ESSARP Model United Nations 2013: well done, BDS!
Middle & Senior Humanities Department Coordinator, Mónica Bruck, reports:
On August 9th and 10th, ten BDS delegates representing the Republic of Korea and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan participated in the third ESSARP Model United Nations that took place at Michael Ham Memorial College, Nordelta.
A very especial oportunity
This is a very special year because ESSARP schools have been invited to form a delegation, which will be attending the THIMUN (The Hague International Model United Nations), a Conference that takes place every year in January in the Netherlands. It is a week-long conference with over a thousand participants from schools from around the world.
Going back to the ESSARP encounter, two teams were formed by the following students: Belén Mourad, Agostina Dasso and Lucas Gold from S6, Delfina Cappa, Alex Mysler and Matías Martino from S5, and Martina Freire, Candela Kalaidjian, Yael Kohan and Sofía Teran from S4. Victoria Fregeiro and Thomas Page (both from S6) acted as Press Officer and Student Officer respectively, and Old Facrectean Antonella Gazzani (class of 2012) also participated as Student Officer.
Topics, Resolutions… and a great experience
The conference was a great success. The main topic was Power and Accountability. The delegations from the different schools debated for two whole days and tried to pass resolutions on different topics, such as Humanitarian Aid, Human trafficking, Genetically Modified Goods, the problems in Haiti, Palestine, Syria, Congo and Somalia, amongst others.
Our delegates enjoyed every minute of it, acting as diplomats, trying to solve problems and obtain a consensus on such important matters. Andrés Reggiani, Professor of the Torcuato Di Tella University, and Dean of the History Department, opened the Conference. He ended his speech with the following words that sum up the spirit of the conference:
“Six committees will address some of the most complicated political, economic, social, humanitarian and environmental issues that the international community faces today. Out of this exercise a small delegation will be chosen to participate in The Hague Model UN Conference next year. When this group arrives in Europe, many countries will be busy commemorating the one-hundredth anniversary of the First World War. It will be a time of symbolic mourning, but also for reflecting on a time when chauvinistic prejudices, lack of communication, and misconceived assumptions about others led everyone down the path to disaster. You have the benefit of the long perspective; you know how this story ended, and what came afterwards. It will be a great opportunity to compare what has been learnt from the past, and what has been not. Above all take advantage of the most precious tool to make the world a better place, that is, living in a place and time in which, unlike what happened a century ago, young people have a say in public affairs, they are listened to. So, good luck with the work that lies ahead, stick firm to your convictions, but listen to others and don’t be afraid to make concessions. Use the power you have, but do it wisely.”
Congratulations to our delegates for their excellent work!