Model United Nations kicked off this year with two weeks of Mini-MUN conferences, only for ISB students, on consecutive Saturdays starting September 4. Unlike previous years, Mini-MUN was divided into two sessions, the fi rst for rookies and second for newcomers and veterans. This new arrangement gave “newbies” more chance to speak up without the intimidating presence of the more experienced MUN delegates. It was the biggest and most enthusiastic Mini-MUN ever held, with more than a hundred student delegates and offi cers participating. Before the conference, most of the participants – especially newbies – were unclear about how the conference would run; however, Mini-MUN granted a wonderful opportunity to prepare for future conferences. “The fi rst impression of MUN was overwhelming to me as a person who just started MUN. However, I soon gained confi dence speaking in front of people. It was great chance for me to start off my MUN career,” noted Jenny Kang (9), delegate of Cambodia. Veterans also used the sessions to study the new members’ potential talent as MUN participants. Dhruv Srivastava (12), the President of Advisory Panel for BEIMUN as well as
the President of the APQPI for THIMUN Singapore, commented that “the newbies proved that they were up for the challenge. At the fi rst conference, when only new members took part, each forum had a reasonable number of delegates who participated a lot, contributing to the overall quality of debate. Some of them already have the qualities to lead ISB at various conferences.” Delegates struggled to prove their talent in order to obtain spots on the ISB teams that will be attending THIMUN Singapore, held in November, and THIMUN The Hague, held in January. For naive rookies and also veterans seeking a chance to be appointed as offi cers, Mini-MUN was incredibly important. The conferences served as “try out” sessions, since some offi cer positions are still open for BEIMUN in March. While delegates were striving their way through debates, BEIWATCH – the MUN Press Team – was also in action, putting everything together for this publication and as a record of the sessions. Looking forward, Mini-MUN participants showed enthusiasm that should bode well for the rest of the year.
Mr. Aitken, a New Director for BEIMUNby Jun Yong Bae
Staff
Editor-in-ChiefJeongSun Lee
Assistant EditorSeoHyun Bae
ReportersWoo Sung Choi
Dong Hyeok HanTiny Huang
Judy JoSi Won Jang
Josh OnSo Yeon ParkAmber Suh
Karen Zhang
Photography CoordinatorsShawn ParkJudy Park
PhotographersSoo Ho Choi
Joo Hyung JangJennifer Lee
Nick Lee
Art CoordinatorKatie Wong
ArtistsCatherine KimJi Hoo Nam
Layout CoordinatorsJeremy Leung
James Roh
LayoutsMark Woo
Jun Yong BaeHeRa Kang
AdvisorLinda Samarzia
Mr. Aitken is now starting to build his own empire with Model United Nations at ISB as the leader of the world’s second largest school held MUN conference. He expressed his fascination on the level of commitment and the attitude of the ISB students towards BEIMUN. Being the organizer of a MUN conference is a dream come true for him.
“The only thing that I can take credit for this year is encouraging the students who are involved. The quality and enthusiasm is great, and it won’t be easy when any of them leave,” he added.
Q. Have you ever been an MUN advisor before you came to ISB? A. I was a MUN advisor at the American School of Mexico City and the Korea International School for fi ve years.
Q. What are the differences between MUN style at ISB and other schools?A. There are two major differences. The fi rst thing is the student involvement and level of commitment at ISB is much higher. The reason for that probably is because ISB hosts BEIMUN, the second largest school MUN conference in the world, while other schools have co-hosts. The second reason probably is because of the tradition and the history BEIMUN has at ISB. When I taught in Mexico, my MUN students came all the way to BEIMUN from the other side of the world because we knew how prestigious it was to attend such a professional conference.
Q. What is your personal opinion or impression about Mini-MUN?A. When I was in other schools and notifi ed students that we were having a MUN orientation meeting, just enough people came. But at ISB, we have many students who would like to participate in outside conferences. So, this is an opportunity for offi cers and advisors to select a few outstanding students who are qualifi ed to take to those outside conferences, such as THIMUN in Singapore or The Hague.
Q. Do you think that ISB has a different approach to teaching and preparing students for MUN than other schools?A. We have a good program that gives us a respected international reputation. Offi cers, especially, help to improve the debates by being excellent representatives of MUN at ISB.
Q. Do you foresee any changes in MUN in the future? A. The issue that I am looking forward to is the potential to take more students to travel to other conferences outside of China.
Mr. Aitken is being assisted this year by Mr. Robert Winters and Mr. Scott Berry.
golden opportunity for them to confi dently display their public speaking fl airs and well-established awareness in global issues once again.
Mini-MUN is defi nitely not something to miss out for anyone interested in the MUN program. No MUN-er seems to be capable of refuting the fact that MINI-MUN is one of the most essential events that MUN advisors organize each year, for it serves as a foundation for both the inexperienced and experienced to exhibit their potentials and get themselves ready for any future MUN conference they will be attending.
Why does ISB have Mini-MUN?It’s September—a busy season for ISB’s Model
United Nations department, carefully preparing another successful year with the fi rst step marked by the annual Mini-MUN conference.
As the name itself suggests, Mini-MUN is a solely ISB-based, small scaled MUN conference arranged for both starting and returning delegates to demonstrate their talents. ISB students are known for their interests and passion in participating in MUN conferences like THIMUN The Hague, Singapore and BEIMUN. Suzy Kim (11), one of the student offi cers, notes that “ISB’s highly competitive environment” contributes to the need for “small conferences like Mini-MUN that can help offi cers gain good understanding of each
by So Yeon Park
participating delegate’s potentials.” Without such a crucial event —Mini-MUN — ISB will experience a hard time selecting delegates who will be given the chance to travel abroad for international MUN conferences.
Another merit of having the annual Mini-MUN conference is that it helps delegates become successful when they attend grander scale MUN conferences outside of school. Delegates with no previous MUN experience are required to attend a number of preparatory sessions prior
to the actual Mini-MUN conference. During their course of preparation for the conference, they naturally acquire more knowledge about MUN and the issues on their agenda; they go through the steps leading up to the success, starting with research, moving onto resolution-writing and then arriving at the fi nal milestone – the debate. Without these training sessions and Mini-MUN conference, the delegates would not be able to fi nely polish their MUN-related skills before they let them sparkle gloriously under the lights shining on the podium at bigger conferences. Even the veterans still regard the conference as a
Mini-MUN is not simply about lobbying and debating. The delegates are not the only ones who make Mini-MUN a truly meaningful experience. It is a collaborative work, from the start to the end.
Beiwatch is a student-organized press team wholly devoted to covering students’ experiences at MUN conferences in and out of school. Beiwatch press members hold a number of meetings prior to the actual conference at ISB, and then discuss how to ‘put into publication’ what they see, hear, and feel at Mini-MUN. School’s talented writers, artists, photographers, and designers come together to combine their efforts. Their fi nal product is then uploaded online for everyone’s access.
While Beiwatch press members focus on polishing their fi nal issue, secretariats are on their feet to keep the conference in a nice order. This year’s secretariats are Eric Wang, Iris Ma, Simon Ma, and Connie Li. With
profound experience in their previous MUN conferences both in and out of school, these four students feel great responsibility for making Mini-MUN a fully exciting, nevertheless benefi cial experience. They not only consistently discuss with other offi cers to select the delegates for future conferences overseas, but also make sure that all of the participants know what their tasks are. If a newbie is struggling, he can simply talk to one of these secretariats for advice. Just watch out, they are very busy.
And advisors. We should never forget their contribution. Without those teachers who have planned for this two-day event all along throughout the year, Mini-MUN could not have taken place. Their work is not as simple as it may seem. In the beginning of
the school year, they post notices about this conference around the school, hold meetings for both the newbies and the veterans to prepare for their debates, arrange the dates and venues for each group of delegates, and most importantly, take care of all students who are attending this important meeting.
Again, Mini-MUN is not all about debate. We must take into consideration all the ‘behind-the-scene’ people who make this event possible and more successful.
The keystone of MUN is resolution. Those people, who are wondering what a resolution really is, are recommended to read this article.At fi rst, issues are given to candidates. The issues
can be numerous, but this year’s Mini-MUN only focuses on renewable energy and natural disasters. The delegates begin investigating the details of these issues under signifi cant time pressure. Through their research, the candidates gain enough information on which they can base their opinions for future discussions.
“No food, no drinks, no cell phones, no iPods...” Where would you be restricted in use of those? Of course we all know the answer; classroom! Now, try this: No fi rst person, no casual attire, no speech without recognition. WHAT??? WHERE???MUN has its own rules and procedures to follow based on UN. Let’s have a look at things you SHOULD be doing and what you SHOUD NOT be doing during
MUN.
DOs1. Talk in third personThis is the basic rule of UN. You never refer to yourself as fi rst person. Refer as “This delegate” or “Delegate of (country you are representing)”. 2. Wear formal attireMUN follows UN dress code: men should be in suits and women should be in blouses/trouser suits/skirts suits. This is your chance to dress up like real UN diplomats, yay!3. Make friendsMUN is not only about discussing but also about socializing. Be friends from different parts of the world. MUN proves to be one of the best place to socialize, be part of it!4. Express yourself How long did you spend researching for MUN? Show your effort. No one will know what you have prepared unless you tell them. Don’t be afraid, EXPRESS!
DONTs 1. Shout abjection every single time 2. Try to overthrow the chair Chair is there to be in charge of the committee and to keep the order for richer debate. Someday you’ll be one of them.3. Deny points of information What’s wrong with saying “I’m wrong?” Don’t deny the truth4. Write personal messages Do that on msn or Skype, not during MUN conference! MUN is for discussing, not chatting
Then, here comes the real game: the writing. There is a specifi c format for the resolution. The format includes: heading, perambulatory clauses, operative clauses, etc. Using this format, the delegates write their resolution and prepare a speech to present.At last, after the resolution is published, the co-editors
and offi cers need to approve the candidates’ resolutions. If the resolutions are in need of improvement or revision, they defi nitely will not be passed. Then, the candidates must go back to the tiring procedure of writing to rewrite their entire resolutions from the
beginning. Therefore, it is necessary for the candidates to research and formulate their ideas thoroughly and adeptly.Writing a resolution may look simple, but not always.
Preparing all the elements to form one speech requires dedicated passion and adequate knowledge. That is what MUN is basically about.
“The next resolution….Will the main submitters please take the fl oor and read out the operative clauses?”
Did you get what it’s talking about? MUN seems as if it has its own language to rookies. Don’t be afraid! Here are some defi nitions of terms that you may not know. Look it over, and soon you’ll be able to discuss quorums, perambulatory clauses, division of the question and etcetera with the best of them.
MUN Dictionaryby JeongSun Lee
What is MUN?by James Roh
Model United Nations (MUN) is a youth organization modeled after the United Nations, the international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to four main goals: maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards, and human rights.
This academic simulation of the United Nations for high school students was fi rst founded in 1952 at the University of California, Berkeley. It soon expanded all over the world and there are now more than 400 offi cial MUN conferences held world-wide. ISB participates at The Hague (THIMUN), Singapore (THIMUN) and hosts BEIMUN in the spring. The main objective of MUN is to enhance high school student knowledge on current issues and civics.
BEIMUN, now known as the second largest MUN conference on Earth, is an extension from The Hague International
Amendment: A change to a draft resolution on the fl oor, such as adding or removing a clause or editing a clause. Submit amendments on amendment paper that can be attained through the Secretariat.
Caucus: A break in formal debate in which countries can more easily and informally discuss a topic.
Motion: A request made by a delegate that the committee as a whole takes some action. Some motions might be to go into a caucus, to adjourn, to introduce a draft resolution, or to move into voting bloc. Many motions must be seconded before they can be brought to vote.
Operative clauses: The part of resolution which describes how the UN will address a problem. It begins with and action verb (decides, establishes, recommends, etc)
Perambulatory Clauses: The part of a resolution that describes previous actions taken on the topic and reasons why the resolution is necessary.
Quorum: The minimum number of delegates required for a committee to offi cially meet.
Resolution: A document that has been passed by an organ of the UN that aims to address a particular problem or issue.
Second: To agree with a motion being proposed. Veto: The ability held by China, France, the
Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States to prevent any draft resolution.
Model United Nation (THIMUN). It seeks to refl ect the ideas and principles of a peaceful post-Cold War world. More than a thousand delegates and student offi cer from over 25 countries participated in last year’s successful BEIMUN.
Delegates seek solutions through discussion and negotiation of the various problems of the world, such as human rights, protection of the environment, economic development, disarmament, as well as the more critical issues of war and peace. MUN expects delegates to research, understand, participate and cooperate in order to uphold the principles in the conference. Through this, delegates interact with others from different backgrounds and combine to give the participants a deep insight into the world’s problems, to grow awareness of the causes of confl ict between nations, and to lead them to a better understanding of the interests and motivation of others.
What do the veterans have to say about MUN romance? Some of the corniest and sweetest pickup lines you’ve ever heard. Read for some ideas kindly contributed by participants at previous MUN conferences.
“You are the Bangkok to my Thailand!”
“You’re the renewable energy source that gets rid of all pollution!”
“You look pretty well developed for a 3rd world country!”
“You deserve the pollution that you cause!”
“You are my mocha-latte in the world of cheap machine coffee!”
“I didn’t know BEAUTIFUL was a country, but I see you play the role well!”
“You’re so hot; you’re the cause of global warming!”
“I’ll czech your republic.”
“Is that a placard in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”
“Are you into foreign relations?”
Lamest Pickup Lines from MUN RomanceBy Tina Huang and Amber Suh
ACROSS4 President, Youth Assembly6 President, Environment Commission8 Assistant President, Disarmament Commission9 Deputy Assistant President, Advisory Panel10 President, Human Rights Council11 President, Security Council
DOWN1 President, Advisory Panel 2 Assistant President, Environment Commission3 President, Economic & Social Council 5 President, International Court of Justice7 Assistant President, Youth Assembly
“The newbies are contributing good ideas. They are actually getting involved.” - Michelle Huang (10)
“I am being really productive today. Good amount of the newbies look very dedicated and that’s what we’re looking for.” - Nichole Zhu (11)
“I like this year better because I’m not a newbie anymore.” - Ferris Wang (10)
“The newbies are being great partners. They have been contributing a lot. I think the debates going to be great because I can talk this time. Last year was terrible because all we did was to sleep around since there were so many people in a group.” - Sunny Lee (11)
“It is so far fi ne lobbying and our resolution is looking very good. Last year we had everyone in the fame forum but this year we’ll have more opportunities to talk.” - Richard Zhang (11)
“We’re getting our work done fairly effectively. Some of the newbies try too hard and some don’t know anything.” - Jeffrey Yau (11)
“In general, some of the newbies are surprisingly smart. But from observing other groups there are some lazy ones around. So far, our group is making good progress. I hope we yield to a ‘fruitful’ debate.” - Hoi Fung Ma (11)
Eh-Hem, The Veteran SpeaksBy SeoHyun Bae
“I learned how to bash a resolution during the debate. It’s rather fun!” - Rachael Sun (9)
“I’m not learning so much from veterans because my group has one veteran only. I’m not so pressured; actually it gets quite helpful to watch them during lobbying. They defi nitely seem to know more than I do.” - Courtney Guo (9)
“I was amazed to fi nd out how eloquent and confi dent the veterans were when they were giving speeches on the podium. I wish I could be confi dent like that” - Sung Jong Kim (11)
“They basically made the MUN atmosphere HECTIC! Veterans defi nitely proved me that debate skills and diligence to meet deadlines are essential qualities of a successful MUN-er.” - Elena Kim (10)
“I learned how to effectively merge clauses from different resolutions in order to produce the ‘perfect resolution.’ Veterans also had their own way of researching for their issues! All I used for my research was Google, whereas the veterans used online databases to gather more reliable information.” -Jenny Kang (9)
Newbies, What Did They Learn From Veterans?By So Yeon Park
The issue of scarcity rises to surface once again; limitation in the amount of available natural resources means a defi nite need for alternative energy sources. Adding on to the global concerns regarding the problem of scarcity, developing countries are confronted with the challenge of reducing the amount of pollution in order to sustain their growing population and soaring technological development.
Unfortunately, the environment in this century simply cannot endure and recover from already uncontrollable amount of pollution generated around the world. Pollution caused by fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources is the most responsible culprit for environmental destructions.
On the other hand, renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and windmills, are exceptionally environmentally friendly. Then, what is it that is preventing many developing countries from utilizing renewable energy and promoting further development in this particular fi eld? Developing and emerging economies fi nd themselves caught in dilemma – while having to meet the needs of growing populations they cannot simply neglect the world-wide trend of switching to clean, environment-friendly renewable
energy sources. Encouraging further efforts of developing nations for renewable energy sources development and research can be a diffi cult task since these countries tend to prefer non-renewable energy sources due to their relatively low costs. Furthermore, promoting renewable energy sources in Middle-Eastern countries that heavily depend on fossil fuel industry is an even more serious challenge.
Experts in renewable energy industries suggest that incentives for developing nations to take more initiatives are essential. Sustainable energies are only likely to succeed if they are proven to be capable of producing multiple benefi ts. If developing nations are convinced that opting to use renewable energy sources will aid them in achieving their other societal or economic development objectives, they are more likely to agree with the use of renewable energy sources. Multiple benefi ts will not only convince the developing nations to take their shifts in the type of energy source they mainly use, but it will also help reduce the current global investors’ reluctance to put money in developing countries which are considered to be socially unstable.
While such challenges remain as main obstacles in
the course of promoting renewable energy sources in developing nations, the international trend in general seems to be positive. The president of Environment Commission, Kevin Leem (12) and the Assistant President Albert Hsieh (12) also predict that “most developing countries would eventually convert to renewable energy due to eventual shortage of fossil fuels.” More nations are choosing to use alternative energy sources and such trend is most likely to continue in the future.
Focus Issue: The Promotion of the Use of Renewable Energy Sources
by Developing CountriesBy Tina Huang and So Yeon Park
FOCUS ISSUE:The Implementation of Humanitarian Aid
in the Event of Natural Disasters in South East Asiaby Judy Jo, Jun Yong Bae
As home to many countries, Southeast Asia has been suffering many recent natural disasters. In a region of developing countries, the lack of economic and social capabilities to deal with the severe disasters compounds the problems. Such destruction calls for implementation of humanitarian aid. Humanitarian aid is the material assistance in response to a humanitarian crisis, which includes natural disasters, and its primary objective is to save human lives, alleviate suffering of victims, and maintain human dignity. The goals of the international committees are to shed light on the need for monetary support, and to ameliorate the mass displacement of people in Southeast Asia.It is imperative to bear in mind that the gravity of
the natural disasters in Southeast Asia renders them a severe threat. The Non-Governmental Organizations and United Nations Organizations are fully cooperating to ensure available funds and supplies are utilized to their maximum effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability. Because the region’s economy heavily depends on agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and services, there is a growing demand for humanitarian aid. This indicates that the support of organizations will be essential for the continued growth of disaster stricken nations. In order to prevent the downturn
in Southeast Asia’s economy, attention must be drawn to the ecological recovery of the affected countries. Member nations must be encouraged to dispatch geologists or agricultural experts to assess the geographical effects of the natural disasters and to recommend the most effective way to restore their environment. In addition, according to Alex Zhao (9) “a possible solution to this issue may be to set up free safe zone for victims to receive health aid.” It is expected to establish conferences to encourage more economically developed countries in conjunction with international organizations to assist by sending immediate medical assistance, such as health care units and essential medical supplies. Another important issue to be considered is public awareness of possible natural disasters. It is necessary to incorporate fundamental knowledge of natural disasters within the academic curriculums of elementary and secondary schools, and to use media to call upon the general public to report cases of such disasters.It is essential to ensure transparency in the
governments of countries affected by natural disasters to prevent corruption in humanitarian aid. Considering that most of the countries in the affected region are less economically developed, the estimation of the casualties and the specifi cation of how the monetary
donations have been utilized to aid and rescue victims must be frequently updated.It is important to support the implementation of
humanitarian aid in the event of natural disasters, especially in Southeast Asia. The current situation in the region is devastating, and it is necessary that member nations actively take action.
by So Yeon Park, SeoHyun Bae
Any diffi culties you discovered in preparing for the conference?“The hardest part was probably the resolution formatting. But, with the help from the offi cers and peers who have already participated in middle-school MUN I managed to produce a comprehensive resolution.”
Anny Park (9)
What has been the hardest part of MUN so far?“Writing resolutions, for sure… Having to go through the extensive research process and organize the collected information into a resolution, I felt exhausted at times.”
Jeffrey Kang (9)
Why did you join MUN?“I joined it since I appreciated the lesson it taught me; what MUN is telling us is that we’re all parts of the global issues, making us both responsible and capable of providing solutions to the problems at hand.”
John Wong (11)
What do you think about lobbying?“I think the lobbying process was not structured well. Because we’re all newbies, we didn’t know exactly what to do. I hope more people get involved and talk rather than having the same people talk again and again.”
Abhinav Chhabra (11)
Any differences you fi nd between the MUN program in your old school and the one in ISB?“The most striking difference I discovered at ISB is that MUN is defi nitely one of the most popular activities at this school. Everyone seems to know what MUN is and have decent MUN experiences. It’s amazing how successful the school has been in promoting the program.”
Eric Wang, a fourth year participant of BEIMUN, started his tenure as Secretary General late last year after being elected at the end of BEIMUN XVII. Although this position is designated for the “world moderator” or the “chief administrative offi cer” of BEIMUN itself, Eric claims that he works on “bits of everything” while making sure “everything runs smoothly.” In fact, during lobbying of the fi rst day of Mini-MUN (September 4th) did he realized that the two rooms reserved for Mini-MUN were not available. This was successfully resolved and nothing especially troublesome has been evident during the conference.
While explaining how he joined BEIMUN, Eric mentioned that he came across the Middle School MUN program, but was reluctant to join MUN until high school. He claimed he was curious to know more about MUN, and that said it being the largest student organization in school also helped make his decision. Eric said he is very proud of his delegation and promises to model himself as a leader after the previous Secretary Generals in order to improve BEIMUN as a whole.
Eric is very content with what he has done with the responsibility so far, and he thanks his fellow offi cers and executive team for supporting his work. When asked to comment on this year’s newbies, Eric referred to “a couple smart cookies” in the group and noted that this year provided a “decent batch” of newcomers. He hopes for a fruitful year for BEIMUN as it transitions through many changes.
The other side of Eric Wang
Iris Ma: Iron Woman in MUN
by Jeremy Leung
There is nothing catty about me!
I GLOW,naturally!!!
by Karen Zhang
Iris Ma, the Deputy Secretary General of ISB’s MUN team, has been involved in the extracurricular program for the past four years. After participating in Mini-MUN for the fi rst time in her freshman year, she realized she really enjoyed being a part of MUN.
When asked if she enjoys her role as the Deputy Secretary General, she grins and nods her head. Iris’s responsibilities are to do whatever the Secretary General (Eric Wang) doesn’t want to or cannot do, as well as handle the logistics involved. So far, she’s been extremely impressed with this year’s new delegates, calling them exceptional as well as knowledgeable. Luckily, the offi cers didn’t come across any serious problems during the conference—aside from new delegates that did not bring the offi cers food during lobbying.
Whether it comes as a surprise or not, the little advantages of being an offi cer are nothing compared to the real reasons why MUN is such a great experience. After asking Iris what makes being a part of MUN the most memorable, she immediately said going to The Hague. Although she’s made the same trip for three years already, she still fi nds it hard to describe what makes it so special, saying, “You just get a gut feeling, and it’s a thrilling experience.”
With perks like overseas trips, there are defi nite motivations for veterans and new delegates alike to push themselves to become stronger delegates. Iris says, “Regardless of your position, you have to have confi dence and humility; but more importantly, fi nd a balance between the two. The same applies for those who wish to become offi cers, but it’s also vital to have well established people skills.”
Seeing veterans like Iris being such enthusiastic participants of MUN, there’s no doubt more amazing delegates will appear in the upcoming years.
Connie Li is this year’s President of the General Assembly. Ever since 7th grade, she has been an active member of the MUN community. Having worked her long, yet unforgettable way through the positions, from an amateur in middle school to the President now, Connie recollects her past experience with a smile. She has participated in numerous conferences overseas where she was able to build her skills as a professional public speaker. Without her great tenacity and commitment, such accomplishment could not have been possible.
Then, what is it that really attracts her to MUN? She says, “It is like drug. Think about all the opportunities than MUN offers. I love how we get to meet and work closely with other people all around
the world. We are dealing with real issues that actually do matter to ourselves. The most fascinating part, I guess, is the knowing that the resolutions we have written can potentially work in the real world. “Connie adds, “I have had a great experience in MUN. Even after I leave, I hope that more students participate. The greater the number of participants, the better MUN conferences here at ISB will become.” Looking at the newbies who are enthusiastically lobbying their resolutions at another table, Connie reminisces, “I guess it can be very terrifying at fi rst, but once you get into the ‘rhythm’ and become more familiar with your tasks, you will enjoy it.” Here she gives a tip: be not afraid. As a seasoned veteran, and once a beginner herself, Connie now feels confi dent that the newbies will
defi nitely love MUN. To her close collaborators whom she has long worked with side by side, she says, “It will be over soon. We should just have a lot of fun until we leave and hope that other talented offi cers will take good care of MUN for us.” Anticipating yet another fun Mini-MUN conference, Connie excitedly goes back to watching the newbies.
MUN is no Joke to Connie Liby Si Won Jang
Simon Ma, Lighting the Wayby Dong Hyeok Han
Why So Serious?
share the work with other executives to organize Mini-MUN and assist in selecting the delegates, he works with the offi cer team, also maintains the website and forum, and he manages other practical logistics. Regardless of the fl ooding loads of work, Simon Ma is not dissuaded at all, always bright and passionate towards coming events. Simon Ma has a bright vision of the future. “I hope this year, many delegates will be selected to build their experiences - and the new offi cers too, for they have to carry on MUN in the future.” Visioning MUN in future years, and even after he is gone, Simon Ma clearly shows his passion towards MUN. Walking back to the conference room, he is already surrounded by an atmosphere of optimism and anxiety.
Kiss my ring.
Who is Simon Ma? At 173cm and 50kg, this small 17-year-old man unexpectedly happens to represent the Under Secretary General of 2010. Yet, what is hidden inside his rind surely is a surprise. Simon Ma, to his roots, is a complete MUN maniac whose relationship with MUN traces down to his middle school years. He has grown experiences attending conferences in Singapore, Hague
and Beijing before this year. He has always been an active member of MUN, and he has never dropped the activity although he was inundated with other occupations and work. Such tenacity enabled him to reach today’s position – he has gradually built up his experience and knowledge regarding MUN through years of MUN and eventually he reached the summit. Simon Ma says that he is completely ready for this year’s MUN and will always be.
Fully armed for this year’s MUN, Simon Ma commented about his position - he believes that his role in MUN is the most assiduous job: “Well, the four executives really share the jobs, but Under Secretary General has the most work to do.” Not only does he
