May Update on MUNA

Here are some updates:
1. The North Koreans are no longer able to attend the Model United Nations.
2. You may all have been waiting fpr the usual  memo from the Secretary-General ... it was prepred sometime ago, but there was a delay in dispatch. I am publishing it here for particpants' information.

MUNA Model United Nations 2011 Memo


To: MUNA 2011 Participants - Rotary District 9670:
From: Secretary General
I have attempted to propose some interesting and challenging resolutions for this year’s MUNA, but I encourage all participants to think about proposing a resolution to be considered for inclusion to the following list of resolutions. Note: Our resolution format has been modified and simplified from the strict United Nations format, for ease of reading, so there is no need to be concerned about the format of your proposal. Please submit proposed resolutions to me before MUNA.
• Please address any queries about resolutions to the Secretary General via the comments sections at the end of each blog post . MUNA blog : http://muna9670.blogspot.com/
• Recommended as part of preparation :

a) UN website www.un.org – the news service is particularly useful and couched in accessible language.

b) MUNA website www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/modelun

c) Our own MUNA blog http://muna9670.blogspot.com/

 • Here are some guidelines about debating the resolutions at Rotary District 9670 MUNA.
 1. RESOLUTIONS

1.1 The order of resolutions for debate is at the discretion of the Secretary- General.

1.2 One topic MAY be compulsory for all member state to speak. This will be finalized and announced at the Friday night briefing.

1.3 Counsellors may send messages in writing to the team to support the discussion, only before and after the debate on a resolution. Messages will not be passed during debate. Communication between counsellors and team members is by note, passed by the assembly staff. Diplomatic messages may be passed between member states via MUNA staff only.

1.4 Each resolution is read out by the Secretary-General. Any nation team may then move the motion. The mover may speak briefly before a seconder is found.

1.5 Additional resolutions may be foreshadowed and presented to the Secretary-General. It will be the Secretary-General’s decision whether to include an additional resolution on the agenda.

1.6 Additional resolutions must be presented to the Secretary General in writing, with a proposer and a seconder identified before a time decided by the Secretary General.



2. RESOLUTION DISCUSSION: The rules for discussion are:

2.1 The mover and the seconder will speak to the motion.

2.2 The next speaker will speak against the motion.

2.3 Following speakers will then alternate between speakers for and against the motion.

2.4 An amendment may be proposed and seconded during the discussion of a resolution. There will be a limit on the number of speakers during an amendment debate – to be decided by the Secretary General.

2.5 Except for the mover (who has the final right of reply), member nations may speak only once to each motion and each amendment.

2.6 If a member wishes to speak a second time, it may request another nation to move to this effect. A seconder is required. The motion is put without discussion. A simple majority is required to pass it.

2.7 The Secretary –General will rule on the time limit for speakers.(usually 1- 3 minutes)

2.8 The last speaker in the discussion of a resolution will be the mover as his/her right of reply after which the motion is then put. A simple majority is required to pass it.



3. BLOC MEETINGS: A bloc meeting (a group of countries with shared interests) may be held to discuss mutual standpoints on issues.

3.1 Prior to discussing a motion, a bloc meeting may be called by the Secretary General or requested by member nations.

3.2 Blocs may request a short meeting time during the assembly to discuss certain positions and motions and/or to determine international alignments and agreements.

3.3 The calling of these bloc meetings is treated as a motion with proper procedures applying. A motion calling a bloc meeting must be passed by two-thirds of the assembly.

3.4 Counsellors may observe bloc meetings and may advise their teams, after the bloc meeting and before the assembly debate resumes.



Other Notes

4. During the course of the Assembly, it will be expected that both members of the team will address the Assembly during resolutions discussions, but it is not compulsory for every team to debate every resolution.

5. Teams are encouraged to use notes appropriately when speaking, but not to be over dependent on notes or read prepared speeches.

6. Teams are encouraged to dress appropriately, representing the member nation. National dress is welcomed enthusiastically.

7. An adjudicating team (not including the Secretary General) will decide on a winning MUNA team, and will also present a Peace Prize if appropriate. The adjudicators’ decision is final.

8. Student teams will be accompanied by an adult “counsellor” (teacher, parent or Rotarian from the sponsoring Rotary club ).

9. Permission will be sought for photographs of MUNA proceedings to be used in media releases.

10. Any participant who engages in inappropriate behaviour will be required to leave MUNA as directed by the secretary general or any person on the organising committee.

Please contact me if you have any concerns or questions about MUNA
Secretary General 2011 

Please remember to bring your signed consent form to allow your MUNA photograph to be published in the media.

MUNA 2011 Nations

Here are the participating nations in the District 9670 Model United Nations Assembly on 13-14 May in Muswellbrook. In no particular order:

• Cambodia
• Brazil
• Greece
• Egypt
• Mexico
• USA
• Poland
• New Zealand
• India
• Israel
• Japan
• Italy
• Russia
• France
• Kenya
• Republic of North Korea
• Iraq
• Cuba

If you are a last minute application, there is room for 2 more teams only... please contact me immediately.
Secretary-General MUNA 2011

RESOLUTIONS MUNA District 9670

All participating teams should now have copies of the resolutions for Model United Nations Assembly, District 9670, to be held in Muswellbrook on 13-14 May 2011 . Here they are if you have not seen the proposed resolutions.

Security


1. Appalled by the recent terrorist attacks on nuclear plants in Eurasia that were purportedly committed by Indonesian Al-Qaeda, this Assembly

a) demands the investigation of the recent nuclear terrorist attacks on Eurasia, and

b) authorizes a United Nations peacekeeping coalition to eliminate the source of the threat, comprising of forces from the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, France and Israel.


2. This Assembly demands that Israel, as the occupying power, immediately and completely ceases all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem and that it fully respect its legal obligations in this regard.

3. This Assembly denounces all acts of piracy like the recent reported killing of four United States hostages hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia.

and

a) emphasizes the need for ongoing efforts of the international community to stamp it out;

b) endorses an action plan developed at the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) to combat piracy;

c) calls for greater coordination with navies off Somalia, where the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and UN Member States are already patrolling the dangerous waters and

d) encourages support for alternative livelihoods and the rehabilitation of coastal fisheries” to give would-be pirates an alternative source of income.

Human Rights

4. This Assembly denounces the violence by government sanctioned security forces against protesters in Libya, Bahrain and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa as illegal and excessively heavy-handed. Therefore, those using excessive force against peaceful protestors should be held accountable for their crimes against humanity and that the right to peaceful protest must be guaranteed.

5. That this Assembly urges the Australian government to honour its treaty obligations and fully recognize the rights of refugees and asylum seekers by ending off shore mandatory detention and granting all dispossessed persons full legal rights and access to the legal system.


6. Noting that greater efforts are needed to end grave violations against children in Afghanistan, including their use as child soldiers, sexual violence, killing and maiming, this Assembly demands that the Afghan Government ensures that adequate resources are allocated for effective implementation of the Action Plan to protect children, including introducing legislation aimed at criminalizing the recruitment of children in armed conflict and ensuring that no impunity is granted for grave violations against children under international law


7. This Assembly reiterates its call for all steps to be taken to ensure the protection of civilians; and strongly condemns incidents of discrimination and violence against women and girls, in particular if directed against women activists and women prominent in public life, including killings, maimings and “honour killings”.


Economic Development

8. Noting 2010 had been a “record” year in terms of lives lost and infrastructure destroyed by natural disasters, this assembly recommends that all member nations ensure disaster risk reduction and prevention be integrated into long- and medium-term planning and that vulnerable developing island states in particular be financially supported to diversify their economies

9. Acknowledging that major failures of regulation and supervision in developed countries, plus irresponsible risk-taking by banks and other financial institutions had created dangerous financial fragilities which contributed significantly to the Global Financial Crisis, this Assembly

a) emphasizes the need for greater transparency and better regulation and supervision of the international financial system by, inter alia, strengthening prudential oversight, improving risk management and reinforcing international cooperation;

b) encourages global concerted efforts to restore global economic growth,

particularly in developing countries; and

c) reaffirms the commitment to broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries and countries with economies in transition in international economic decision-making and norm-setting, specifically with regard to increasing the voting power of developing countries in the Bretton Woods institutions.

10. That this Assembly, being of the opinion that there is no credible evidence that the recreational use of cannabis is damaging to health, encourages the farming of hemp as a cash crop in developing nations

Environment

11. This Assembly endorses the agreements made at the Cancun Climate Change Conference , and insists that all member states implement the agreed measures and formalise mitigation pledges to build a low-carbon, climate-resilient future These measures include:

a) taking concrete action to protect the world's forests, which account for nearly one-fifth of global carbon emissions;

b) establishing a fund for long-term climate financing to support developing countries;

c) agreeing to ensure no gap between the first and second commitment periods of the Kyoto Protocol ;

d) bolstering technology cooperation and enhancing vulnerable populations'' ability to adapt to the changing climate


12 That this Assembly endorse the Protocol on Environmental Protection contained in the Antarctic Treaty in order to ensure that Antarctica continue to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and that the ban on mining and mineral exploration be maintained.



13 Aware that despite recent improvements, poor air quality is still a major global concern affecting public health worldwide, this Assembly

a) calls upon developed nations to implement air quality control programs and to support the efforts being taken to reduce air pollution;

b) urges a move to more non-polluting renewable forms of energy production such as wind, solar, geothermal and tidal power; and

c) encourages the implementation of more strict air control laws in order to cut down on emissions and prevent air pollution especially in large urban environments.

United Nations

14. This Assembly recommends that the Security Council be restructured to admit additional permanent members with due consideration to the admission of India, Germany and Japan and the privilege of the veto of permanent members be reviewed.

If you have any quesitons about these resolutions and are a MUNA participant, please contact the Secretary General via email or via the comment section below.

MUNA 2011 Applications Closing Soon

 Model United Nations Assembly MUNA 
 Rotary District 9670, 2011
When: Friday (evening), 13th May 2011 and Saturday, 14th May, 2011
Where: The Assembly will take place at the Muswellbrook Council Chambers, Muswellbrook on Saturday, 14th May, 2011.
Accommodation and Conference Dinner on Friday night, 13th May, 2011 will be organised by the Rotary Club of Muswellbrook
Summary of the Model United Nations Assembly
MUNA promotes international understanding and goodwill – one of the objects of Rotary International. In 2002, Rotary District 9670 held its first MUNA in Muswellbrook. Since then, the annual assembly has given high school students from years 10 to 12 the opportunity to enhance debating skills, appreciate another culture, improve higher order thinking skills, hear inspiring speakers and enjoy the company of other students in the district.
Each school team, sponsored by a local Rotary club, represents a country of the United Nations. Having researched the country and its culture, the students will discuss and debate the resolutions at the MUNA from the point of view of the country they represent. The resolutions are based on real international issues debated at the UN: e.g. “That this Assembly supports the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people and their distinctive cultural and religious life”. Students gain informed knowledge of the country they represent and other countries from many regions of the world.
In partnership with local high schools, individual Rotary Clubs promote international understanding and world peace by participating in MUNA 2011.
APPLICATION FORMS ARE TO BE RETURNED BY 14 MARCH...please contact for more information:  
  Helen Griffin ( Rotary Club of Newcastle Sunrise) 
 Megan Valentine (Rotary Club of Newcastle Sunrise)
or the MUNA Secretary General

MUNA 2011 Teams Needed

Rotary District 9670 Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) 2011 will be held in Muswellbrook on 13-14 May. The planning is well underway. These photos show how this wonderful program has endured  not only in our Rotary district but also nationally and internationally  .... the group photo is from the National MUNA in 2002 and here is the team who represented the district . I don't know the girls, but I think they were students from Lochinvar and I am sure they are very successful young women now. It was a very brave decision to represent Lebanon in 2002.

We are hoping to make this year's MUNA bigger and better than ever. Please make sure your application forms are returned by 14 March - places are limited! The forms are in schools now!

Please contact the organising committee via the comments attached to this blog or via this link to MUNA 2011Secretary General

MUNA 2011 District 9670

MUNA IS ON AGAIN!  
Model United Nations Assembly in District 9670 will be held again this year in Muswellbrook on 13 and 14 May. All information and paperwork has been forwarded to schools. Resolutions will be published on this blog and supplied to participating teamson 19 March.
Congratulations to the new organising team from the Rotary Club of Newcastle Sunrise - Megan Valentine, Helen Griffin and Julie Midson-York .
For more information or to contact one of the organisers, please leave a comment on this blog post.

Successful MUNA 2010

Rotary District 9670 MUNA 2010  is now over, but I am sure for all the participants there will be long lasting memories of great camaraderie and friendship, high quality debating and negotiating, new knowledge and understanding, and the experience of "stepping in someone's shoes from another culture"... Congratulations to all the teams and their counsellors. This MUNA is up there as one of the best!

 

 

Thanks to the Rotary Club of Muswellbrook for hosting the event again - this must be the ninth! Thanks also to our sponsors Coal & Allied, whose sponsorship makes it possible for students and teachers to enjoy and learn from the MUNA experience cost free, and to allow a team representing the district to participate at National MUNA in Canberra later in the year.

 

 

Congratulations to team India, from Merewether High School who earned the opportunity to go to MUNA in Canberra, and to team Myanmar ( Burma) who were highly commended and are the reserves. The peace Prize was awarded to team Israel from Singleton High School.  All the teams are winners - certainly no losers" at MUNA 2010!

 

You evaluations have now been considered carefully, and we have already worked on improving some of the aspects you mentioned for next year. We will be negotiating  with the Rotary Club of Muswellbrook about some changes to the format of Friday night's dinner, and we will recommend that the briefing be completed before dinner... we do not condone nor are happy about the lack of sleep for MUNA participants. Overwhelmingly, participants noted the interaction with others/getting together with like minded students /new friendships as the best part of MUNA. We think so, too!  Please add any further comments at the end of this post, especially good ideas for next year.

 

Thank you all once again for participating and special mention to Pam Wellham ( Rotary Club of Wallsend-Maryland) , who coordinated this event  and to the MUNA  committee  especially Phil Lawler and his fellow Muswellbrook Rotarians.

POST SCRIPT: Please send any photos you have of MUNA 2010  and any suggestions/ ideas for resolutions etc. Please send  them to Wilma  Thanks

Only a week to go - MUNA 2010

Here is a list of the participating schools and the countries allocated to them for  District 9670 MUNA 2010


Warners Bay 1 - China

Warners Bay 2 - USA

Singleton 1 - Israel

Singleton 2 - United Kingdom

Cessnock - Canada

Mudgee 1 - France

Mudgee 2 - Ireland

Muswellbrook - Sweden

Callaghan CC Waratah - New Zealand

Merewether 1 - India

Merewether 2 - Russia

St Phillips 1 - Myanmar

St Phillips 2 - Iran

Scone Grammar - Kenya

Swansea - Spain

West Wallsend 1- Argentina

West Wallsend 2- Italy

Cobar - to be confirmed

CallaghanCC Jesmond - to be confirmed
 
If you have any questions about MUNA 2010, please leave a comment via this blog or contact Pam Wellham or Wilma Simmons email