Best Experience

It's a shame that the Model UN is already over. Unfortunately, it passed by fast. I mean the class is a semester long, but it felt shorter than that. Either way, I am grateful for the experience because I have never done anything like the Model UN. At the conference, I had the opportunity to work with delegates from the U.S. and countries all over the world. I had a chance to learn about what happens in the United Nations and Robert's Rules of Order.

The things that helped me be prepared for the conference, unlike other delegates, were that I had more than enough research and participating in the simulations that we did in class. My 3 inch binder was a pain to carry around most of the time but it was worth it because I used it plenty of times in my committee. I actually had other delegates compliment me on my binder and the amount of research I had in it. Aside from having more than enough amount of research, participating in the simulations that we did in class helped immensely because they were very close, almost exact, to the simulations that happen at the conference. This is all thanks to Dr. Jones who made sure that we were well prepared for the conference in order to make the experience pleasant and easy. So..... thank you Dr. Jones for everything that you did in class and in Chicago.

Before I post this blog, I would like to leave two pieces of advice for future students of the Model UN. My first piece of advice is to pay attention to EVERYTHING that Dr. Jones says in class and at the conference. My second piece of advice is to stay in character at all times. In other words, you should always be the country that you are representing and not an American student at a conference. Be the role, play the role, and enjoy the role.

Good luck future Model UN delegates!

I am so happy that I was given the opportunity to attend Model UN. I have a really good idea of how the real United Nations work. We spent countless hours caucusing so that we could write resolutions. The hardest part was getting other countries to agree with your resolutions. Often there were times that resolutions did not get passed because of too many vague phrases. We even added amendments to the resolution to accommodate more countries. I can really see why the United Nations have a really hard job with trying to get everyone to agree on different policies. I really like how different countries tried to work together to create a resolution that would accommodate more countries. After long debates and numerous hours of caucusing the General Plenary finally passed resolutions that everyone was happy with. Being at the Model UN open a new way of thinking about international affairs and I am so glad that I was a part of such a great experience

the model UN experience allowed us to learn some ways of diplomacy, patience, respect, and confidence. I would do this again if i have the chance to. at times it was exhusting to listen about the same subject for a whole day, but at the end os the experience i took back with me skills that I would not have learned otherwise. i must add, for a small school we were much better prepared that alot of the big school that went to the model UN conference.

Still Recovering

Chicago and whole Model U.N. experience was awesome. I do have a few complaints:

1) There was no snow
2) it really was WINDY
3) that's it :)

The most interesting thing I took away from this probably isn't about the United Nations but about being a diplomat. (which is exactly what our opening speaker told us). I never thought about before what exactly being a diplomat meant or even what they did. Now I am thinking about it as a possible career. Diplomacy is easier said than done. The temptation is too great sometimes to cut through all the fluff and achieve a quick resolution. I had to be careful of that. So I found myself holding my tongue for a significant amount of debate. I talked with other nations to see how they felt about issues but knowing my country I knew that I wouldn't be the one leading the debate.

My one real complaint is how people were misrepresenting their countries. It made the whole simulation feel more like a competition to get resolutions passed than an actual learning exercise.

But still I loved the experience.

A few of us taking a quick picture during our lunch break.

My experience in Chicago was one I will always remember. I learned so much more than I thought I would about how UN is conducted. Doing Model UN put me out of my comfort zone and I am really glad because I got to learn so much about other countries and myself. I would recommend anyone to do this if they have the opportunity.

On our way to the hotel, where the Model UN conference was held.

More Final Thoughts

The Busiest Two Days

Sunday and Monday were the busiest days I've had at American Model United Nations. Delegates were busy writing resolutions and getting signatures needed to establish resolutions. That wasn't really a problem for me because all I had to do was read the resolutions and see if the United Arab Emirates would agree to such a resolution. That was until I decided to create my own resolution with the delegates from The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Oman. My resolution is about suggesting that Member States uses the International Civil Aviation Organization as a model to create their own program that would be dedicated to reducing the emission of carbon through aviation.

The writing of the resolution was not difficult, but what was difficult was getting countries to agree with the resolution in order to be signatories of the resolution. In order for me to get 32 signatories on the resolution it took two days and the work of 2 delegates helping me get those signatures. While getting the signatures, I had to work on getting the resolution approved by the Rapporteurs by editing it for the final draft. On Monday, the Rapporteurs approved the resolution and an hour later the resolution was printed and put on the table for the delegates to get a copy and read it. Seeing the resolution on the table made all the trouble and time spent worth the efforts.

WELCOME to Iconic Chicago

Since we didn't have internet acces, I couldn't blog while we were there. Here are some highlight from our amazing trip to Chicago to AMUN Conference. Out and about in Chicago and Willis (Sears) Tower.

THE LOTTERY!

As promised...a short video of the lottery process. Next year we will be The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Views From Lindsey, Briley and Hanna

Lindsey Miller, Briley Derrick and Hanna Yoo. Caught them while they were having a few moments free. Enjoy.

Debate till the end

Today was a fantastic day. Through much deliberation the First Committee successfully passed several resolutions regarding small arms and nuclear non-proliferation. Many countries worked tirelessly to reach across boarders in an effort to provide solutions on complicated issues. I commend my fellow deligates for a job well done.

Stained Glass at the Navy Pier

DINNER at the Navy Pier

A well deserved break. We had a couple of hours free so some went to the Aquarium and we all went to the Navy Pier after. Dinner and Christmas shopping.

Amazing Speaker

Yesterday was the longest day of the conference, really a full day of work. However, tucked in the middle of this hectic day where so many of us got so much accomplished, was the guest speaker. Our guest speaker this year was John W. McArthur, who is the CEO and Executive Director of Millennium Promise. Honestly, before working with the Model UN I had no idea what the Millennium Development Goals were, but they are a series of goals set forth by the UN that have the combined goal of halving extreme poverty by the year 2015. The Millennium Promise is the leading organization helping to meet these goals. McArthur provided a bit of background about how he ended up in the position he's in. It started when he was in college just like us and was struck by the fact that there was so much turmoil in the world. More than that however, he realized that there were whole groups of the world population that no one was even talking about. This led him to Africa. He explained in the past few years the three primary things he has had a part in and seen change in which have been 1) Aids treatment 2) Malaria prevention and covering beds with netting to prevent transmit ion and 3) Helping farmers in rural Africa. It was very inspiring to hear him ta kl about the amount of change he has been able to see in just a few short years.

He also expressed his hope for the next generation of leaders, which would be us. I would encourage everyone to take a minute to check out more about him and his organization. His resume is pretty impressive as well... with numerous degrees from several impressive universities. http://www.millenniumpromise.org/

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

Three interviews. The delegates thoughts and experiences here at AMUN.

Today we continued working on the economic crisis. It was a long process and we are still not close to passing any resolutions. There were 6 resolutions that were presented today and we have only gotten to debate on two of them. The resolutions hold great promise and we hope to sign on some of them after meeting with a few countries to get some clarification.

On a fun note, a few of us went to Millennium Park for an hour and took some great pictures of the city. We hope to post some soon. The city is very pretty at night but very cold!! Tomorrow we have some free time to explore more of the city.

these past two days have been amazing. first we land in the beautiful city of Chicago and tour the city for hours until we cannot stand anymore. Farzona and I took hundreds of pictures which started to annoy people. I was very nervous the whole time though. on the plane I could see Heather highlighting her notes. then when we reached the hotel I saw more model UN delegates carrying around their suits. what made me even more nervous is that i took a small back back with only a couple of outfits that i knew would wear while others brought large suitcases!

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and many individuals are deciding what dinner will consist of. Everyone has a favorite dish which will lend to the final decision of what to have. The time spent planning the menu and preparing the meal expresses our appreciation and love to those that will partake in the celebration. While this may be exciting and fun to plan a dinner party for 6, 15, or even 30 people, beyond that it can be overwhelming.
Imagine satisfying concerns regarding small arms for 160 countries. Small arms affects security, financial stability, and trade (legal and illegal) between countries. Today we spent approxmately 8 hours debating exactly what and how to control the impact of small arms on member states and developing nations. We closed at 10:00pm this evening with four resolutions for consideration. The committee worked diligently to compromise and negotiate the resolutions. Tomorrow we will open the floor for Nuclear Non-proliferation.

Awesome Day

Today is going to be the longest day of session so far. We are in session from 8:30 am to 10 pm with an 1hr and 15 minute lunch break, an hour for an interesting keynote speaker, and a two hour dinner. Today is definitely the longest and probably the most interesting day so far.
I am a member of the Commission on the Status of Women. We are currently still discussing our first topic, the unequal sharing of responsibilities of care-giving in the context of HIV/AIDS. The thing I learned today is how hard it is to maneuver with a large body. Different countries want to emphasize different things, some countries are just interested in building a consensus, others on making sure their concern and needs are met; but what I feel is important to emphasize is that we are all interested in furthering gender equality.

First Night In Action!

Day One

What do you get when you mix college students from hundreds of colleges from all over the country as well as the world... add some great topics and lots of research... then sprinkle in ten awesome Columbia College women? An amazing Model UN conference of course! Our conference is now in full swing and we're doing amazing. I know we're all so tired from the travel and being in session until 10pm tonight but we are already doing an amazing job.

While much of the first bit of session is always about general "housekeeping" items... such as limits on debate and points of inquiry... but then we dive right into our topics. Each committee starts with their first topic but it often quickly gets changed to the second topic, and sometimes changed back several times!

Some of our committees have the goal of writing reports rather than simply writing resolutions. This adds to the pressure being felt because everyone has to agree with the report, so it's hard to get every one's opinions heard.

The conference rooms get hot, and loud, and crazy... while the president and vice president do their best to maintain order. I can say that in the IAEA, my committee, we're doing our best to make this very hard for them! Despite the craziness we look forward to working together with other Member States to accomplish some great things. We'll keep you updated!

After the opening plenary session, the first order of business for the General Assembly First Committee was to consider which topic to deliberate: Arms Treaty or Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. With approximately 160 countries represented, it took nearly three hours to reach a conclusion. After numerous motions, several speeches, and three caucusing sessions it was determined we would discuss the Arms Treaty. With two minutes remaining in the final caucusing session a working paper was proposed and a motion to suspend the meeting until 8:30am Sunday was made. There is a lot of exciting energy, great discussions and eager participants actively stating their positions. I am looking forward to another day of in-depth dialogue.

Today was very interesting. I went to my first Committee meeting for the General Assembly .We started with the topic of the Outcome of the conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its impact on development.We talked alot about free trade zones and the International Monetary Fund. Many delegates felt strongly about this topic. We got right to work with caucusing to find a common concern.

In Committees

Our delegates in the committees tonight. All business attire and attitude.

First day, from DR Sharkey driving us to the airport to a short video filmed by Briley Derrick at Sears Tower. Enjoy.

Today’s the day!

Today is the start of the AMUN Model United Nations! We have to go to a Rules and Role-Playing Overview at 4:30pm then at 6:15pm is the Opening Plenary Session. We don’t finish until 10 pm tonight! We are all excited and I dare say, slightly nervous on my part. It is such an honor to be the only school from SC here. I have already met some delegates from West Virginia! We have walked many miles in Chicago and the only time we took a taxi was from the Airport. Myself and Monica are preparing ourselves mentally and physical for role of a UN diplomat.  That’s it for now. We will update you when we get the chance!

Sincerely,

Briley Derrick

Economic Commission for Western Asia Delegate

Flight to Chicago

Top Row....Left: Shaquanda Stevenson and Sleeping Beauty: Lindsey Miller

Second Row....Left: Miriam Ashour and another Sleeping Beauty: Monica Henain

Bottom Photo....Here, not sleeping, but 'resting her eyes' is Regina Doster.

We have arrived. A full day of sightseeing and an early night for some. Videos to follow later today. See how your class mates handle the Glass Room -130 floors up! Better than me I know!

Friday Night Highlight

We are here !!!!! What a fantastic day filled with a smooth flight, amazing sites, and a very cool night. We had lunch at the West Egg, then visited the Sears Tower Skydeck to watch the sun set over the city. We are currently relaxing and enjoying a movie. We have discussed our position papers and acquainted ourselves with the committee schedules. We are very excited to get started.

One Day Left!

Well, we are flying out tomorrow. Class time was again asking questions, practicing and getting the rules and procedures down pat!

IN THE BLNK OF AN EYE!

The second part of the official video of the UAE. Here we are told of the background of the Emirates. Again, a visually stunning look at the UAE.

We are counting down the days..5 days!

DREAM JOURNEY: United Arab Emirates

This is the official video of the country we will be representing at AMUN. It was used for the Shanghai EXPO 2010. Enjoy. It is visually stunning and shows how diverse UAE really is.

One week to go!

We were going to continue with the simulation but I knew many of our delegates had questions and comments. So we used the time to address those questions. Some of our delegates have never been out of South Carolina or even on a plane. So much to think about and prepare. How many suitcases, how many pounds are allowed, make sure no knives etc are in your carry-on luggage, etc???? Who are taking laptops? At the AMUN, those who have laptops have the power! Next week we will have the final simulation.

We depart for Chicago, Il on November 19th.

United Arab Emirates

Since the establishment of the federation in 1971, the seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have forged a distinct national identity through consolidation of their federal status and enjoy an enviable degree of political stability.

The UAE's political system, a unique combination of the traditional and the modern, has underpinned this political success, enabling the country to develop a modern administrative structure while, at the same time, ensuring that the best of the traditions of the past are maintained, adapted and preserved.
Each of the component emirates already had its own existing institutions of government prior to 1971 and, to provide for the effective governing of the new state, the rulers agreed to draw up a provisional Constitution specifying the powers that were to be allocated to the new federal institutions, all others remaining the prerogative of the emirates.

Areas of responsibility assigned to the federal authorities, under Articles 120 and 121 of the Constitution, were foreign affairs, security and defense, nationality and immigration issues, education, public health, currency, postal, telephone and other communications services, air traffic control and licensing of aircraft, in addition to a number of other topics specifically prescribed, including labor relations, banking, delimitation of territorial waters and extradition of criminals. The Constitution also stated in Article 116 that 'the Emirates shall exercise all powers not assigned to the Federation by this Constitution'.

In May 1996, the Federal Supreme Council approved two amendments to the provisional Constitution, making it permanent and naming Abu Dhabi as the capital of the state.

The federal system of government includes a Supreme Council, a Cabinet, or Council of Ministers, a parliamentary body, the Federal National Council, and an independent judiciary, at the apex of which is the Federal Supreme Court.

The next three weeks will prepare the delegates with the rules, procedures and language that will be used at the American Model UN in Chicago.

We have uploaded various in-class videos, as well as informational videos on the United Arab Emirates on our Facebook page: Model UN at Columbia College. Be sure to check us out.

These young ladies have worked hard to be the best team in Chicago and do CC proud. So please check back often as both this Blog and the Facebook pages will be added to weekly, and once in Chicago daily.