MUNITY-East

ByIHo June Chun, International School of Ho Chi Minh City

Photo cred: Mars Huang of International Bilingual School at Hsinchu

In every conference room, delegates see one or two unfamiliar faces silently typing away on their laptops in the corner. They are the advisors from each school, assisting students in a number of ways. Nevertheless, despite their sincere contribution, they are rarely featured in the spotlight.

So what is the job of an advisor? It is mostly composed of preparation for the conference. Advisors coordinate delegates’ trip from head to toe:They organize flights, insurance, letters to parents, and virtually any part of MUN that requires a teacher’s assistance. They also provide basic training sessions for newcomers to MUN. During the conference, the major job of an advisor is to provide necessary information to students. For instance, an advisor of the ICJ, Elizabeth Wyant from International Bilingual School at Hsinchu, notes, “Although delegates in ICJ are very experienced and all have high potential to be future lawyers, they occasionally require information about laws, and I am in ICJ to quickly provide such information for them.” Other than providing information, advisors also assist in screening notes, checking grammar, and monitoring the debate to keep everything on track.

Photo cred: Mars Huang of International Bilingual School at Hsinchu

Directing such diverse areas, it is no surprise that they encounter some difficulties. Advisor William K. Schlei from International School of Ho Chi Minh City notes, “The advisors often find difficulties in remembering all the necessities to be checked before the conference since there are countless details. This can be seen by looking at the Security Council, where half of the members did not bring their note papers.” One of the other advisors, Kevin Huntley from Dulwich College Beijing, points out another difficulty, “For me, the hardest thing about preparation for the conference is to educate other teachers to value MUN. They often do not understand how it has such importance [so as to cause studens to] to miss five periods of their classes.”

Running around from committee to committee, advisors strive to provide assistance to the delegates in every way possible. So, smile at them. Each one of them helped make THIMUN Singapore 2011 a possibility.

Photo cred: Mars Huang of International Bilingual School at Hsinchu

By Ho June Chun, International School of Ho Chi Minh

The phrases “This delegate urges other nations…” and “This clause is vague as it lacks detail…” are never left out during MUN conferences– THIMUN is no exception. These endlessly repeated quotes all sound vaguely professional, but delegates should start getting creative if they want to break the monotonous atmosphere of the conference room.

Take a look at the quote “This delegate urges other nations,” frequently used at the start of a sentence carefully constructed to oppose certain resolutions. However, instead of spending their time and energy merely urging other nations to oppose certain resolutions, delegates should take the time to prove their point so effectively that additional urging is rendered unnecessary. An awe-inspiring speech, supported by a foundation of irrefutable evidence, will go miles farther than empty urgings. A formidable speaker will show the delegates what they clearly need to do (listen to the speaker, of course) instead of merely telling them to.

The cliché phrases everyone hears are not only hypocritical, but are also dull: the expression, “This clause is vague as it lacks detail,” seems to be one of the foolproof ways to gain votes against any resolution and, consequently, is loved by every delegate who needs an easy attack to launch. As Hyung Seok Lee from ICJ noted, “Most of the delegates who use this phrase only have a general idea about the resolution. They are using the phrase because they cannot pin point the exact flaws due to their limited knowledge. They should have better reasons to oppose the resolution.”

So where does this triteness come from? Most of these phrases that are considered clichés come from guides on MUN. Yes, those MUN guides are full of preambulatory clauses. Also, the majority of delegates start their MUN careers blindly following such advice. Soon enough, however, they are limited by the vocabulary within it, making it a tradition to say certain words in certain situations.

It is true that MUN conferences require formality. However, occasional use of untypical words that are not heard every day might help to break the boredom. So be creative and think outside the box to impress your esteemed delegates!

By Tsai-Wei Chen, International Bilingual School at Hsinchu

A humble group of thirty students, finely dressed in pressed suits and sleek jackets, stepped into the International Court of Justice (ICJ) room on Wednesday morning with the vibe of future lawyers. Determined to tackle pressing issues, many of the highly experienced students in the ICJ had been formally trained by the “ICJ guru,” Dr. Stears, at the Hague in the Netherlands, where Dr. Stears makes sure the ICJ committees at MUN conferences follow the real ICJ procedures of the United Nations exactly.

Unlike regular committees in which delegates debate over controversial topics, the ICJ is an actual court of law that aims to settle legal disputes. Undergoing two trials, the ICJ follows the European law codes and revolves around the affairs of four chosen countries. Under the leadership of President Linus Wannstrom (Mont’ Kiara International School), Deputy President Kim Harting (Mont’Kiara International School), and registrar Nathanial Zhang (Concordia International School), are the advocates, witnesses, and judges. The advocates, says Ms. Elizabeth Wyant, the advisor of the ICJ from the International Bilingual School at Hsinchu, are “the real heroes. They are all potential lawyers. I mean, they all know their information very well—It’s usually me who learns from them, not the other way around!”  Unlike in criminal courts, the witnesses are not present for interrogation, but to present the different views on the table. In fact, the witnesses—who are always followed by applause after speaking—“are viewed with exaggerated respect,” says Ms. Wyant. However, much like criminal courts, the international courts will follow the process of cross examination and direct examination between the advocates and the witnesses.

The two trials that will take place over the course of this four-day conference will be discussed for two days each. This year, the ICJ will first delve into a case between Japan and Australia concerning the violation of the whaling convention.  Tried for its “continued pursuit of a large-scale program of whaling under the Second Phase of its Japanese Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the Antarctic,” Japan is, according to the Australian government, “in breach of obligations assumed by Japan under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, as well as its other international obligations for the preservation of marine mammals and marine environment.” Defending their actions through scientific means, the Japanese Fishery Ministry has stated that it will continue its whaling program, as it is “lawful in accordance with article eight of the international convention for the regulation of whaling.”

Although judge Da Eul Kim (Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies) notes that the “advocates are having issues with asking the right questions, because they often ask leading questions, which aren’t allowed,” discussions in the small 7 by 8 meter room are certainly kicking off with a positive start. “This particular group has been the most efficient and most organized I have ever seen. I am very impressed with the level of preparation and organization of the participants and with the extremely competent judges,” says Ms. Wyant. Hopefully, this level of efficiency will continue for the next three days and allow them more time for their final deliberation.

By Audrey Lin, International School of Beijing 

Every year, students from over seventy international schools around the world join THIMUN-Singapore as delegates, researching information and writing their resolutions. Delegates may think that by now they know everything there is to know about MUN, but one major branch of the conference is often overlooked: The International Court of Justice. In fact, when asked about ICJ officers, many delegates asked, “What is an ICJ?”

The ICJ is a branch that makes judgments on cases brought to it by individual countries, in addition to giving legal advice to various groups of MUN. The members of the court hear three cases and make legal decisions based on past treaties, universal principles of law, international customs, and precedents from similar cases. This year, the ICJ officers are Linus Wannstrom (Mont’Kiara International School) as President, Kim Harting (Mont’Kiara International School) as Deputy President, and Nathaniel Zhang (Concordia International School Shanghai) as Registrar. 

Wannstrom and Harting have been a part of MUN for five years now. Their jobs as President and Deputy President are to make sure that the advocates are on task, able to contact witnesses, and have research to use as evidence. On the other hand Zhang, as Registrar, assists in gathering evidence, a process that consists of labeling and filing of proof presented to the judges.

“I prefer being on the ICJ any day,” states Wannstrom. Though it is his first time taking on the role of an ICJ officer, he looks forward to contributing to the ICJ from a different angle.

Harting has also been involved with the ICJ, but “never appreciated how much time and commitment went into making the ICJ run smoothly.” This year, she looks forward to seeing her advocate team excel.

The job of an ICJ officer is no simple job, but Harting is certain that “politics, law, and fair trials trump standard committee debate any day.”

By: Hannah Oakshott, PLC Sydney

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is a determined, hardworking sector of this year’s MUN conference. There was a noticeably intense atmosphere in the morning, as each ambassador sat patiently at their desks, listening intently to the debate unfolding before them.

The court began by discussing the trial of Chad’s ex-dictator, Hissene Habre. The Ambassador for Chad outlined some of the atrocities committed by Habre, and stressed the need for justice for the innocent civilians murdered during the despot’s reign.

Habre was indicted in Senegal in 2000, but courts ruled he was prohibited from being tried there. After a four year investigation in which the trial moved to Belgium, a judge charged him with crimes against humanity, torture and war crimes in 2005. In 2006, the African Union called on Senegal to prosecute Habre, “in the name of Africa.”

Reed Brody, a counsel for the independent organization dedicated to defending and protecting human rights – The Human Rights Watch – says on the official website, “After so many years of tenacity and disappointments, Hissene Habre’s victims can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.” This is due to the fact that there is a re-ignited push for Habre’s punishment.

This idea of the inherent values of justice being served is clearly embedded in the team of ICJ. There is no room for anyone to be unsure in ICJ, and the apt knowledge of the ambassadors enables them to effectively represent their respective countries in a way that is truly admirable. The importance of justice on a global scale is effectively represented in this small branch of the conference.