs Realities in THIMUN

by: Andrea Blattler

As the week comes to a close, delegates start to look back on their experiences. There are many things to look back on, but of course the most important is the debates that have been happening all week. To fully understand how the debates are going, the MUNITY press team asked some delegates what the debates meant to them. “To have a good debate is to change minds and be ready to have your mind changed” observed Nuno Belmar, General Assembly 3, representing Switzerland. “A productive debate is something that gets a solution, something that’s viable, something that’s possible, not idealistic.” added António Ferreira Cabral, DC1, also representing Switzerland. Although all are excited to move on to the debates about their resolutions, there are always things that don’t go the way that they should. With some of the delegates getting tired and distracted, there have been some complaints about keeping everyone focused and interested in the topic at hand. “In order to have a great debate, we need to have people that are interested in what they are doing’’ says António, “It’s a debate system that doesn’t really allow us to debate as much as we’d like.” With no rights to reply and unanswered points of information to the speakers, delegates feel a little unfulfilled. Some complaints have come in because the debate system has become very deconstructive. Rather than merging and creating better resolutions, there have been many comments with the simple aim of criticizing and no attempts to aid in the creation of amendments or better resolutions. However, as the conference concludes, there have also been a great many positives in the debate system. Delegates are chomping at the bit to get a word in as time runs out, and when enthusiastic, the whole debate becomes more lively and fruitful. When asked how he felt about the debate system and if there was too much destructive criticism, Belmar replied with “I think that sometimes destruction is necessary to make something really good.” The delegates are mostly pleased with the passing resolutions and are eager to face their last day with enthusiasm. “We’re getting things done, slowly but surely, we’re getting things done.’’ said Ferreira. With the week almost over, delegates must make the most of the time that they have by: Maxine Russel left and make the debates as productive as possible.

THE MUNITY

Editors in Chief Madeleine Schulz Yashwini Sodhani Text Editors Andrea Blattler Michelle Liu Joel Vasama

by: Chang Qu

Expectations of all kinds are always constructed in the minds of THIMUN’s delegates before they gather in The Hague. The THIMUN conference in The Hague is the largest one there is, and because of this, colorful expectations of what was to take place during the week in the World Forum were formed. However, the original expectations might not be there for long, as THIMUN always provides numerous surprises for all attendees. Thalia Selby, the delegate of India in Disarmament Commission 1, said that the original expectation she had before she took her first journey to The Hague last week. “This is the first THIMUN I have attended and I certainly have heard of its large scale, so I knew it would be significant. I thought perhaps we would have all the debates in a very old building. But the World Forum we stay in is so modern. That is something out of my expectation. And even though I knew the conference was going to be big, the number of delegates and the grand committees still intimidated me a little.” She also shared her personal views on her positive experience at THIMUN. “After a day or two, people managed to know each other so my anxiety vanished and I realized it was really nice to work with other distinguished delegates.” Damiano Pacchiani, the delegate of Guyana in the ECOSOC Committee, offered an answer from another angle when talking about differences between expectations and realities of THIMUN. “I thought the procedures were going to be complicated while the debates were going to be difficult. But all problems can be solved easily because delegates can get help from each other. I am more confident standing in front of my committee and I think everything is getting easier every day.” MUN Directors, not really participating in the conference but helping to train and encourage the delegates, had opinions of their own. Patroula Kafousia, the MUN Director from Arsakeia Tositsia Schools of Patras-Athens-Tessaloniki, told the press what she had expected from THIMUN. “Both the students and the directors were looking forward to THIMUN before coming. I don’t really know what to expect, but instead felt a little bit excited. When I came here, there was a shock indeed. There were so many things going around and the duty of being a director was certainly not easy. However, this is a very valuable process of gaining abilities and knowledge. We learn more and acquire more during the conference.” No matter what expectations they had before coming to THIMUN, the realities that are constructed here never disappoint. With more surprises to come, all attendees learn so much in THIMUN and it will be an experience they will never forget.

Reporters Sarah Kim Quentin Aubert Chitvan Bansal Amanda Dagron Abbas El Menjra Saady Peter Nguyen Minh Holly Roberts Chang Qu Lindsey Yu

Layout Irina Chen Vivian Chen Melat Gebreselassie Joonhee Han Christine Heidbrink Artwork Samantha Arnold Emma Benoit

Photographers Tahlia Briscoe Aseel Einjury Alyce Hammer Brian Kim Lucy Kirkwood Ginger Schuppan Maxine Russel

PHOTOSPREAD

The MUMITY

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd, 2017

by: Tahlia Briscoe, Aseel Einjury, Alyce Hammer, Brian Kim, Lucy Kirkwood, Ginger Schuppan, Maxine Russel, Vivian Chen

THIMUN

What do you Sadly, the last event: have InMutual? Closing Ceremony by: Joel Vasama

by: Quentin Aubert This year at THIMUN a new social networking platform was introduced at the conference called InMutual. Most delegates have used it, or at least heard of it - as the main objective of InMutual is to ease MUN communication by connecting people even if they aren’t sitting next to one another. Activities such as lobbying and creating social bonds are facilitated by this platform, though the opinion of users is divided. On one hand, after the launch, many said they started using the platform but didn’t get hooked. On the other hand, many users say they find the platform very useful and have been using it regularly since their registration. Mr. Jeroen van Gennep, the developer and owner of InMutual, says that the launch has been successful. Two thirds of all

comment that they weren’t using the platform as their committees didn’t use it. But some were pleased with the introduction of this new tool. The Delegate of Czech Republic, Maurits Hamel, said “InMutual has acted as a gateway in regards to communication and has allowed the delegation of the Czech Republic as well as many others to continue the debate even outside the debate room”. This is a great example of InMutual at its best; connecting people outside the conference, and this is exactly what the platform was designed for. “InMutual will become especially interesting after the conference and when you go to your next MUN,” Mr. van Gennep added regarding the purpose of the platform. Another problem which Mr. van Gennep confesses to is the

participants to THIMUN 2017 have registered, with many who have even updated their past conference experience and connected with new people. Mr. van Gennep and his colleagues at InMutual are very proud to have partnered with THIMUN and are happy about the overwhelming amount of registrations. They themselves are veteran MUNers and say they actually got the idea for the platform from their experiences with MUN. “We found there was always a gap in the MUN experience as we always saw many familiar faces but not knowing who is who,” Mr. van Gennep commented on how he got the idea. Though the launch can be considered successful, the delegates of THIMUN have noticed multiple points which could do with improvement. Some said that the platform would be more useful if it had direct messaging. Others

activity on the platform. Not all of the users have made full use of the potential of the platform. Even though some have filled in plenty of details, not everyone has, thus leaving a large number of functions unused. One of these functions is the details of your previous conferences. “What makes InMutual unique is that by adding your past MUNs to your InMutual profile you can see how you are connected with others through your shared MUNs,” Mr. van Gennep told us. But this was only the first conference for InMutual and distribution to other MUNs has been planned. With the feedback from THIMUN 2017 and upcoming improvements, one can only imagine how far this platform will go. With the potential the platform already has, we can see it becoming an essential part of MUN in the near future.

After a week of intense debate, THIMUN 2017 is coming to an end. The World Forum will no longer be bustling with formally dressed students, and the infamous ‘Post Thimun Depression’ will start to set in. But before the heartbreak, let’s enjoy this last wonderful day. Friday is the day everyone has been waiting for, especially because of this afternoon’s closing ceremony. This event will take place in the World Forum Theatre at 4pm, and will be an opportunity for all participants of the conference to come together inside this monumental theatre. The audience will first hear the different main committee chair reports that explain what each committee has

been debating throughout the conference. “It is interesting to see the success of the chairs in their committees,” said Mrs. Fran Laughlin, coChair of the THIMUN Foundation. Following the committee reports, the International Court of Justice will present the long awaited results of their trials. Afterwards, for the photography enthusiasts in the audience as well as contestants and voters, the two winners of the THIMUN photo exhibition contest will be announced. However, the closing ceremony also give thanks to all participants, directors, and organisers of the conference. And of course, the Secretary General, Mariana Plaza Cardenas, will deliver her

final speech. After the SG bangs the gavel, signifying the official closing of the conference, it will be time to celebrate the end of this fascinating week. A lively Caribbean band will play, accompanied by the impressive flag parade and then, the closing ceremony will close. All participants are invited to attend this distinguished ceremony. As Mrs. Laughlin states, it is also “the culmination of their week’s work”. For this reason, you should all enter the World Forum Theater at four o’clock. But don’t forget to come early if you want to grab a great seat!

by: Samantha Arnold

The MUNITY FRIDAY, 3RD FEBRUARY 2017

No Plenary, No Cry by: Amanda Dagron Friday has arrived and those in the know expectantly await the plenary session. However, THIMUN 2017 delegates can expect to wait indefinitely, as the united session has been cancelled. No longer will committees assemble in the theatre of the World Forum as one General Assembly and debate resolutions with one another. “In order to have a bit more structure, we want to keep committee sessions more than the plenary session” explains Alain Meidinger, Co-Chair of the THIMUN Foundation. Some changes in the delegates’ serious manner have been noticed during the past years. ‘’On Friday afternoon, there is a lot of noise at the plenary session: we give the wrong image of the conference and what is happening here.’’ As the week comes to an end, students generally feel exhausted, which is the result of their significant research efforts aimed at supporting their debates to the fullest. The plenary session reunites friends, classmates and new acquaintances, all yearning to lie back and let off steam, laugh a minute, share experiences or simply meet up with each other. Nicholas Raffoul, Delegate of Turkmenistan, Human Rights Committee 1, laments the

lack of a plenary, saying, ‘’I think a plenary would have been interesting, just to combine all ideas and see how other commissions work and the different ways of thinking other commissions have.’’ Looking on the bright side, delegates will have more time to finish debating on their resolutions, so often abandoned in mid-debate on Friday. Time is of the essence in political debate and deserting diplomatic discussions does not help in the search for real solutions. Delegates are passionate about getting resolutions they have turned upside-down and inside-out in their minds passed or failed as a whole. Cancelling the plenary session has allowed many more resolutions to be discussed and gives delegates who haven’t yet had the chance to express themselves a chance to do so. ‘’It gives us more opportunity to speak in our own commissions,’’ agrees Raffoul. ‘’We are doing this for the first time. We are going to see what happens [and] hope everyone benefits from the new situation,’’ comments positively Mr. Meidinger. You never know until you try.

by: Emma Benoit

Disarmament Commission by: Abbas El Menjra Saady The Disarmament Commission (DC), one of the UN’s peacekeeping special committees, was created to avoid wars and conflicts through limitations on nuclear and conventional weaponry in countries. The Disarmament Commission consists of two sub-commissions. Disarmament Sub-commission 1 includes issues pertaining to new technology in weapons, such as chemical weapons that have resulted in damage in Syria and Iraq. To avoid this unequal use of weapons between countries who

by: Aseel Einjury

don’t have the same advanced military, they use the action of the UN to communicate between these states. The delegates in the committee also strive to control small weapons in Africa where many armed conflicts happened due to political instability. It is the duty of the DC to stop them. Children are often stricken by these conflicts, so the DC commission have a very important role. The second sub-commission has issues such as the monitoring and curbing of the development of strategic weapons. DC2 has to take measures to fully implement the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, a proposed international treaty to prohibit the further production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other explosive devices. This treaty has not been negotiated and its terms are yet to be defined. Delegates have to find good arguments to convince their classmates to arrive to a world peace. But, because of their self-esteem, delegates have just to turn to a consensus between themselves. Delegates seem very interested in taking part in this pressing issue. However, as Naz Kayin, the Assistant President of DC2 expressed, sometimes solutions created at MUN are “not nearly as applicable in real life”. For example, Pakistan and India are two countries who do not share the same belief in policy making. But for the conference each delegate decided to work together and find harmony between their two voices. Ideas and amendments had been created only to make the debate more intriguing. But as expected, this has failed. This situation shows that in all the committees, everything is possible, even in the most serious committees.

PHOTOSPREAD

The MUNITY Friday, February 3rd, 2017

THIMUN 2017: in Retrospect

by: Tahlia Briscoe, Aseel Einjury, Alyce Hammer, Brian Kim, Lucy Kirkwood, Ginger Schuppan, Maxine Russel

PEOPLE

Have You Met...?

If you could change one world Dressed to Impress issue, what would it be? If Nicholas could fix one issue in the world he said, “It would be racism and segregation of individual parties, due to the base of this being from habit of history instead of anything logical. So yeah, it would be race relations in the world.” Nicholas Leddy Delegate of Belgium Zurich International School When asked what issue Re-em would change in the world he said, “mono-directional sexism, I guess.” Re-em Tal Delegate of Cameroon ACS Hillingdon International School When asked what Skyler would change, she said, “One thing I would change in the world would be if people would not be negative and everyone could be happy, that would be great.” Skyler Flores Delegate of Italy International School of Düsseldorf

Charlotte Inizan Delegate of Liberia International School of Fontainebleau

Benjamin Nauer Delegate of Belgium Zurich International School

by: Tahlia Briscoe

Favorite Features by: Chitvan Bansal

THIMUN began with much excitement, nervousness and anticipation in regards to the debates and discussions ahead. As the week progressed, the delegates explored many facets of this huge conference and learned more about this international convergence of people. Delegates had a melange of new experiences and found that, even though they liked all aspects, some aspects were more liked than others. Amidst all the buzz, when MUNITY asked delegates to reflect on their favorite part of being at THIMUN 2017, there was as much diversity in the answers as in the conference itself: Fatima Afroze, Delegate of Ukraine, Security Council, found the level of preparation impressive, saying that she likes the debate since “everyone really knows what they are talking about and everyone knows their country’s stance. The chairs also know what they are doing really well.” Aryan Singh, Delegate of Palestine, Advisory Panel, says he enjoys arguing and debating with his fellow delegates, and remarked that “something very interesting is that we actually have people from all over the world, and it’s interesting seeing [delegates’] reactions to what is

said by other delegates representing their country.” Fenna Timsi, Delegate of Côte d’Ivoire, 6th Committee of the General Assembly, said, “I love meeting people from different cultures and getting to know them. It’s the most international MUN I’ve been to, and here you just see so many ethnicities.” Yuqi Di, Delegate of Uganda, GA6, also likes interacting with different people, and said her favourite part was “talking to the other delegates and finding out what their own opinion is of the issues.” Lujain Thamer Jan, Delegate of Burkina Faso, Environment Commission 1, replied that his favorite part of THIMUN was “breaking stereotypes - especially with different cultures, people come expecting a specific image that the media displays, and then you [change their ideas]!” This reaffirms the fact that THIMUN is a great platform for people to learn more about other cultures, and dispel preconceived notions and misconceptions that get propagated through the media. Katherine Schwarting, Delegate of Italy, Human Rights Council 2 said, “This is a completely new experience for me. I’ve done a lot of listening

and I’ve learnt so much. I’ve become more confident with speaking in public.” Her friend, Chloé Fleury, representing the International Committee of the Red Cross in the same committee, commented, “The best part is the research before when you get all your arguments ready and then getting out there in committee”. Schwarting agreed enthusiastically, elaborating, “while you’re listening to the debate and you’re writing things on the reso[lution] that you can go up and say them.” Overall, THIMUN has been a rollercoaster ride for most delegates (with more ups than downs) and there are many memorable moments that will stay with them.

by: Alyce Hammer

The MUMITY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd, 2017

The (UN)Effectiveness of the UN

by Peter Nguyen Minh

In recent months, a certain newly inaugurated president has called into question the effectiveness of the United Nations (UN) as a peacekeeping body, stating that “right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time.” But how valid is his claim? First of all, one has to decide what we are assessing when determining the UN’s effectiveness, as it is highly unlikely that they would be an effective rhythmic gymnastics group. Assessing them however on their ability to handle problems and the overall structure would probably be more appropriate criteria. The UN does not have the best track record when it comes to solving crises; the biggest of which are currently the Syrian and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. To be completely fair, neither crisis has an easy solution and both have caused a great number of innocent deaths. This however is where an organisation like the UN should step in and solve

what individual nations cannot. Syria particularly is an incredibly complex situation, which keeps getting more convoluted and intertwined in world politics. As Simon Keable-Elliott, Royal Russell School MUN director, says, “In terms of crises, [the UN] is probably not very good at solving crises because the UN actually is just the table, and if the people sitting around the table are not prepared to agree then the table can’t force them to agree.” The UN can only function effectively and decisively during crises if its member states are willing to end them, and one could argue that perhaps certain nations don’t want these crises to end, as currently it wouldn’t end in a manner that is beneficial to them. One cannot however ignore the fact that ever since the UN’s existence there has been significantly fewer wars than there were in past decades. Countries have a “table” for discussing and finding solutions to their problems. The UN’s human develop-

ment projects have been much more fruitful, and have included a myriad of agendas like Climate Change and Gender Equality. Perhaps the most famous was the Millennium Development Goals set in 2000, in which world leaders committed their nations to achieving eight goals by 2015. These goals were made vague enough so that any move towards them could be deemed a success, but the UN surpassed expectations, with 2.6 billion more people having been granted access to safe drinking water being the most dramatic result. They have now been replaced with the Sustainable Development Goals, which are still somewhat vague, but are more focused on achieving goals like zero hunger and poverty. It is debatable whether these can truly be achieved without solving some of the world’s more prominent crises first - for example solving the Refugee Crisis in Syria, would lessen the pressure on meeting these goals. There are however flaws with-

in the actual structure of the UN that make it ineffective. It was essentially created after the Second World War by Allies in an attempt to keep the peace in a way the League of Nations (predecessor to the UN) couldn’t. It does however, have a flaw which is the veto right of the five permanent members. It completely undermines the point of a United Nations if in the end, only one country out of five needs to make a decision to scrap any resolution. Assessing the UN is much like assessing a school. The campus might be beautiful with top of the line facilities, and the perfect environment for learning; nevertheless, if the students don’t want to learn and aren’t willing to even try, then the pristine conditions of the building are pointless. Thus the UN cannot be considered entirely effective if we only consider its influence in stopping the world’s conflicts, but it would be foolish to not acknowledge all the good it has done.

by Emma Benoit

THE MUNITY

FRIDAY, 3RD FEBRUARY 2017

Why Does The Netherlands Care? On late Wednesday afternoon, around 2,000 people took part in an anti-Trump rally in The Hague, just a few kilometers away from the World Forum at a park called the Malieveld. Named Holland Against Hate, the rally took place at the edge of the park, where a stage with speakers was set up, surrounded by protestors on all three sides. All around the area, police officers patrolled on foot, horses, and bikes, ensuring the safety of protesters and bystanders alike. With signs bearing slogans like, “Love trumps hate,” and “No human being is illegal,” the protesters were opposed to the recent travel ban and were pro-refugee. A group of female demonstrators explained their reasons for attending. “It’s mainly because we don’t agree with the policies that Trump is implementing right now in America. [Also we are protesting] because of the recent travel ban that has ripped families apart.”

Although most delegates of the conference did not attend the rally, some applauded the protesters for sticking to their beliefs. “I find it good that people all over the world are taking action and standing for what they believe in,” replied Miriam Schauer, the delegate of Lithuania in General Assembly 3. However, with the rise of Trump protests, both in the United States and around the world, others believe that there should be more balance in the responses for Trump’s policies. “[Though] I completely support the concerns that have become the centre of these protests, I would also prefer if there was more balance, showing both sides of the argument,” Frederick (last name withheld by request), delegate of Japan in the Security Council, stated. It’s common for people to not understand why anti-Trump (or pro-Trump) rallies are taking place around the world, when Trump’s victory in the election

only means that he is the President of the United States. “People [in the Netherlands] care because the things Trump does will influence the world,” commented Noēmie (last name also withheld by request), delegate of Saudi Arabia in Sub-committee 2 of the Human Rights Council. “It is no secret that many people [in the Netherlands] see Trump’s presidency [and policies] as fuel for many old and new conflicts in the world,” Schauer further explained, “We can’t let [these] things just happen, as they affect us and many people around the world, not only in the US, because we live in a globalized world.” Schauer’s point relating to caring

by Michelle Liu about other countries reiterates the importance of MUN. Issues in a country are hardly ever limited to that specific country, especially in an increasingly globalized world. It is important to know, that taking into consideration the impact certain policies can have go beyond borders. Delegates have the chance to explore and understand global issues such as this one, and THIMUN shows students how to deal with problems in the future. by Vivian Chen

Where Do We Draw The Line?

by Yashwini Sodhani

by Ginger Shuppan Wednesday night, UC Berkeley witnessed a small group of masked agitators, in a crowd of 1,500 protesters, storm the campus in protest of the speech that

was scheduled for later that night by Milo Yiannopolous. The British editor of Breitbart News is also a member of the alternative right, and has been a supporter of Pres-

ident Trump’s right-wing conservatism. The left wing protesters evidently missed the irony of the situation: in the battle for political ‘correctness’, they restricted the right to free speech they have so vehemently fought for in the past. Since then, a debate has erupted over the ethical and moral repercussions of the protest in a country where democracy is cherished and at a college that is considered the home of free speech. Azra Haseki, the Delegate of the United States in GA3 clarified her country’s stance on the issue, “The country at the moment is more divided than it has been… the actions of the students are regrettable and our country cannot condone this as we are bound by the constitution to the right to free speech.” Although the ideas behind Yiannopolous’s speech were potentially racist and misogynistic, Haseki raised a relevant and resounding point about understanding the opposing stance, stating, “this is the best way to democracy, since if people cannot speak their minds, they cannot see each other for who they truly are and reach amicable solutions”. Countries have different views on the extent of free speech; democra-

cies embrace the right for people to hold and express the views of their choice, whereas authoritarian states dictate the restrictions on speech. Tom Heron, the Delegate of China in HRC2 took the opposing stance, explaining that “China reserves the right to maintain social security and a secure society through the monitoring of its citizens and what they say”. Security concerns are often cited by many countries as a reason for censorship, alluding to violence incited by speeches and demonstrations such as at Berkeley. Beatriz Staub, the Delegate of the DPRK in HRC2, keeping in line with DPRK’s flawed values of democracy and freedom, stated “I believe that if someone has the right to speak freely, they must follow the government’s ideals – they can say what they want according to the rules of the government”. With this debate, some pertinent questions arise – is political ‘correctness’ decided by the government or by society? Is there such a thing as too much free speech? Are security concerns an adequate reason for restricting people’s opinions? The answers are poles apart, and a compromise seems beyond our grasp.

OPINION

G’day, “May 8”

by Madeleine Schulz

by Samantha Arnold Every year on the 26th of January, Aussies young and old flock to the beach, Australian flagclad with VBs in hand, all ready to mark Australia Day. Celebrated with barbecues, backyard cricket matches and fireworks, this holiday commemorates the anniversary of the first fleet of British ships arriving in New South Wales, Australia. Underlying all of this, however, is a devastating period of Australian history. Here lies the paradox of Australia day: Australians celebrate the day when many indigenous Australians lost their lives and their freedom. Just two days before THIMUN 2017, something much more powerful than beers and sausages was prevalent: the appearance of #changethedate all over social media sites. For a national day that has been dubbed ‘Invasion Day’ by many, it is unsurprising that there has been a surge of discussion about moving the date to one that all Australians can support and enjoy. Isaac Ortlipp, admin in the Environment Committee, hails from Sydney and agrees that there

should indeed be a change of date. He said, “I feel like the current Australia Day is completely inappropriate – we’re celebrating the slaughtering of thousands of indigenous people and it’s completely wrong.” Unfortunately, if Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce heard him say this, he would probably tell Ortlipp to “crawl under a rock and hide for a little bit,” which is exactly what he said when asked about people who “make [him] feel guilty about [the date].” This does seem a bit rich coming from a wealthy white Australian who evidently lacks Aboriginal heritage. Angus Bird, an Australian admin for the Economic and Social Committee, was not previously aware of the ‘change the date’ movement; after having learned of it, he does not believe that it is necessary. Bird thinks “it should stay on the 26th; it’s been that way for a long time and it should stay that way.” He does, however, acknowledge that “it probably is an issue” that Australians are effectively celebrating the indigenous Australians’ dispos-

session and, in many cases, murder. In true Australian fashion, the suggested new date is May 8th. As in, ‘May eight’ – mate. Ortlipp praised the idea, saying “to have it on May 8th would be something completely in the Australian spirit to do.” It is worth noting that all of those partying on Australia Day are not doing so because they are thrilled about the dispossession of indigenous people. Most are simply appreciating their nation; expressing their pride in the country they are from. Yet, in celebrating on this date, they are inadvertently memorializing the genocide of innocent people. National pride is at the essence of Australia Day, and people tend to spend the 26th with friends and family, eating, drinking, appreciating their country. So why must this expression of pride take place on a day that marks the beginning of such brutal events? For a day that is meant to encourage the celebration of all Australians, it is ironic that it divides the population into two - those who are indigenous and those who are not. Granted, many non-indigenous Australians fully support and advocate for a change in date. However, there still lies the great divide between those who believe the date is inappropriate and those who see a change as redundant. Without changing the date to one that is inoffensive to a prominent sector of the Australian population, the reduction of this divide would be difficult, to say the least. Nobody can change what happened in 1788, however Australians can make the effort to understand the dispossession and atrocities that occurred. With this understanding may come the agreement that a change in date is needed. No, this will not change what happened. It will not compensate for the lives lost. It will, however, demonstrate to those whose ancestors were affected that Australia does sympathize with them and respect them enough to honor the memories of those who lost their lives upon the arrival of the first fleet, and all of those that followed.

Continued from Page 1 Looking toward the 50th year of THIMUN in The Hague, there is so much to look forward to. Next year will be one of the most anticipated conferences yet. Mr. Williams stated that, “On the whole, I think the development should continue as it is, that is to work constantly for international cooperation for understanding between people.” When asked about the 50th anniversary and the future of THIMUN, Ms. Laughlin stated that, “There are some special events being planned, and maybe a few goodies! But we hope some special visitors. There may be more THIMUN conferences, not just affiliated conferences but big conferences like Qatar, Singapore, and Latin America!” But even though not much has been said about what these “goodies” might be,

Irene Crepin, the Managing Director, mentioned that there will be a unique logo specifically made for the 50th year anniversary. Crepin also assured us that even though it is very hush-hush, and that she can’t give us too much insight as to what is being planned, that it will be very exciting. It is just a matter of waiting to see what it is!

What comes next?

THIMUN 2017 is regrettably coming to an end. Delegates, chairs and admin staff alike will end there week with a sense of melancholy. Of course, some participants will already be looking forward to the next round of debates, to eagerly anticipated presidencie+s, to feats of perfectly smooth organisation as they anticipate future MUNs in which they plan to take part. Others, however, may have found that conferences are not their cup of tea and should not give up their day job!

FRIDAY, 3RD FEBRUARY by Amanda Dagron

by Brian Kim MUN zealots will want to come back and kill two birds with one stone, combining hard work and pleasure. Throughout the conference, students get the opportunity to improve themselves as speakers but also to have “fun [while] making things interesting’’ shares Tom Cleach, Delegate of Germany, Special Conference 1. Many delegates seem to relish the whole MUN atmosphere and embark on this journey to wisdom as delegates. Their strong ambition makes them eager for more experience. Mathilde Clar, Delegate of Bangladesh, Environmental and Social Coun-

Alain Meidinger: Why MUN is Worthwhile Q:

How did you start your MUN career? What were your first impressions of MUN?

we do this next time? Can we do that? We should do that!’ A teacher is no longer the one giving orders, and that’s the unique thing about MUN!”

A: “I started 20 years ago. A teacher respon- Q: sible for coming to a conference was sick, so I had to take over from her. A student came to me and said, ‘you can speak english, you’re a History teacher, can you come with us to the conference?’ And I said, ‘Yes, but I know nothing about MUN.’ So the only thing I did at the time was to glue photos on the badges, sign documents, pay for the delegation’s things. I spent my time looking around, surprised by what I was seeing. Since then, I have been involved with doing things for THIMUN. From the moment you put your foot in it, you have to stay in it.”

What do you see from the delegates at THIMUN?

“On the first day, the younger ones seem to be a bit shy. They seem to be a little scared that they have to speak and to be part of it. But you see them grow, you see them gain confidence and come back to you and say, ‘Sir I did it! I took

cil is one of them.”’I’ve been a delegate 3 or 4 time, so I’d like to try something else such as the Press Team. Actually, my school is organising an MFNU and I’ll be president of a committee. This will be a new experience.’’ MUN prepares young people to face the real world. Nicola Harvey Wood, Delegate of Antiha and Barbuda, Disarmament Committee 1 explained how MUN has influenced her life-long career choices. “I’m hoping to be [Chair] next year. It gives you a real feel for what it would be like to have a career in politics. MUN has molded many ideas of what I want to do later on.’’ Lydie Lampiri, Co-Chair, General Assembly 2, urges students to take part in as many MUNs as they can, especially if doing so has as significant an impact on their future plans as it has done for her. “If I go to another school that has [MUN], I will probably start again. MUN does teach you a lot outside of the classroom and [is] the reason I want to study international politics. If you feel passionate about it, definitely pursue [MUNs]’’. This is an emphatic endorsement. Desperate times call for desperate measures which can be regarded from numerous perspectives and managed in many different ways. For some, MUN provides a constructive approach, as the feedback has proved and, yet for others, it does not offer a satisfactory solution. Everyone has their own unique method of solving global issues that may also be valid in addressing problems in urgent need of attention.

by Lindsey Yu the floor!’ It’s a win-win situation. Parents sometimes say that they have some communication problems with their kids, for example when they ask, ‘How was school today?,’ the kids would then say, ‘Yeah. Normal.’ But when they ask, ‘How was it at THIMUN?’, the kids would never stop talking! A parent actually came to me and said, ‘Our son talked to us! He talked about THIMUN, and we’ve never heard such a thing before!’ The relationships between parents and children change completely.”

Q: How do you think THIMUN can improve next year?

A: “We have to update certain forums. For exam-

Q: What motivated you to devote so much time and energy to organize and direct THIMUN? What makes your effort worthwhile?

A: “My students, in fact, all students, gave me the energy to do it. Whenever we finish a conference, my students would be like, ‘Can

by Aseel Einury

ple, I think we should stop the Disarmament Commission. We already have GA1 which deals with disarmament and international security. Furthermore, maybe we can have a forum on sustainable development since it is one of the goals of the UN, and we want to be as close to the UN as possible. We can also have more changes in procedure to be more like the real UN, or we can implement more technology like the InMutual App. But for the rest, like the photo exhibitions, it’s a really good idea, and we should keep that.”

THE MUNITY

FRIDAY, 3RD FEBRUARY 2017

How Your Chairs See You

by: Tahlia Briscoe, Aseel Einury, Alyce Hammer, Brian Kim, Lucy Kirkwood, Ginger Shuppan, and Maxine Russel

Security Council

“VETO”

ECOSOC

“The-best”

ICJ

APQNE

“Prayer”

“Consensus?”

SPC 1

SPC 2

HRC 1

HRC 2

“Awesome”

“Vigorous”

“Eloquence”

“Lit”

DC 1

DC 2

GA 1

GA 2

“Efficient”

“Ambitious”

“Outstanding”

“Awe Inspiring”

GA 3

GA 4

GA 5

GA 6

“Budgetary”

“Professional”

“Remarkable”

“Chaotic”

EC 1

EC 2

Solutions -

Thursday February 2nd Sudoku:

“Phenomenal”

“Motivated”

EXTREME GAMES

SUDOKU & RIDDLES

Signing off,