By Antonia Tomljanovic, News USG

Transcription

1 By Antonia Tomljanovic, News USG Welcome delegates, both new and old! With less than a month away, I am sure you are all anxiously awaiting the start of HSMUN. This year we have a wonderful news team prepared to deliver up-to-date coverage and information regarding the conference. The conference will take part over three exciting days, where you will make friends (and enemies), discuss relevant realworld issues, and grow in your understanding of how the UN works. You will be challenged on your own beliefs and ideals as you are forced to adopt those of your country, and make concessions in order to pass resolutions (just be sure to stick to your foreign policy). Unfortunately, this year lap-tops are not allowed in committee. This means that, unlike last year, the Daily Delegate will be circulated as a hard-copy in addition to online. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for new editions! Good luck with those position papers I know you are all diligently working on, and look forward to seeing all your energetic faces at the conference! T h e D a i l y D e l e g a t e I s s u e 1, N i n t h E d i t i o n 1

2 What You Need To Know: Your Position Paper By Aseel Othman Dear delegates, The position paper is one of the most important ways you will prepare for HSMUN. Your position paper gives you the chance to explore everything you need to know about your country, with particular consideration to the committee you will be sitting on. Use your time now to ensure that you truly understand your country s policies regarding the given topics. A delegate that knows their country well will often feel more confident when debating with delegates from other nations during the conference and may even be better at defending their countries policies. Considering laptops are not allowed during the conference this year, it would be wise for you to finish your research early using your position paper as a guide. Writing a position paper is not difficult. The entire purpose of this paper is to explain your country s background in regards to the topic at hand. You need to be able to show what your country is concerned or worried about, and what their goals are. It s also helpful to be aware of who your country s allies and enemies are. This will help you know whom to talk to during the conference and whom to avoid or target during debate. You can start your paper with a general description of your country and their perspective on the topic. How does the given topic affect your country and what does your country think should be done about the issue? What does your country think about the UN s approach to this issue in the past? The most important thing you can do when answering these questions is referring back to your research. Understanding why your country has a certain approach to the topic will help you in writing a powerful and impressive position paper. What details do you need to know about the position paper? Well, it needs to be about 1000 words. Your paper should be concise and specific. You need a lot of details, facts, and statistics to prove that your country supports something or opposes the issue. Stay on topic and avoid insignificant information. Remember to cite your sources so that the appropriate source gets the credit that it is due. If you are still unsure about how to write your paper, visit hsmun.org/students/positionpapers/ for sample position papers and more details on what is expected of you. Also, do not forget your position papers are due by February , the first day of the conference. Good research is the key to success with your position paper and your debate at the conference. You are representing a nation and you need to be as accurate as possible to do that role justice. It is truly disappointing when a country is misrepresented by a delegate who may not have done enough research. Prepare well, delegates, by researching and writing a well done position paper and you will find that you will have an easy and enjoyable conference. T h e D a i l y D e l e g a t e I s s u e 1, N i n t h E d i t i o n 2

3 MUN 1 01 By Sushmitha Karunakaran Whether you re a seasoned veteran of Model UN conferences, or it s your first time in attendance, the procedures of Model UN can be a little daunting and hard to keep track of. However, the rules are set in place to maintain order in committee and allow each delegation to convey their position. With some familiarization of the rules being utilized, it s easy to take part. ROLL CALL At the beginning of each committee session, the Chair will start a roll call and ask if each country is present, or present and voting. Present and voting means that your delegation is allowed cast a vote, while just present means that you are not allowed to vote on policy. However, all parties must vote on procedural matters, for example, on a motion to set the speaking time. If you arrive late and miss roll call, send a note to the Chair indicating your preference of present or present and voting. SETTING THE AGENDA After roll call, a Primary Speakers List will be established to determine the order in which the topics are to be discussed. The Chair will ask if any delegates wish to be added to the speaker s list. If you want to speak, raise your placard. Delegates state their preference of topic order by making a motion (for example: The delegation of Canada motions to set the agenda in the order of Topic II, Topic I, and Topic III ). The committee will then vote on the motions in the order received. The first motion with the majority of the committee s votes will be adopted and the agenda will be set in that order. T h e D a i l y D e l e g a t e I s s u e 1, N i n t h E d i t i o n 3

4 DEBATE After the agenda is set, the Secondary Speakers List is opened and delegates who wish to speak on topic being discussed are added. When called on to speak, a delegate can speak about their country s position about the topic, their recommended course of action, or regarding any resolutions on the floor. Motions can also be made during this time. Motion for a Moderated Caucus: A motion to suspend the speaker s list to discuss a specific topic. Speakers making the motion must include the purpose and suggested time limit for discussion. If successful, delegates can indicate their desire to speak by raising their placards and are chosen by the Chair. Motion for an Unmoderated Caucus: This motion suspends the rules of meeting for a certain amount of time and delegates are free to move about and discuss ideas with one another. Countries can also start to compose draft resolutions, and gather support from others. As well, speakers may also motion to extend the moderated or unmoderated caucus if they believe that the committee would benefit from the additional time. T h e D a i l y D e l e g a t e I s s u e 1, N i n t h E d i t i o n 4

5 POINTS Delegates can also wish to make points at any time during a committee session. Point of Order: This indicates an instance where someone s conduct is against parliamentary procedure. Point of Personal Privilege: If there is a discomfort that hinders your ability to participate, make a point to the Chair so that they can fix the problem. Point of Inquiry: If you re unsure of the committee s proceeding, you can ask the Chair but not during other delegations speeches. Right of Reply: If you feel that another delegation has insulted your delegation or country, you can make a motion to respond directly after their speech. You cannot, however, claim Right of Reply to a Right of Reply. YIELDS If you have time leftover at the end of your speech, you can yield your remaining time in one of 3 ways to another delegation, to questions posed by other delegates, or to the Chair (who will then move onto the next speaker). At first glance, it may seem like there are a lot of things to be aware of during committee, but once you are in committee you will be able to easily follow the flow of debate. The best way to develop your skills is to practice, so don t be afraid to speak up, make motions and get involved during sessions. If you want more details regarding procedures, or you want to delve more into the rules of resolutions and voting, visit the HSMUN website: procedure/. T h e D a i l y D e l e g a t e I s s u e 1, N i n t h E d i t i o n 5

6 Dress to Impress By Narisa Bandali At HSMUN we try to emulate the United Nations conduct very closely. We use points of order, amendments, and debate real issues of the world. We also try to maintain a business formal dress code. We discourage all delegates from wearing jeans, tshirts, and ripped attire to the conference. Dress for success in clothes that will present you as a professional with great ideas to discuss. Your favourite band tshirt, while probably very loved and fashionable, is not the best course of wear for HSMUN. blouse to emphasize your power in committee. Try this great pencil skirt from H&M ($14.95) or this soft cardigan, also from H&M, to keep warm in the committee room ($14.95). Men, it s time to break out your suit and tie. Change policy in true Timberlake style with straight legged dress pants and a collared dress shirt and tie. Try these H&M chinos ($34.95) with this simple shirt ($17.95). For ladies, a skirt that falls to the knees (or lower) paired with a blazer is an excellent combo when debating legislation. Or pair some simple dress pants with a button down Banquet is your time to shine with a beautiful dress or a whimsical bow-tie. Pull out all the stops for what promises to be the best night of the conference. Of course, try to adhere to the dress code on banquet night as well. Avoid dresses that are shorter than your middle finger when you lay your arms flat by your sides. Avoid gang signs and other violent graphics. Avoid ripped apparel. You want to look your best! T h e D a i l y D e l e g a t e I s s u e 1, N i n t h E d i t i o n 6

7 An Interview with Muhammad Patel By Sonia Grewal Muhammed Patel is a fourth year Commerce student at MacEwan University. In previous years, he has been a delegate from UNICEF and the Chair of DISEC. We spoke with him on the phone to find out what his experience at HSMUN was like. Daily Delegate (DD): How long have you done HSMUN for and how did you get involved? Muhammed Patel (MP): I ve been involved with HSMUN for six years. Three of those years was as a delegate and three as a member of the volunteer staff. When I was in grade 10, my history IB teacher, Mr. Lavold, had recommended students to join it. He said it would be a good experience in public speaking and foreign affairs. DD: How has HSMUN affected you? MP: It definitely helped me with my public speaking as well as how to research and cite sources. Because of HSMUN, I was able to understand foreign relations and how they are formed. DD: Why did you keep coming back? MP: I kept coming back because it was really fun. The staff all became really close and we all became good friends. I kept coming back because it was really fun. The staff all became really close and we all became good friends. DD: Do you have any advice for this year s delegates, including newcomers? MP: I think the same thing can be said for everyone: don t be afraid to talk! Even if it s only one thing, or just restating other s points, just try to say something. If you don t understand, don t be afraid to ask others for clarification. Also, be sure that you do your research and come prepared. T h e D a i l y D e l e g a t e I s s u e 1, N i n t h E d i t i o n 7

8 DD: What are some things that Dais look for in a delegate when it comes to giving awards? MP: We look for delegates who stick to their foreign policy as well as their country s interest. You could be a neutral party and still have a huge impact on the committee. Just don t be afraid to speak whenever you can! DD: In your opinion, what did you like best about the conference? MP: Meeting new people from different High Schools across the city and province. You get to form friendships that will last for years after. Oh, and of course the banquet because once you go, you ll keep coming back. DD: Last year was your last year at HSMUN. What was one of your favourite moments from the conference? MP: There are too many good times to choose. If I were to choose one, I would have to say that my one favourite was being the chair of the first DISEC committee to pass a resolution in five years. I was in grade 10 that was when I was part of the last DISEC committee to pass a paper before that long time without any resolutions being passed. To see papers finally being passed on my last year as staff was a great way to end the drought. DD: Have you been involved with any projects since your leave of HSMUN? MP: At the moment, I am part of the MUN club at MacEwan and I will be attending the National MUN conference in New York this coming April. We are also planning on going to Rome in November. DD: Is there a difference between HSMUN and MUN? MP: In university MUN, there are a lot more procedures and students are responsible for their own work. You really get to see more diversity in the types of students and some of them can be quite intense as there is less room for error. The issues at this level are more complex and delegates really stick to their foreign policy. That means that delegates are unwilling to compromise. Overall, though, the experience is still really fun and I definitely recommend doing it. DD: Can you answer this riddle for me? What work can one never finish? MP: Homework. (Author s note: The correct answer was autobiography ). DD: Describe yourself in three words? MP: Awesome, ambitious, and lazy. (Author s note: He didn t want to toot his horn too much and let me pick the last word) DD: Any final words? MP: Have a good time and make sure to talk. There s nothing too silly that the Dais hasn t heard before. T h e D a i l y D e l e g a t e I s s u e 1, N i n t h E d i t i o n 8

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