ignite mun 26 - 27 december, 2019 newsletter · 2 days ago · ignite mun 26 - 27 december, 2019...

Ignite MUN 26 - 27 December, 2019

NEWSLETTER

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Letter from the Secretary General

One of the greatest journey I’ve ever been on was as the secretary general of Ignite Model United Nations 2019, and it was my greatest pleasure to invite you to all to a conference which was a result of great hard work and dedication by our secretariat. MUNs are not mere debates. It is well rounded interactive experience which enhances and develops personality, boosts confidence and sculpts a new generation of orators, leaders, and perhaps most importantly responsible citizens.Thank you for taking part and getting involved in some of the biggest issues of our time and for getting involved, and standing up for the shared values of all humanity. I hope you will take what you learn here in the Ignite MUN into your lives, to your family, friends and to the wider world. We count on you to be the agent of change as we strive to build a better future for all.

-Aman Choudhary

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Letter from the Chief Advisor Dear leaders of the future,

Before you take in the occasion, take a moment to pat yourself on the back and acknowledge that you have come this far. This was the Ignite MUN 2019- and all the people you saw swarming around you, battled and qualified to be here just like you.

Within this conference we contemplated and discussed a number of serious topics. We wondered, for instance, whether it was the situation in our very own country in Kashmir post the abrogation of article 370 or it was the situations in the middle east with emphasis on Iran and USA. Your candour and creativity has filled our hearts – and we can see how far we have all come in the past conference.

Keep that in mind as you take up this monumental challenge to bring a change to this world, everybody looks upto you and hopes that you learnt by mistakes done by our leaders in the past, but you let go of the grudges.

You learn to make amazing speeches but also make sure they are always inclusive of everyone around you, believe and understand that the world is one and together to live in peace and harmony and make Vasuvadev Katumbakam a reality.

You will debate a lot times in coming years at debate tournaments in classrooms with friends or at a family dinner with your parents while watching the television and having a glimpse of people shouting at each other irrelevantly and shouting slogans. Show them what you’ve got, but also allow them to do the same. So many of you are here ready for the fight of your lives, and that is heartening, but look back at who you were when this all began.

Our future leaders, our champions, fight the good fight! The fight to be better than who you were yesterday to make this world a better place.

Best Wishes

Aditya Anand

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Executive Board and the Secretariat

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Committee Articles AIPPM

In today’s committee everyone gathered to scrutinize and debate on the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370. There were several changes that affected the state of Jammu and Kashmir, since Kashmir is no longer a state with a separate constitution, rather it’s a union territory and now has to work according to India’s constitution. Abrogation of article is being promoted as a measure for the benefit of Jammu and Kashmir however, there was a question raised whether it was a good step or not. Revoking the article was followed by a communications black out in Jammu and Kashmir. No cell service or internet was provided and people were trapped in their homes due to the curfew being declared in several places. Shashi Tharoor stated in his speech that abrogation of article 370 was unconstitutional to which Nirmala Sitharaman cross questioned him asking how providing women’s rights and freedom was unconstitutional. Going deeper in debate Manish Sisodia stated that it would have been fair only if the people were asked before abrogation and the black out. Nirmala Sitharaman in her speech stated that article 370 let women empowerment reach Jammu and Kashmir. Never in the history of India did a change go without opposition and today the committee included both, people supporting it and opposition and their voices were heard in the matter.

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UNDRR

Delegates had joined the committee to discuss impact of man-made and natural disasters on the lives of people and the implementation of Sendai framework. Delegates in their speeches stated all the disasters that their countries faced and what actions their country took to cope up with loss and damage. The delegate of Japan discussed how the Japanese government introduced an app to inform people about an upcoming disaster. The delegate of USA stated “we cannot stop a natural disaster but we can arm ourselves against them” he also said “by preparing to fail we are failing to prepare”

We cannot stop natural disasters but we can arm ourselves with knowledge. So many lives wouldn’t be lost if there was enough disaster preparedness. The members of UNDRR were discussing about man-made and natural disasters. The delegate of China said that we need to be active and proactive citizens during a disaster and they suggested points like NGOs to be formed to reconstruct the damage by the disaster.

Delegate of China mentioned in their speech how they maintain relationships with other countries so they could gain support in rough times, and also extend the same support when needed. The delegate of United Kingdom stated how they made laws to provide people with relief when required. Many countries also stated their contribution in the Sendai framework for the betterment. Overall the delegates discussed the laws made by their countries, their implementation and maintenance in times of struggle.

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UNCRC UNCRC focused on protection of children, emphasising on child labour and involvement of children in armed conflicts. The delegates in the committee discussed how their country faced the issue of child labour, how the children were used as workers instead of getting education. Countries like Syria face the issue of child labour along with malnourishment. Fiji is also planning many strategies to curb the daily struggle while Congo has set up a monitoring system to keep a watch on the wrong doings with children. They also set up an armed law enforcement force to prevent children getting used as labourers. The delegates also discussed how child labour was bad for the children as well as the country.

UNGA In UNGA, the delegates discussed regarding International terrorism with emphasis on how the funding of terror outfits works. They discussed about terrorist camps in their countries and how the countries were working to eradicate them. The delegates talked about the actions taken by their countries to reduce terrorism. When the delegate of France was questioned regarding their actions, they stated how they took determined military action, made an effort to stabilize liberated areas and seek political solutions to conflicts. The delegates didn’t discuss or argue much, however, they worked to come up with solutions and conclusions on the problem of terrorism and terrorist camps.

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NO PEOPLE WITH NO NATION "These rights belong to you, they are your rights. Familiarize yourself with them. Help to promote and defend them for yourself as well as for your fellow human beings reads the introduction of Universal declaration of Human Rights." But the question is, is it? Are these Human Rights really entitled to everyone?

BY DEEPSHIKHA

As we all sit in the homes that we call "ours" with our families by our side , hardly do we realize that there are millions of people who are being forcibly displaced , a part of whom are refugees and Approximately 10 million of these individuals are said to be stateless.

Writing on the issue of statelessness and the plight of stateless individuals reminds me of the misconception that people often have about stateless people being one of the under privileged communities of today’s times but little do they realize that underprivileged nationals at least have a government to appeal to for their oppression, and these stateless people, technically do not even exist.

Hannah Arendt who herself has been a refugee for about 2 decades after she fled Nazi Germany wrote about the stateless people in her famous article on "The Right to have Rights" wherein she compared the lives of stateless people with uprooted plants . Statelessness can lead to a devastating cycle of deprivation and vulnerability with the people living the lives of endless up rootedness and i m p e r m a n e n c e w h e r e i n t h e i r movements are severely restrained and their locations indeterminate, The most disheartening part being the fact that about one third of these people are children who have no access to schools, proper food and basic medical facilities let alone a playful childhood.

Sitting in the Committee, It was when the Delegate of Brazil brought up case of Mano sisters born to Syrian parents in Lebanon who got naturalized in Brazil after having spent all of their childhood and a part of their adulthood in refugee camps in atrocious conditions before Brazil accepted them made me realize the seriousness of the issue that it was about to write on and the fact that everyone had the right to BELONG. This incident marks the cause of statelessness of the girls being the GAP between the two countries in terms of the principles of giving nationalities to their people.

Talking further of the cause of statelessness, how can the CROSS BORDER SURROGACY arrangements that may lead to the statelessness of the child as soon as it is born. This reminds

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me of the “Baby Gammy" case, one of the twins (Gammy) born to an Australian couple through surrogacy in Thailand. The child suffered a period of statelessness before being given the Nationality owing to the fact that he suffered Downs' Syndrome, a genetic disorder and was left in Thailand.

What else came up in the committee was the reason behind statelessness in Syria. One of the delegates held the “Jus Sanguinis " principle of providing Nationality to the citizens of Syria that leads to Statelessness. The delegate mentioned that it was due to their policy of rendering the Wife and the Child of father who is deceased, that is the reason behind statelessness in Syria. Also, the recent protests in India in context with the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and NRC have the issue of statelessness as one of the aspects of consequences of the bill that the Government of India has passed.

We believe that it is these policies and principles that need a change along with the formulation of a set of International Laws and standards that would play a major role in controlling and causing a significant decline in the numbers, and atrocious conditions that the people which no nationalities live .

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Principal’s Interview

Q. What was your idea behind IGNITEMUN?

A. The present generation is more aware in many aspects but are sadly lacking in worldly knowledge. Their knowledge about technological developments is quite laudable but when it comes to topics such as international relations, foreign policy, they are at a loss. So, I felt that organizing an MUN at my school, I would be able to ignite this thirst for knowledge. The students participating would at least look up the given agenda and the country they would represent. They would be able to get the hands on experience of being a diplomat and take on the roles of ambassadors. They would learn topics such as international relations, diplomacy, foreign policy and the functions of United Nations. They would also learn to groom themselves well.

Q. What makes an MUN conference successful?

A. The conference can be deemed successful when the planning is meticulous and every person in the organizing committee be it a student or a teacher are on the same page and have the

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Ms. Pallavi Upadhyaya, Principal, DPS RN Ext


same vision. The pitfalls and the obstacles should be envisaged and a contingency plan should be in place for any eventualities.

Q. Do you see MUN as an important part of academic curriculum in future?

A. MUN is already an annual event in many schools. Students eagerly await this event. While the students have a little knowledge about UN and its organs, this hands-on experience of deliberating over issues as a diplomat would is certainly invaluable.

Q. What would you like to say to the students thinking to participate in the MUN?

A. I would like to tell them to be updated about all the events happening around the world, especially the ones which affects peace. To read the newspaper regularly and to file the news items that is of importance. To learn how to research intelligently and find the relevant articles in support of the given agenda. Also keep in touch with the policy changes and treaties and declarations of the world leaders. But most of all, enjoy this process of learning.

Q. How do you think MUN enhances understanding and develops a student?

A. MUN broadens the knowledge base of the student and also creates interest in problems that are removed from his or her domain. It develops oratory, writing, leadership, diplomatic and negotiation skills in a student. It also helps the student the art of mind-mapping.

Q. How was your experience when organizing IGNITEMUN 2019?

A. Ignite MUN was for me a dream project. I had been organizing such events outside school but it was an enriching one to organize this MUN with a team of teachers and students. It was also a learning experience. There were hiccups in the initial stages but soon everything streamlined as we neared the date of the MUN.

Q. Does organizing MUN along with students help enhance teacher-student relationship?

A. Yes, it definitely does. First, we learn to trust the students’ organizational skills. Since, throughout the preparation time (which we can say lasts for more than a month), we work closely with the students, we come to understand their capabilities. The students also become more attached to the teachers and there is a lot of respect on both sides.

Q. How do you see MUN complementing the education system in coming times?

A. As MUN is a simulation of the UN conference, it does serve to illustrate the topics given in the curriculum. It can also be called a trans-disciplinary collaboration as the agendas are varied and can have topics related to science, politics, history, environment etc. Conducting MUN annually and initiating an MUN club in schools would keep the process of learning continuous.

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Some Glimpses of the Conference

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ignite mun 26 - 27 december, 2019 newsletter · 2 days ago · ignite mun 26 - 27 december, 2019...

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