On a crisp, bright, autumnal Korean morning at the very end of October, 400 students from across Asia – ranging from as far afield as Myanmar in the West to Japan in the East – descended on the Blue Square Conference facility in Itaewon, South Korea. These young men and women were filled with ideas; they had grand intentions and a genuine sense of purpose. The Blue square facility and neighboring YISS school were to host the 15th annual Seoul Model United Nations conference; an academic conference offering a chance for debate, thoughtful argument and the proposal of resolutions to global problems.
All things must have a beginning and the SEOMUN conference was to be no different. The opening ceremony is always the first event of any Model United Nations conference and at SEOMUN we received a speech about what happens when diplomacy fails! The guest speaker was Major General Chun, who spoke of the severity and consequences of the conflict in the Korean peninsula, the need for dialogue, and the role of the United Nations in securing peace in the region and beyond. He outlined the importance of constructive debate and discussion and of the need for “good people” in difficult situations. Major General Chun set the stage, but as he put it himself when he addressed the audience; “I've been in uniform for 30 years, my time of influence is passing, I've done my part, soon it will come down to YOU!”. It was to be the students who were the stars of this particular conference.
So with the opening ceremony completed, it was time for the students to take centre stage. In total 17 students from BIS made the trip to Korea, and all of them played their part in the drama which was to unfold over the following 3 days. They submitted resolutions in the special conference, proposed clauses in the security-council and spoke unerringly on national sovereignty in the advisory panel and the general assembly. There were sharp retorts, insightful questions (Points of Information for those in the know), outbursts of indignation, heartening collaborations and thoughtful resolutions.
In the Economic and Social Council there were cerebral discussions about the sovereign debt crisis in Europe and youth unemployment. The Human Rights Council tackled refugee crises and minority rights. Over in the Special Conference on the environment and sustainability, our very own Jamie Lee was the deputy assistant president, chairing the debates on sustainable technological development and protection of biodiversity. Our delegates in the other councils looked at issues surrounding global conflicts in Sudan, Syria and West Africa, human trafficking, efficient water management, combating cyber-warfare and resolving issues of religious discrimination, all of them performing admirably.
Once again the BIS delegates have walked away with their heads held high and with a few accolades to boot - most passionate speaker, most articulate speaker and most chic delegate. Our students performed admirably and are an inspiration to the younger MUN members. Miss Smith and I are, as always, incredibly proud of their achievements and appreciate their talents. Congratulations on another outstanding conference.
Daniel Gamwell
Model United Nations coordinator 
No comments:
Post a Comment