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SCHOOL
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UN Conference Report
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Year: 2004 | School year: 10 | Subject: N/A | Format: Report for newsletter | Grade: N/A
One fine Friday, a gathering of year 10 students took place at Radford. I was one of these students, and have been selected to explain who, why and what.
The participating students had all been selected from various schools across Canberra to participate in a unique and informative day focusing on the United Nations and border security issues. Each school was represented by about ten students. The complete group of about 60 students drew from a wide variety of scholarly institutions, from private to catholic to public.
With some bemused excitement and much admiration of the clean hall that Radford had granted us, we began our day by being assigned our countries. We each were given a small portfolio of information about the county that we would use as a basis of discussion. This portfolio contained useful things such as total landmass, population details and oil exports. We broke into small groups, and discussed the issues of border immigration laws and UNs protective role in helping the poorer countries maintain these laws.
Onto recess! Beverages included tea, coffee and an oddly coloured sweet liquid that claimed to be cordial. Small cupcakes and chips were also provided, but disappeared very quickly as many hungry hands made off with them.
After having an interesting and surprisingly informed discussion in our groups, we joined once more to listen to three people (who knew a jolly large amount about the UN and border protection) talk about the key issues of borders and UN involvement. The final speaker also outlined the current Palistinian conflict around the gaza strip, and gave us a disturbingly frank update on the horrors that happen every day.
Then it was time for another discussion in our smaller groups. The opinions were more forthcoming this second time, as the proverbial ice had been broken. Though some sidetracking was experienced (we decided the cause of world war three will be DVD regions) some very erudite solutions to world problems were brought to light.
Lunch! Odd vegetable pastry thing claiming to be pie (we all know it was a pie impostor) was served alongside pizza, fried rice and chicken wings. More tea, coffee and cordial was also provided.
Next we held a mock congress. First we were taught the rules of congress etiquette with a mock congress to decide whether Tasmania should be a separate contry to Australia. Many amusing (if bizarre) suggestions, amendments and arguments were put forward. Lots of fun was had by all, but it was time to put on our serious socks and get on with a proper congress discussion.
Our brief was to mix personal views with what we had learned about the country we had been assigned and vote on the issues provided. We were allowed to ask for amendments, and give short speeches to try to convince other countries to vote yes or no as we saw fit. The convention of passing notes to other countries delegates was useful for proper means, and entertaining for less conventional reasons. A petition to bomb china was signed by many people before being intercepted and removed. Issues discussed in our congress were topics like the basic human rights of a suspected terrorist, or the relevance of the UN in modern life. Once we had heard enough speeches from both sides of the issue, we voted by raising a page with our country name on it when prompted Pass this bill or Do not support this bill.
Then it was home time. The crowd dispersed as the now intellectually enriched teenagers made for their dwellings. A light rain fell as light rain tends to do, but never darkening our good mood brought on by the fun and informative day we had spent.
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