Undisputed Naturally Essential Proteins

Hello, lovely UNEP delegates! Less than 5 hours til our opening ceremonies commence... are you excited yet? We sure are! After reading all your position papers, we know that you are all well-prepared, and that we are in for some exciting (and perhaps heated) debate. Don't be shy... we want you to bring your all to the conference. Remember, we are here to solve some very important environmental issues that will shape the future of our fragile planet earth. Use tonight to make your position well-known to the rest of the committee and meet your ally countries. By making an impression tonight, we will be more than ready for a full day of debate tomorrow. And make sure to listen during the opening ceremonies and our very exciting mock debate, as you will gain important information that will be useful for the rest of the conference. And don't forget your business attire! Let's be the best-dressed committee of HSMUN 2012! Lastly, and most importantly, HAVE FUN! We can't wait to meet you all!!

Sincerely,
Your UNEP Dais

Good Morning..

... and what a fine morning it is!

You can smell the excitement and anticipation in the crisp, cold air. Today is the first day of the HSMUN 2012 Conference! We can't wait to see your bright eyed, bushy tailed selves :)

Some last minute thoughts on small arms:

A June 2006 UN conference (to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms sand Light Weapons in All Its Aspects) attempted to curtail the flow of weapons throughout the world - with knowledge that the UN Security Council's Permanent 5 are the most prominent suppliers. An estimated 1000 per day are killed because of this clandestine support of rebel groups. China, for example, is the main supplier of small arms to The Sudan (88%). As of 2006, the number of Sudanese small arms imports from China jumped 137 times from the 2001 level. One might argue that China has thus aided in the genocide that Sudan's government has apparently perpetrated in its Darfur region [indirect/alleged].

The UN's major Security Council members are not the only culprits. In November 2008, Iraqi Kurds acquired three planeloads of small arms and ammunition from Bulgaria. Ty he Kurds seek autonomy from the Iraqi government and independence. Introducing weapon s in to that volatile military theatre is only adds to Iraq's contemporary problem with controlling violence within its borders.

The US expressed what was implicit in the policy objectives of the other four veto blocking States; its Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs reported to the UN General Assembly that the US would object to any steps to establish the international recognition of ammunition or ban governments from giving or selling arms to rebel groups of their choice. In his words: "While we will of course continue to oppose the acquisition of arms by terrorist groups, we recognize the rights of the oppressed to defend themselves against tyrannical and genocidal regimes and oppose a blanket ban on [such recipient] non-state actors."

(Slomanson, Fundamental Perspectives on International Law)

Some last minute items to consider:

- Closed Conference: conference considerations will be purely internal and open to no external events (worldwide events that happen outside of the conference cannot be used during the debates).

- Business wear: get out those black dress socks... The Delegate of the Levis will not be recognized :P

See you all tonight!!

Cheers,

The DISEC Team

UNEP: Using Neurons Enables Progress

Hey there guys and gals,

UNEP checking in. Probably for the last time. But never fear! On Thursday, you will finally get the chance to meet your lovely dais staff and fellow delegates!

Thanks to all of you who sent in position papers, and if you didn't - not a big deal, just make sure you read up on a little background before coming Thursday (at bare minimum, just read the old blog posts tagged UNEP). Here are some last minute tips:

If you've done this before, you know exactly what to expect. We'll be counting on you returning delegates to steer the committee and make sure the conference runs smoothly. Hope you guys are just excited as we are! (Why else would you be back for another year). For those of you who are new to this, not to worry! Thursday is always a relaxed day where we go over all the rules, formalities, and procedure. We like to keep it really informal, so if you feel like you're hopelessly lost with no hope of rescue, keep your ears open and ask questions! That way we can make sure everyone gets the most out of the three days. And trust me, no matter how confused you feel, I promise that by the end of Thursday night, everything will make sense. Now I have been asked by a couple delegates whether they will be forced to talk. For the most part, we'll give everyone their space - we understand if you're nervous and it takes you a while to settle into it. Some people will obviously be better acquainted or have more to say on some issues. That being said, we do want everyone to participate, so we will be trying to get to know you all personally and encourage you to have your say on the topics.

With that, I believe my rant for the day is concluded. Please email us at hsmun.unep@gmail.com if you have any questions between now and the conference. We look forward to seeing you all in your best business attire on Thursday. Cheers!

UNEP Dais

Did I Say Maps?

Hey Historical Delegates:

I've been looking through some maps before the conference, trying to find some gooders. In case you haven't found them, here are some awesome links:

From the Woodhead Commission on Partition:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/WoodheadMapA.png
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/WoodheadMapB.png
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/WoodheadMapC.png

A general map:
http://hippasus.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/palestine_map_pre1948.jpg

A coloured map with some annotations on the original Partition:
http://lw.palestineremembered.com/download/PalestineBeforeNakba.jpg

Another view of partition:
http://domino.un.org/maps/m0103_1b.gif

The background papers are looking good, I should be through them all by the end of the day. I look forward to seeing all of you.

Cheers,

Robert Lees-Miller
Historical Committee Chair
HSMUN 2012

SO CLOSE!!!

One week from this day, you shall grace the halls and lecture theatres of the University of Alberta. You have answered the call, the call to represent some awesome countries in an awesome UN simulation! ITS GONNA BE RAD!!!!

HUGE thank you to the delegates that submitted your papers! As a second-year SC dias staff member, I can say with full confidence that this year's SC sent in more papers! Way to go!

Here are some things to bear in mind as you scurry about, madly making the final preparations for the conference. Your country's allies and enemies (very important for voting). Relations with the Middle East and North Africa (kind of necessary). For specific issues relating to developing a peace settlement, you need to take into account arms control, diverse militia groups, human rights, state sovereignty, and the rights of the current governments. Keep it general to keep it real. Another note, the Arab Spring is obviously still happening. Therefore, it is possible that major events occur during the conference. Between now and Thursday next week, follow these events. However, during the conference, for all intents and purposes, the outside world will cease to exist. If, during the conference Syria announces that protests are allowed and Assad will step down, pretend it didn't happen! If, during the conference Yemen announces that the government will reform and base its new constitution off of Yellow Submarine, pretend it didn't happen (although, that would be sweet!!!). Similar conditions apply to your countries. Between now and the conference, consider your countries static. If say, between now and Thursday, the USA decides to reform itself into an anarcho-syndicalist commune, act as if you were still a republic. If Germany reforms into the 4th Reich, pretend that you are still good ol' democratic Germany. Ask us any questions if you have any! Can't wait to meet you!

Security Council Fun Fact: China has used its veto at the SC 6 times, France 18, Britain 32 times, the US 82 times, and Russia/the USSR 123 times with most of those times coming before 1965. After this, the USSR chilled a bit and let things happen. DAS IST DER HAMMER!!!!

Your very cool SC chair,
Josh

Introduction to HSMUN 2012: General Assembly I - DISEC

Introduction to HSMUN 2012: Historical General Assembly

Introduction to HSMUN 2012: UNEP

Introduction to HSMUN 2012: General Assembly III - SOCHUM

Introduction to HSMUN 2012: Security Council

Introduction to HSMUN 2012: General Assembly VI - Legal

Introduction to HSMUN 2012: World Health Organization (WHO)

UNEP: Unicorns Never Eat Pringles

Hello delegates!

Countdown is on! 8 days left before HSMUN! Thanks to all of you who sent in position papers. They're a great way to make sure you know your stuff. We'll be sending out emails in the next couple days to all of you who did send in papers just to confirm that we received them.

A couple quick points I wanted to touch on.

1) Allies - Make sure you know who your allies are! First day of the conference can be a little scary, especially in a big committee like ours. Knowing which countries will be 'on your side' on the issues is a great way to start meeting people and coming up with ideas. Especially if you're not quite sure where you stand on an issue, talking to others can be a great help. Now, how do you figure out who your allies are? For some countries, it will be obvious, for some - not so much. For example, we know that USA, Canada, UK, etc. all generally get along fine. We also know that North Korea doesn't have many allies. If you're somewhere in between, like Belgium, it's safe to figure that you're friendly with most European countries. Just looking around on Google will probably help you out on this one.

2) Perspective - Especially on the resource extraction topics, it might be interesting to think about different perspectives. Take a look at the links below on the Alberta Oil Sands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1mZMOP-wbY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dpOzvmBj8k

Cheers!

UNEP Dais

Arms control

Hey delegates,

On the topic of arms control:

Credits: http://liberalryangosling.tumblr.com/post/16879645111

Also, RIP long gun registry :( Anyways, happy Valentine's Day! We look forward to seeing you guys at the conference, and as always, happy last-minute researching!

We LOVE Position Papers

Hey SOCHUM delegates!

Even though the deadline has passed, we have not received many position papers from all of you. I'd just like to remind all of you that there's an award for Best Position Paper, so it's worth it to just spend some time writing a background paper on your country. We are still accepting position papers at this point, but please send it in as soon as possible, so we can consider all of your papers for the award!

Thanks!

More Papers Please?

Hi!
So because we Security Council peeps are so generous, kind, selfless, modest, [insert awesome adjective], we are doing things a little differently. Your delegate packages say that the papers were due yesterday at midnight. However, FOR THE SECURITY COUNCIL ONLY (unless your specific dias staff has informed you otherwise), the paper deadline is set at Tuesday, February 14th (<3) at midnight. That means you have plenty of time to finish your paper and get a date unless you want your date to be your paper. That being said, we would really like it if you would please send in your papers ASAP to hsmun.sc@gmail.com. To those delegates who have already submitted papers, we thank you, you're awesome, minstrels will write songs about you in years to come. As previously mentioned, your paper needs to be submitted ON TIME in order to be eligible for awards. If your paper is submitted at 3am on the 15th, no biggie. So long as it is reasonable, we'll still accept it.

For something more along the lines of the Arab Spring, here is a nice nice visual timeline of the Arab Spring events that gives you a little gloss over of how widespread it actually is.

Conference is only a few weeks away!!! YAY!!!

Security Council Fun Fact: Taiwan used to have a permanent seat on the Security Council.

Until next time, live long and prosper!

Josh
SC Chair

BUT MY POSITION PAPER IS 19 MINUTES LATE.

After receiving some worried emails about late position papers, the Legal dais staff just wants to say that we will take a look at position papers that come in a bit later so long as they're not unreasonably late - i.e. try to get your paper in by tomorrow if you can. We have all been panicked delegates before, so we know how you all feel right now. If you feel really guilty about your procrastination, we usually respond well to excessive compliments. Good luck, happy last-minute writing, and email us if you have any questions!

Position papers, anyone?

Hey delegates,

So we'd just like to remind you all that we'd like to have all our position papers in by Valentine's Day.

For those of you still stuck on what to write about or who aren't sure what their country's stance is on an issue, maybe think about poking into your country's history, experiences with the UN and international measures in their own country and in the region, looking up voting records in DISEC, etc. And if you're worried about having smaller or more obscure countries, it's really useful to look at who your country's allies are and how THEY feel about an issue. Countries tend to vote in blocks - if your country has strong economic, social or cultural ties with another nation, it's likely that they cooperate on the international stage as well.

Hopefully you guys don't find this process too onerous. Position papers are a really great way to figure out your country's stance on issues before you come into committee sessions, and they're a good way to prep for the actual conference.

As always, happy last-minute-gotta-hand-in-a-position-paper researching!

P.S. In honour of Valentine's Day:

Credits:

http://irryangosling.tumblr.com/

Hello Legal Committee!

Hey delegates! First of all, we're still waiting on position papers. We have received one so far, but we feel confident that there are more of you in the Legal committee because we like to think that there are many real people who read our blog posts. We hope that you are all frantically writing them right now. If you have any questions on guidelines or content, check out this page. Remember that your position papers let us know how well you understand your nation's foreign policy so try to convey your nation's stance on both issues as articulately and correctly as possible. Position papers should be sent to hsmun.legal@gmail.com. Some concerns that delegates sometimes have about foreign policy are:

1. My country's foreign policy is very extreme/difficult to defend - this actually puts you in one of the best positions to start interesting debates in the committee! Your nation's foreign policy might force you to be less cooperative with other delegates, but as your dais staff we can recognize that you're just being consistent with your country's actions and ideology. Usually, the most controversial stances make for the funnest and most engaging committee debates - remember that your goal is to ultimately represent your state's foreign policy.
   
2. My country isn't too involved in this particular issue/my country hasn't defined a clear stance on this particular issue - this is also not necessarily a bad thing. Because your country isn't too invested in  one of the topics we're discussing, you have the most flexibility with creating effective draft resolutions that don't violate your foreign policy. Just make sure that you represent the values that your nation typically stands for - for instance, your country might not have had many encounters with terrorism but you might traditionally place a high value on protecting national sovereignty - in that case, you wouldn't advocate very much for universal jurisdiction in anti-terrorist operations. 

While I have your attention, you should read this article about crimes committed by UN personnel in Congo. As you read the article, you'll notice that there are references to some internal measures taken by the UN to limit the possibility of these crimes occurring, like a strict curfew for personnel while mentioning that Congo doesn't have the authority to prosecute UN personnel. Do you think that the internal measures taken by the UN have been enough to deter crime? If not, is that because the measures aren't stringent enough or is it because we're giving individual nations too little authority in preventing and prosecuting crimes committed by UN personnel? The irony is that the UN personnel were sent to Congo to protect citizens but have, it seems, only created a more dangerous environment, which demonstrates how flawed the UN's current system of diplomatic immunity can be. 

Hopefully that helps, delegates! We are eagerly awaiting your position papers :)  

Unarguably Not Environmentally Pessimist

Hello, my dear UNEP delegates. So, let’s start this blog with a very important issue: we have not received any position papers yet! Not even one! This kind of concerns us, considering they are due tomorrow! So this is just a friendly reminder to please get those in, by Sunday at the absolute latest!

Well, this time in 2 weeks, we will be halfway through the conference. Do you feel prepared? What techniques does your country use for resource extraction? Are they trying to go green, or are they extremely damaging to the environment? Do they care? Do they think that the government or the private sector should be held accountable? If your country is not focusing on the environment, what exactly are they focusing on? What about organic food? Does your country have any standards in place regarding what constitutes “organic”? Do they want standards? Would standardization of the organic food label benefit your country? Regarding organic food or food production in general, what impact does your country have on the environment? Again, do they care? By now, you should not only know the answers to all of these questions, but you should be prepared to defend them should these issues come up in debate. Let’s hope that all you guys are so prepared, you’ll think of even more factors to debate on! We all want an interesting and exciting time, so make sure you know your foreign policy inside and out!

Now, I know we’ve been talking about foreign policy a lot, and how it’s super important, because it is the foundation upon which you will debate. But, if you’re still a little bit unsure, it’s not the end of the world! Don’t hesitate to e-mail us, or post on the blog if you have any questions or concerns. And remember, we have an intervention attaché who is our expert on every country’s foreign policy, and she will be there to guide you throughout the conference.

Again, feel free to comment on the blog! Ask us any questions you may have in the less-than-2 weeks leading up to the conference, or just tell us how you’re feeling! Excited? Pumped? Thrilled? We sure hope you know the answer to that one! :)

Until next time,

UNEP Dais

Those Three Little Words...

Small arms proliferation.. aren't those the three little words that everyone here in DISEC is thinking about this February...

This Valentine's Day, I'm going to give you a little something from the bottom of my heart...

Over the course of the past five months, there have been plenty of materials for you to work with ... starting with the HOME BASE itself .. The United Nations.

Check out....

arms embargo/natural resource trading monitoring

illicit arms flow control

the proposed disarmament agenda for 2012 (I HEART GA I: DISEC).

the 2012 arms trade treaty meeting/previous resolutions (DOHA/WTO)

relation to drug trafficking

Within these articles, there are certain clues as to what your nation's stance, (or the stance of the neighboring states that surround your nation/Allies), is on the topic of arms trade and small arms proliferation.

Lastly, I sincerely wish you well with your position paper drafting! Any submissions (hsmun.disec@gmail.com) after February 14 will not be considered for a DISEC Delegate Position Paper Award. Submissions must be factually correct, in alignment with your nation's foreign policy on both of the topics, insightful, and informative. If you are a clear and succinct writer, this can be covered in roughly one to two pages.

Have a great weekend & a happy Valentine's Day :)

xoxo,

DISEC

Position Papers!

Just a quick reminder that position papers are due this Saturday at midnight. If yours is informative, factually correct, and maybe even entertaining, we will be extremely pleased with you before the conference even starts AND we might give you an award for the best position paper! The papers should be 1-2 pages long and should cover both topics.

You should also take a look at this article discussing how the nature of terrorism (including state-sponsored terrorism) poses difficulties in prosecuting the crime on both a national and international level. The writer brings up the interesting point that the international framework in place to deal with terrorism right now doesn't take into account that, in some cases, the crime was sponsored by the state that has custody of the suspect, using an example from 1988 involving alleged state-sponsored terrorism on Libya's part. If you see this as an issue that could impact your nation, think about the extent to which international bodies should be involved in prosecuting terrorists and the effect this has on the sovereignty of individual states.

That's all for now! Good luck with your papers :)

News Issue 2!

Daily Delegate Issue 2

The Power of Veto

No... not the Big Brother veto. A really interesting development is occurring within Security Council. Russia and China, two countries who have permanent spot on the UNSC have vetoed a resolution that would attempt to end the violence in Syria. This is a great read for before the conference as it shows how unpredictable Security Council can be. If you do not already know, do some research to see if your country has a "veto" power during voting procedures which will greatly affect the interactions with your fellow delegates (in other words, if you have a veto power and you don't use it when you should, the intervention attache will be sending you a "message").

On that super happy note, please remember that your papers are due February 14th at midnight if you wish to be eligible for an award. Even if you do not want an award, it is a good idea to write the paper as it is a great chance to really solidify your knowledge of your country's policy. Also it gives us the chance to help you get on the right track. If you don't show us what you're getting into, we can't help. We are here to help you and we are happy to do so! Please send your papers and any questions you may have to hsmun.sc@gmail.com.

Hope you all enjoyed your exam break and are getting PSYCHED FOR THIS CONFERENCE!

Carpe Diem.

Aaron- Intervention Attache

UNEP - Unknown Nuclear Energy Plans

Hello delegates!

Unfortunately, this blog post isn't about nuclear energy. Actually, to be honest, it's not really about energy at all (although stay tuned for another post on the resource extraction topic next week!) In the last 3-ish weeks leading up to HSMUN it is normal to experience any combination of the following symptoms: panic, fear, apprehension, anxiety, agitation, distress, despair, terror, trepidation, or uneasiness. you may be thinking: "What did I sign up for? February seemed so far away but now it's here!"

Not to worry. The following simple steps will have you well on your way.

Step 1. Start breathing. It always helps, I promise.

Step 2. Scroll through the UNEP blog posts for the last couple of months to familiarize yourself with your topics and committee.

Step 3. Use any combination of Wikipedia/Google/websites/journals/books/libraries/textbooks to research your country and its perspective on the topics. As we've mentioned in earlier blog posts - don't worry if you can't find exactly what your country thinks about an issue. Instead, think about the bigger picture. For example, responsible extraction of resources involves raising standards, passing new legislation, and potentially rehauling damaging practices and industries. This involves a significant financial commitment for long-term benefit. Many governments, among other things, may have problems with the UN telling them how to spend their money. Moral of the story (for you anyway) - try to expand the topics and look at the greater issues such as environmental/social/economic.

Step 4. Once you think you've got it all down, sit down and write your position paper. We're looking for 1-2 pages (total) on how your country feels about each topic. Remember, the papers are due by Feb. 11. See last blog post for more details.

Step 5. Sit back and enjoy the ride. The conference is only 3 weeks away, so once you're all prepped, get ready to bring your A game, and we'll take care of the rest.

During the conference, expect to experience one or more of the following symptoms: delight, excitement, amusement, enjoyment, fun, adventure, and satisfaction.

That's all for now!

UNEP Dais

DISEC Thoughts

Hey delegates,

So let’s take a moment to think about arms shipments to non-state actors as you guys research your position papers. It might be relevant, it might not be - poli sci majors can’t always promise relevance and general usefulness to society, unfortunately :(

One of the most basic definitions of the state comes from Max Weber as the holder of a “monopoly on the legitimate use of force” within its borders. From a pragmatic standpoint, whether you’re talking about a repressive dictatorship or a liberal democracy, it’s sometimes preferable for the state to maintain this monopoly as a means to ensure stability. Even when they’re the most awful regimes in the world, when the state loses its only bargaining chip (coercion) and non-state actors proliferate (think the FARC in Columbia, or even the LRA), armed to the teeth and entirely unaccountable in the ways they use military force – but while they now have the means to defend themselves, civilians don’t. The tenuous military situation is extremely conducive to arms proliferation (conflict zones = high demand for weapons) and high civilian casualties as ordinary people are caught in the crossfires.

This is why it’s extremely problematic when states ship weapons to non-state actors even when these non-state actors are “good people who ask nicely and promise not to use the arms for bad things” because small arms ALWAYS destabilize the situation. No ifs, buts or whens. Philosophically, however, delegates are going to have to grapple with this in the context of the Arab Spring: do we ship arms to unknown rebel groups fighting against dictators?

When considering the question of arms shipments in general, I think we need to deal with all the cards on the table. There are often ulterior motives (namely economic and political gain) that accompany arms shipments, yet there can be unforeseeable long-term consequences.

What’s in it for me? China: weapons broker of the world

“China is pouring investment into Africa in exchange for access to the continent’s natural resources. Its trade with the continent is set to top $50 billion.”

Trading arms – to anyone – is a hugely lucrative business, especially with natural resources in play. China plays a HUGE role in arms transfers as a major supplier to the Horn of Africa, supplying weapons to African governments in exchange for rights to natural resources needed to sustain the pace of their economic development with no other strings attached. To give you some idea of the scope of their nefarious doings, here are some of the conflict regions China’s shipped to:

• Sudan during the civil war
• Darfur (ongoing crisis)
• Rwanda
• Somalia (ongoing crisis)
• Côte d’Ivoire (civil war)
• Ethiopia and Eritrea (during war)
• East Congo
• And more…

From The Jamestown Foundation:

- “China delivered by value about 13 percent of all arms to Sub-Saharan Africa; this percentage increased to almost 18 percent between 2004 and 2007.”

Cross-border proliferation isn’t just a problem that occurs with illegal trafficking – sometimes states stand to profit hugely off of licit trades. In the case of the Arab Spring, they could even reap the benefits in the future by selectively backing groups early on to form political alliances (like Qatar) or later negotiate for resource dividends (just a thought for now).

For delegates, if you’re going to pursue a moratorium on arms shipments to conflict areas, it only works when everyone is likely to abide by them. Yet considering that arms shipments are almost always counterproductive (see below), most nations choose to break these moratoriums for these reasons, and for political ones as well.

Gun diplomacy: a whole new meaning? The United States supporting allies in Somalia

“The United States sent RPGs, machine guns, mortars, and -- in the words of one U.S. official -- "cash in a brown paper bag" to Somalia [in the spring of 2008]”

As a show of solidarity and more importantly, to ward off Islamist groups on the verge of taking the country, the United States government sent arms shipments to the fragile Transitional Federal Government in direct contravention of an arms embargo adopted by the United Nations Security Council. The problem, however, is that these weapons inevitably make it out onto the market and make their way into the hands of militant groups and sometimes outside of the country itself. When the intended recipients can’t absorb the influx of arms shipments, weapons are instead sold on the open market. Small arms follow deserters or captured soldiers from the TFG, or are sold by militia members who compose the army. To top it all off, we know that Somalia is now a failed state, and that all those arms shipments couldn’t ward it off.

For the reasons above, arms-saturated, conflict-prone regions such as Somalia tend to act as transit points once new weapons flow into the region, notably to the Horn of Africa. As delegates research their foreign policies, they should keep in mind the efficacy of weapons transfers in propping up fragile governments and especially what kind of message it sends when members of the UN and the Security Council undermine circumvent their own rules.

It’s the Cold War, stupid: the hidden legacy of arms shipments

Even though the UN has been making progress on destroying weapons stockpiles from the Cold War, other issues have overshadowed the fact that there are a ton of guns drifting around in Central and Southern Asian (a former weapons corridor) from the Cold War era. If you happen to represent one of these countries, this link might be really useful to you in your research. Afghanistan, Tajikstan and other Central Asian former Soviet republics have all suffered from the proliferation of arms in their region and its links with human and drug trafficking. Everyone knows the story of how arms given to the mujahideen during the Afghan Civil War were appropriated by its offshoots, al-Qaeda and the Taliban, in other conflicts, but the region has suffered much worse. Delegates should consider how to deal with existing arms and not just how to limit the proliferation of new ones.

Phew. I guess that’s it for now. Happy researching!

Countdown to HSMUN: 24 days

Position Papers

Hello delegates,

Just a few notes about the position papers:

1. Remember that there is an award for best position paper in every committee so don't pull your punches.

2. The dais and intervention staff will mainly be looking at the extent of research that was performed for the paper, the relation of that research to the topics that will be discussed, and finally, the relation of that research to the country's foreign policy.

3. Limit the length of your papers to around 2 -3 pages double spaced. Even though if your paper is longer than that it may not be discarded, you will be less likely to win an award than an individual who fulfilled the requirements in the page limit.

4. Try to make the paper as interesting as possible seeing as how the intervention staff will be reading many of these.

5. Remember that the stance you take in this position paper will be representative of the stance you take in committee. If your intervention staff sees that your paper is an inaccurate depiction of your country's foreign policy, they will bring it up with you so your committee debate is not jeopardized.

On behalf of the dais and intervention staff, good luck with your research and papers and God speed.

We look forward to seeing you in February.

Zohaib

UNEP Needs Exciting Papers!!

Well, you must all be starting your position papers now, since most of you are done your exams! It may seem like a daunting task, but it is really simple if you have a thorough understanding of your country’s foreign policy (yes, we are going to keep hounding on that… your country’s foreign policy is the central component to your debate!). These papers are extremely beneficial in preparing you for the conference, because they force you to apply your country’s foreign policy to our two topics in writing, which will give you a solid understanding of your country’s position
as well as provide a written document that you can refer back to during debate. The best part? There’s awards for the most outstanding papers! So, how do you write one?

1. Position papers should be 1-2 pages long. Once you get going, this is not a lot!!

2. The position paper simply outlines your country’s position on each of our two topics. By now, you should already be familiar with the topics and you should have a good grasp on your country’s foreign policy. If not, refer back to the older blog posts for some ideas to get you started.

3. Specific questions to answer in your paper can be found here: http://www.ualberta.ca/~hsmun/positionpapers.html. Even though this is the “work” portion of the conference, we suggest that you put considerable effort into your paper. When you have a super-solid understanding of your country’s position on each topic, you are better able to present your argument as well as defend it, which makes the conference so much more fun and enriching for everyone. Make HSMUN 2012 the memorable, exciting experience that it’s supposed to be… dive right into your country’s foreign policy and become its delegation!

Now, you have 2 weeks, as they are due on February 11, 2012.

If you have any questions, please e-mail us at hsmun.unep@gmail.com. Or, better yet, comment right on the blog so that everyone can see, because chances are that other delegates will have the same questions!

Good luck with your papers!

UNEP Dais

IT'S OVER 9000...

minutes until the conference begins! Hope you guys are all getting excited for it (hope all of your exams went well and you rocked them).

This post will mostly be an extension and elaboration on some specific areas of sovereignty. If you guys are looking for a little more ammunition to use in your debates during MUN it will definitely be useful to examine your country's position on the use of intervention. What intervention is, is having an external entity (usually other countries) entering an area with the aims of ending some internal conflict within this area. For the Arab Springs, a great example of this was the intervention of Libya to pressure the leader to step down.

When examining this topic, investigate your country's stance on either participating or accepting interventionist measures as this will greatly influence your arguments should you choose to go this route. This idea (the Responsibility to Protect [or R2P]) has been included in the United Nations in principle, meaning that it has been agreed on by members that it is an important thing to consider but is not binding. Some areas have made it a binding rule, most notably in the AU.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Intervention will not work in all the states in the Arab Springs. In some areas, there may not be violent action or revolution, reducing the need for an intervention. The reason for including intervention in the blog is to give you delegates more options with which to structure debate and your position papers.

I hope this has been full of helpful information. As attache, I am excited to see where your research has lead you and how you argue your country's position.

Carpe Diem all!

"A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen". ~Winston Churchil

Robert's Rules of Order

Hello Historical Delegates:

Just some more things for helping you figure out your way around our new committee's format.

First, we'll be following regular rules of procedure for HSMUN, so if you have experience with HSMUN, it will be very similar to other committees. The only catch is that we are unlikely to have a Primary Speaker's List, as there is only one topic!

Second, we will be providing an award for the best dressed delegate. Best dressed you say? Best dressed we say! You are not by any means required to dress up, but it will make the committee a lot more fun if you do. Come in time period or nationally appropriate clothing, and you may very well be rewarded.

Third, we are probably going to be spending a lot of time looking at maps. To help you with that, we'll be providing a large map of the Palestinian Protectorate with as much detail as we can get and have it in the room at all times. We'll also have a few transparencies available so that you can draw on them as you need to when you're negotiating different plans and deals. Bring some non-permanent markers, the more colours the better.

I hope you guys are looking forward to this as much as we are! We've got some surprises planned for you during the conference.

One of the best parts of historical committees? News clips with dated accents!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-panorama-middle-east-archives-divisions/9420.html

PS. Don't forget your position papers.

Cheers,

Robert

Im gonna just put this here...

Just thought you might need some humor in your day...



and this...




oh oh and this one..


have a great day!!

HOW TO REPRESENT in the Legal Committee

Since you all are going to be in the best HSMUN committee, you must a) have a thorough understanding of the two issues we're discussing and b) know how to represent your nation accurately during debates and caucuses. We'll try to keep you updated on the two topics in the month leading up to the conference, but for now, here are some tips to help you stick to your country's foreign policy:

1. What encounters has your nation had with the issue in the past? For instance, are you a nation that is home to alleged terrorists? Are you a nation that has pursued terrorists in the past? When it comes to the issue of immunity of UN personnel, are you typically a nation that receives the help of UN personnel or is it your own citizens that often serve as UN personnel? Exploring these questions can help you determine what your nation's interests are.

2. Has your nation taken any action in the past in relation to the two topics? This action doesn't have to be UN related - for instance, if your nation is part of a an organization like ASEAN, NATO, or the Arab League, to name a few examples, you may have outlined a framework for dealing with these issues that will give you an idea of where your nation stands and the types of solutions that your nation would advocate. Similarly, many nations have already outlined their stances on their own foreign policy sites - try checking these sources out to see if you can get more direction in terms of how to best represent your nation.

3. Who are your allies? Are relations more tense with certain countries? Keep in mind that foreign relations aren't absolute - you might be on the same page as a certain country when it comes to a certain issue but on opposing sides of the debate when it comes to another. Sorting this out before the conference comes along will help you determine how to proceed during HSMUN.

Remember to have fun and represent your nation as best as you can! We fully welcome good accents and good costumes.

We heard you guys have midterms right now or something, so good luck with those! 

We SO CHUMmy in SOCHUM

Yeah, pardon my lame joke.

On the other hand, there's only a month left until HSMUN 2012! Aren't you all so excited for it?

Oh right.. Most of you are probably panicking over high school midterms right now, without even realizing it. But, as I hope all of you SOCHUM delegates will read this post eventually, I thought I'd put in a friendly reminder.

Position papers are due on February 11, 2012.

Position papers are a great way to obtain more information about your country and their stance, while familiarizing yourself with our pertinent topics. It also helps you to brainstorm some possible solutions, which will be crucial for our discussion.

In terms of the topics, I've already some general questions for you to consider. However, your thoughts should not be limited to only those questions. What more can your country offer? Or would your country rather not be a part of, as an example, any international regulation on women's rights?

It's important to remember that during the entire conference, you're representing your country, not your own personal beliefs. While we love earnest, though-provoking discussions, you still must follow the ideals of your country, however limiting they may be. So, when writing your position papers or making notes to yourself, always remember to view information and arguments in the eyes of your country!

Hope this gives you some more things to consider!

Who's Who??

Hey Everyone

So while everyone is writing their background papers and doing some last minute research, try to keep your country's foreign policy in the back of your heads.. as this is very important for your paper and in your debate...

you may be asking.. "oh anonymous who blogger, what does foreign policy mean?"

well HSMUN 2012 DELEGATE, ones foreign policy simply means (as defined by dictionary.com)

foreign policy:
noun
a policy pursued by a nation in its dealings with other nations, designed to achieve national objectives.

in plain english, this means " a policy that a nations makes and follows according to how it deals with other nations... and the reason they would have such policy is so the can achieve their national objectives..."

kapeech??

if you guys have any questions.. please email us !!!

Beaceeee

NEARLY A MONTH AWAY!!

HEY GUYS!!!!

CAN YOU BELIEVE HSMUN IS A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AWAY?! THATS NUTSSSS!!!!

So as we start to hit the final month before the conference, it's time to gear up that research!!

One question that often comes up is the conflict between a nations' own health care system or disease control (for example the CDC in the USA). As delegates it is imperative to figure out what exactly your nations' policy is on something like disease control. While most nations do have similar methods in place such as isolation, quarantine, etc. there are some ambiguities and often these small ambiguities are what can cause the most problems when discussing a resolution. This is why it is imperative that you make sure you find out what your nation's policy on disease prevention is!

Additionally, mental health is recognized as an important issue in many countries yet it remains a taboo subject in others! For those nations which have largely avoid the issue of mental health, it is going to be important that you find a way to maintain your countries stance on mental health while still deliberating!

Again, if you guys have any questions, make sure to email us at hsmun.who@gmail.com !

PEACEEEE

UNEP - Usually Not Entertaining Posts (just kidding!)

Hello Delegates!

The conference is fast approaching and excitement is (hopefully) growing! Well, ours is anyway.

We'll start with some (organic) food for thought. Organic food is going to be a hard one to research in the sense that most nations aren't going to have a clear and definite stance on standardization of the organic food label. So, don't worry if you can't find how your nation feels on the issue - it's one of those issues where it's tough to find a wrong answer. At the same time, it's worth breaking the issue down and thinking about how pieces of it relate to your country's policy.

When we talk about standardizing food labels on an international level, this involves a lot of new rules and regulations that come into effect. The goal is essentially to set guidelines as to what can be called organic, making sure that Canada's version of organic is the same as China's. Right away, there are a few nations that could have problems with this - nations either with low health/environmental/agricultural standards, who would need to invest a lot of money to match the quality of international competitors, or nations who prefer to keep legislation in the hands of their own government, not the international community. So, that said, there are political and economic issues involved. Finally, the standardization process is potentially quite expensive, especially if it requires changing or completely restructuring the existing system. This might also be a deterrent for some nations.

Check out this link for more useful information:

http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/hottopics/should_i_choose_organic_foods.html

Good luck with your exams!

UNEP Dais

UN Personnel: Above the law?

According to some sources, having access to diplomatic immunity, at least as a high-ranking official, can guarantee you protection in pretty much any situation. While the UN always urges its personnel to abide by the laws of foreign nations, it still lacks the framework to ensure the accountability of its personnel. Like any policy, the immunity afforded to UN personnel exists for a reason: UN personnel can potentially be exposed to arbitrary persecution due to the highly political and dangerous nature of their work. In addition, in the event that they are implicated in a crime, they have no guarantee of a free or fair trial under certain judicial systems.

This case explores the complexity of diplomatic immunity, both in terms of its effect on the accused diplomat as well as its implications on the relationship between the two countries involved. While the accused was not a UN official, he has access to the same diplomatic immunity as many high-ranking UN officials. As you read the article, ask yourself to what extent we can trust a given judicial system to be impartial as well as whether or not the application of immunity can augment tension between nations.

We hope this helps! Happy researching. Remember to read/watch/listen to the news! 

Controlling Arms: more than the mere usage of muscles and nerves!

BANANAS!

So about arms control. Usually, this is something that we would leave to our fine friends in DISEC. But it is relevant to our problems!

What happened in Libya? What might happen in Syria? Our survey says.... CIVIL WAR DING DING DING DING DING! In the Arab Spring cases where the situation has or could deteriorate into full blown conflict, you need to include measures in your resolutions to address the circulation of weapons (even in Syria, there are still armed opposition groups though civil was has not yet occurred). You have a bunch of people with guns and a volatile political situation... that's like having a whole bunch of water balloons on a hot day... someone is gonna start throwin em!!!

Remember though, don't specifically refer to Libya or Syria. Perhaps something like, "In cases where armed conflict is likely or has occurred blah blah blah," would suffice.

READ THE NEWS!!!

"Democracy simply means the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people." -- Oscar Wilde

Your friendly neighbourhood not-Spiderman,

Josh

Security Council 101: A Quick Overview

Hi!

Today we will cover some general things about the topic and your actions in the committee. You know what we'll be talking about but now we will got over how to go about it.

You know its about the Arab Spring. Here is a logistical complication for you to digest: the Arab Spring is still going on and is happening in multiple countries! Therefore, your resolutions will have to be as general as possible. So far, I've been bombarding you with specific news articles and cases (though also some general stuff regarding the UN Charter and theoretical concepts). It is highly important to keep the specifics in mind and to know what is happening where. However, your resolutions cannot focus on individual cases. Remember the general issues we've covered in the blogs: treatment of disposed dictators, role of international community, role of domestic authorities, criminal jurisdictions. We will cover more in the weeks ahead. For now, general fluffy stuff.

For researching your position, the best place to start is your country's general foreign policy. Who are your allies/enemies? In what ways is your country involved in the Middle East? What economic, political, and social interests do you have in the region? Are you an aggressor state or a neutral state? From there, look into your country's involvement in the Arab Spring (i.e. who supports who, is it even a concern for your country). If you have any questions about HSMUN, the Security Council, the topic, research, or anything that is unclear to you, feel free to email us at hsmun.sc@gmail.com and we will answer your question as quickly as possible.

We've been a bit behind on our blogging and we apologize. Fear not! There will be plenty more for you to read in the following weeks! Later this week, we will continue our examination of problem areas of peaceful resolution by examining weapons... BOOM! Until then, have your dose of Arab Spring news!

"A mere forty years ago, beach volleyball was just beginning. No bureaucrat would have invented it, and that's what freedom is all about." -- Newt Gingrich speaking at the 1996 Republican Party Convention

Cheers,

Josh

It Was An "Accident"....

On the Issue of Accidents....

there is plenty of research to be found on the issue of specific military tactics used.. resulting in a (disturbingly) high percentage of accidental civilian deaths.

Without giving too much away (& thus removing the excitement & self-satisfaction that arises from the DISEC Quest For Answers), I will say that reports have been released (regarding the status of civilian deaths) by Amnesty International, NATO as well as articles from Time Magazine, Reuters, BBC, & The Guardian. That should hopefully help to direct/narrow down your search engine terms.

We encourage you to give us some feedback! If you've found it to be so, please click the Interesting or Helpful dialogue buttons located at the bottom of our DISEC blog posts!

Save A Panda. Click The Dialogue Button.

A Guide to Historical Etiquette

Hey everyone:

Hope you had a good holiday break, and are excited to be back at school. Here's some information for delegates of the Historical Committee on what they can expect of the historical simulation:

A Guide to Historical Committee Etiquette

Quick Rules:

1. No prochronism
2. Be in the box until we leave the box
3. You are allowed to change history, but follow a logical policy for your country
4. Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning

Rule One: No Prochronism

For those unfamiliar with the term (I had to use Wikipedia, don't worry), it is similar to an anachronism, but in the opposite direction. Anachronisms are things from the past still being used in the present in a no longer appropriate context. Prochonrisms are things from the future that should not yet exist. As such, any information you have from after 1947 is inappropriate to bring into the committee. This applies both to the material you can bring in, but also applies to your outlook. Try as much as possible to remember that you do not know what will happen after Israel is created. Consequences you know would be disastrous or miraculous because of how they actually turned out in the years up to 2012 that seem impossible or unfair in 1947 are still impossible or unfair!

Rule Two: Think in the Box

Remember all your teachers who told you to think outside the box? Yeah, they're wrong. I'm telling you to think in the Box while in committee. There will be times we are “Out of Box” and “In the Box”. I will make these times explicitly clear, I might have a gong or a bell or something. Typically Out of Box times will be the first and last 15 minutes of session, and barring something happening unexpectedly, the rest will be spent In the Box. During Out of Box time you'll be free to ask about things that are happening as a student of 2012, give feedback on how the format is going, seek explanations for things you find confusing, I'll ask you how the changes you're making might affect the course of history, and whatever else we need to do. When we go In the Box, you'll be assuming the role of diplomats in 1947, and forget everything you know after that. You go in character. While this is usually the case for MUN, it requires special mention because it is a different experience going back in time. Use the correct pronouns (some country names are not the same as you're used to).

Rule Three: Paradox Free Time Travel

Do not in any way feel bound by the solutions of yesteryear. Your committee is NOT an historical enactment. It is an historical SIMULATION. Follow your country's policy in principle. If you support Israel's creation, you'll still have to work for it. If you don't, don't feel disheartened, you may yet have your day. If your country had a specific policy in mind, propose it, but don't expect it to be shot down if it was in 1948, or be accepted if it is the borders as they stood after the segregation of Palestine. You are in control of the future. Use your powers wisely!

Rule Four: Be Prepared to Re-Examine Your Reasoning

I generally consider this good policy. It is especially important for how you decide to treat this committee. History might change drastically in this committee. Be prepared to think about the world differently.

I'll be posting a more in-depth guide to the procedural changes we'll be making to the committee, if any, when I consult with the people actually running it.

Cheers,

Robert

Chair

Contemplative Issues

Greetings SOCHUM delegates

In less than two months, you shall be embarking on a three day journey to deal with two pertinent world issues.

Here are tips to keep you on the straight path:

A) Decide which topic your nation-state feels more strongly about and therefore, which issue you would like to discuss first, before coming to the first day of committee because it is then that we will do the vote.

B) Remember to not just know about this issue, but you country's stand on the issue. If you speak much, but are saying points which disagree with the nations foreign policy, it will count against you and you shall be intervened.

C) On the first day of committee you shall be given a delegate handbook. This book has useful advice on committee proceedings as well as how to write a working paper.

D) Really think about this issues which are presented with these topics. Contemplate how you feel about these issues, but remember that at the end of the day, you are not discussing what you feel but what your country feels.
How far can one go to stop terrorism? For example, is what Batman does to save Gotham in the film The Dark Knight justified? Why or why not? Which country would agree or disagree? Is Utilitarianism a viable ideology?
And for women's rights, what exactly defines oppression? If a government forces women to wear a certain garment or not wear certain garment does this constitute oppression? What about the idea that anorexia and bulimia are virtually non-existent in non-western states? Can this be factored into the discussion of women's rights?
These are all questions which must be discussed not only with yourself, but with other nations as well.

E) Lastly, remember that even though countries are bound to disagree, remember to still work together. Do not disagree with another nation-state simply for personal reasons or because you believe you will win a prize.
There is an old African proverb: He who travels alone travels the fastest but he who travels with others gets where he wants to go.

Good luck with your committee sessions delegates. You will need it.

Here are some links to help you:

1) http://www.cda-cdai.ca/cdai/uploads/cdai/2009/04/carvin02.pdf
2) http://www.un.org/womenwatch/
3) http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/
4) http://www.globalissues.org/article/166/womens-rights
5) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism

Zohaib Siddiqi, SOCHUM Chair

Happy New Year!

Since 2011 is officially over, the Legal committee has begun reflecting over the events of this past year and has been contemplating such topics as the scope and application of universal jurisdiction in carrying out anti-terrorist operations. 10 years after the 9/11 attacks, we can still find cases of nations using the pursuit of terrorists as a justification for acting beyond the limits of their own borders; we can look, for instance, at the US's presence in Pakistan and the killing of Osama bin Laden in May 2011. 

For a source of recent news, you can look at this page from Foreign Policy magazine which has weekly updates on what they refer to as the "legal War on Terror." While not all the articles relate directly to the question of universal jurisdiction, some of them, like these two, discuss events that are very relevant to our topic. Checking this page regularly in the weeks leading up to the conference as well as looking at past posts on the page can give you a good idea of the controversy surrounding the topic. 

Some nations may use the deaths of terrorists to claim that allowing for universal jurisdiction is an effective method. Others, however, might say that the War on Terror has created collateral damage that outweighs its perceived benefits: this article examines the potential political impact the War on Terror might have had on Pakistan, a nation which claims officially that it is an ally of the United States in carrying out anti-terrorist operations, while this report looks at possible consequences of the War on Terror in a humanitarian light.

Enjoy the rest of your breaks, delegates! We would wish you good luck, but we know you don't really need it, right? :)

UNEP - Understanding Negative Environmental Pressures

Hello Delegates!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year! Although the ground is still green (by green, I mean yellowish-brown), for better or for worse. Judging from my own experience in the last week, the only relevant resource extraction was shovelling turkey onto my plate. But now that that's over and we're down to leftovers, we can get back to the environment!

For starters, here are some general definitions that will come in handy:

Resource Extraction is a blanket term that refers not only to the collection of natural resources, but also to the location and distribution of the same. So when you're considering accountability, you're looking not only at the processes required to acquire resources, such as mining and logging, but also associated actions both before and after the acquisition process.

There are a lot of issues surrounding resource extraction, and it is important to keep the focus on environmental accountability. When talking about accountability, it is important to think in very concrete and specific terms. It's easy to point fingers and say that some nation or government is to blame, but it's a lot harder to objectively monitor environmental impacts and hold nations accountable. Food for thought (organic, of course).

Cheers,

UNEP Staff