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by Abby MacPhail (teacher, United Nations Activity)
This past weekend February 25 to 27, 30 Pearson College students assumed the roles of ambassadors to the UN and took part in the 2005 Vancouver Model United Nations conference. A MUN conference is an authentic simulation of the U.N.General Assembly and other multilateral bodies. At the Vancouver MUN conference, we had the choice to participate in one of the following five committees: the World Summit on Terrorism, the United Nations Future Security Council, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Israeli Cabinet.
After weeks of researching, organizing, and preparation in public speaking, debating, lobbying, and negotiation, we were finally able to put our skills into practice. For their impressive performances, Chauntez, Raisa, Hila, Yashodhara and Leith were given the awards for outstanding delegates while Hiba, Leticia and Phiriyaphong were given honorable mentions. And the award for the overall best delegation went to .. Pearson College!
Imani Brown (year 31) shares her experience.
" I realized how bureaucratic the entire process was. "
It was also very soon into the process that I realized how bureaucratic the entire process was. The welcoming address was probably the only thing that we did not vote on. Someone had to set a motion to start the meeting, to set a motion to discuss a topic, to give reason for wanting to start with this specific topic. Finally, we voted on whether or not we actually wanted to start with this topic, and then, and only then did we actually start talking about the topic for which the majority of us has voted. This subject of discussion was ways of preventing the trafficking of women, and this took us through to 11pm the first day.
MODEL UN CONTINUED
photos Abby MacPhail and Raisa Mirza