Yay for Model UN!
Well, yesterday marked the end of the two-day Georgia Tech High School Model UN Conference. John and I were director and assistant director (respectively) of Security Council, and it was a blast. The delegates were good, we got plenty done, and the crisis situation...
Here's a bit about the crisis situation. About a half hour into the day on Tuesday, the Secretary General and Under Secretary General came in with news that several members of the interim Afghan government were killed outside of Kabul in an explosion of unknown origin.
If we'd followed last year's format, all the rest of the information would have been given at this time. John and I suggested, however, that the rest of the information be released periodically as press reports (which we wrote the night before, unfortunately). The result was a much more realistic situation where delegates would be almost at the point of getting to a solution when another aspect of the crisis showed itself in the form of a new press release.
In the end, we did get a few resolutions passed on the crisis, and they were reasonably good.
Unfortunately, I think that, although the delegates were excellent, I expected better. Although the first session was very good, the other three got gradually worse. Very unfortunate.
Also, the delegate from Afghanistan was absolutely amazing. We brought him in to the crisis situation from GA Plenary, he was briefed in the five or so minutes before he walked in, and he did a superb job. He answered all questions directed his way with aplomb, and did an exemplary job handling the various requests from the different countries. Also, when the resolution writing started, he was right there, working with all the other delegates. A truly commendable job. He was prepared to stay there until the end of the topic, and he did.
Anyway, this was definitely a good experience, and I'm definitely doing it next year, so... coolness :). I'm happy I did it, and I'm glad it went well (by the way - it went well :D). It was definitely worth my fall break.
Here's a bit about the crisis situation. About a half hour into the day on Tuesday, the Secretary General and Under Secretary General came in with news that several members of the interim Afghan government were killed outside of Kabul in an explosion of unknown origin.
If we'd followed last year's format, all the rest of the information would have been given at this time. John and I suggested, however, that the rest of the information be released periodically as press reports (which we wrote the night before, unfortunately). The result was a much more realistic situation where delegates would be almost at the point of getting to a solution when another aspect of the crisis showed itself in the form of a new press release.
In the end, we did get a few resolutions passed on the crisis, and they were reasonably good.
Unfortunately, I think that, although the delegates were excellent, I expected better. Although the first session was very good, the other three got gradually worse. Very unfortunate.
Also, the delegate from Afghanistan was absolutely amazing. We brought him in to the crisis situation from GA Plenary, he was briefed in the five or so minutes before he walked in, and he did a superb job. He answered all questions directed his way with aplomb, and did an exemplary job handling the various requests from the different countries. Also, when the resolution writing started, he was right there, working with all the other delegates. A truly commendable job. He was prepared to stay there until the end of the topic, and he did.
Anyway, this was definitely a good experience, and I'm definitely doing it next year, so... coolness :). I'm happy I did it, and I'm glad it went well (by the way - it went well :D). It was definitely worth my fall break.
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