Hong Kong: Friday 19th - Sunday 22nd

Well, HK is definitely one of the places that impressed me the most in my life. Actually, I didn't know so much about that city before.
Plus, I had the chance to arrive a sunny day and I even able to contemplate the HK island from the sky. Great opportunity.

Big bouddha

Hong Kong hosts the largest number of skyscapers in one city. When I arrived at the airport, I almost couldn't believe my eyes, and also couldn't see the sky.

Thursday, 18th March

The document has to be handed in for midday. Everybody gathers early in the morning to reach a consensus. As a last attempt to divide the coalition, I highlight that most of the rights mentioned (right to education, food, shelter) can not be put into practice by poor countries, and will finally end up in a isolation of them from the wealthy countries. At last, every country has to propose some any change in the declaration. Me and the Saudi Arabian delegate have fun proposing funky amendments.

Taipei 101 at midday

The Afternoon, we go to the ceremony to close the MUN. Big Moments of emotion.

Wednesday 17th march

Already the 3^rd day of conference. Once more, I show my opposition to the document submitted by the western nations. I suggest that the document would be retroactive, meaning that it would apply for the past. Some countries agree with me, but some others are very afraid of it. The situation is clarified later when the chair declares that retroactivity can not be allowed by the UN.

At night: we go at an Irish bar with members of the committee. Some great time once again.

Irish pub

Tuesday 16th March: second day of conference

We start the day with discussions on the first working paper submitted to the chair. This means that a proposition of the document has been proposed by a delegate, and everybody gives his opinion on it. As we go into further details of the drafting process, I have to show more and more what I don’t like, and what I oppose to. I find one allie, Saudi Arabia. We build some sort of axis of the devil, haha. In 1948, Saudi Arabia is an islamic country, very religious who wants to be an example for the muslim world. I also try to find allies in the communist coalition, especially with the USSR, to oppose the western model of human rights.

I have several arguments. South Africa is one the only prosper and stable country in the African continent, and forcing him to adopt the Declaration of Human rights would put it into danger. I demonstrate that the western countries that today show a big commitment to Human Rights are also the ones who violated them the most in the human kind history.
At the end of the day, three documents emerge: the capitalist, socialist, and third world visions on the human rights.

At night, everybody joins the “cabaret night”, the most formal party.

Me and and an awesome taiwanese police officer, dancing all the time.

Crowd seen from the stage

Me and the EBS team

Monday 15th: First day of Conference

I gotta feeling, that today is gonna be a good day! This is the first day at the Harvard World Modelisation of United Nations.

First I have to clarify what my job at the MUN is. As well as the entire german EBS team, I represent the Republic of South Africa. Knowing that last year, it was Sri Lanka, and that almost all the countries from the Falkland Islands to Swaziland are represented, we have a chance to play an important role.

Moreover, I am in the UNHRC: Human Rights Council. We are about 40 delegates in that council, and the topic we have prepared for weeks to put ourselves in the shoes of the people who drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We want to state precisely what are the true rights that every human kind share.

This is a historical council, meant to happen in 1948. Therefore, we don’t represent our countries as they are now, but as there were in 1948. As a consequence, I don’t represent Nelson Mandela’s rainbow nations, but rather the Apartheid racist regime which was precisely established in 1948. This means I have very funny ideas about human rights. To conclude, I not the most enthusiastic about the UDHR.

After four days of debate, we will be voting for the document and reach a concensus. You can just vote for or abstain. From the beginning, I know I have good chances to abstain and that my objective is either to gather a big abstention or to have a limited document that would not put into danger my country.

Just before the beginning of the debates, I meet my 2 neighbours Lorenzo, an italian guy representing Poland, and Alex, a german representing Iran.

The MUN starts. I am the third to talk for 1 minute and unveil what I plan to do in the next 4 days. I say something that sounds like:

-“The Union of South Africa has shown great commitment to a declaration of Human rights in the past (the pre-apartheid president was one of the pioneers). Also, recent changes in the interior policy may change some of our positions. Now, South Africa is favorable to a UDHR, at the condition that it respects every countries personal choices and doesn’t jeopardize national stability. “

Until the next break I will be talking a lot, almost at every caucus. A caucus is a debate centered about a special topic, for example a caucus of 5 minutes on the definition of Human Rights.

It is interesting to notice from the starts the differences in ideas between the communists and western countries. The third-world countries also try to be heard.

During the afternoon session, we work on a definition of human rights. We spend the whole session on it, but we understand quickly that it is impossible to reach a consensus with 40 countries. Another point is whether the declaration should be binding or not. Some poor countries think the document won’t have any utility if it is not binding. Other like me think that we cannot apply this law on every country, and that it is the best way not to reach a consensus.

After the committee session, we go to eat in a taiwanese restaurant with the whole team. It is so great to debate during the day, to call people by a country name, to have formal debate and simply go party together at night as friends. This is called the MUN spirit.

PS: It is interesting to notice how chinese people eat at a restaurant. Different dishes are brought by the waitress as one goes on. Then every dish is brought at the middle of the table, and everybody is free to pick any food he wants, simply sharing it.

Sunday 14th March: opening ceremony and Global Village party

After registering at the International Convention Center of Taipei, where the conference takes place until Thursday, me and the ebs team attend a presentation from the Harvard Team concerning the rules of procedure of the Modelisation of United Nations. These rules define how to take part in debates as it would happen in a real United Nations meeting, how to propose caucuses and working papers. These are rules of diplomacy. For example, when starting a speech, we have to start with a traditional courtesy phrase such as "Dear honorable chair, dear honorable guest". Then, you always have to speak in the name of your country. For example: "The Republic of South Africa would like to mention...". All that sounds very official. Once this presentation is done, it’s time to have lunch and we choose to go to the mall at the base of the 101 tower. We are so surprised to see so many people at the restaurant. In Taiwan, when eating at a restaurant, we understand that the strategy is not to buy first and find a table next, but to find first a table, lol.

Just before the opening ceremony, I meet a girl who is holding a taiwanese flag. There is quite a story behind that flag. It is the flag of the ROC, which means it was the official flag of the whole China from 1911 to 1949. As we talk about it, at the end, she gives me the flag, haha.

I did not expect that the MUN was so important, talking about the people present at the ceremony.
Apart from the 2000 students coming the best Universities from all over the world, the President of the Republic of China and the mayor of Taipei are one of us. There is even a confusion when the speaker announces the president of the R.O.C, as many don’t know that Taiwan is officially known as the Republic of China, and China the Popular Republic of China. The President Ma Ying-Jeou feels very concerned that the MUN is hosted in Taiwan for 2 reasons: First, he is a former Harvard student, and Harvard is organizing the MUN. Second, Taiwan is not officialy recognized as a country by the real United Nations, but the Popular Republic of China. Thus, the MUN is a way for Taiwan to prove that they deserve a recognition.

The main thing I remember from the Presidential speech was
-“Please, go shopping in Taipei, buy as much as you can (everybody laugh), at least do it for the economy of Taipei”.

Whereas I have been enjoying moving my flag during all the ceremony, the speaker announces at the end that all the participant who have a taiwanese flag should come in front for a picture for business week. So I should probably find myself in the next weeks on a picture with 15 taiwanese people holding the local flag. I am so lucky now, haha.









After, the picture has been taken, me, my team and the taiwanese team go to eat in a local restaurant. I always spend a very good time meeting foreigners, and these Taiwannese are really cool people. One of the things I remember from the dinner is when one of them says:
-“Look!, the journalists are talking about France at the TV”
“What do they say”
“That Sarkozy is having an affair!”
Well, it is always a pleasure to have news from our president.





We leave the hotel; it’s now time for the traditional “Global village”. On the road back to the restaurant, a taiwannese girl comes with us. I realize that she speaks a perfect German. Since I arrived in Taipei, I spent my time switching from German to English. She explains to me later that she has lived seven years in Berlin. Moreover, she is the chair assistant of my committe, the council of Human rights.
This party hosts a lot of stands representing each country. Each stand proposes free typical products of his country. Good time!!

Pics from last Sunday in Taipei

Indigenous Taiwannese dance at the Opening ceremony

Minutes before the beginning Opening Ceremony at the Sun Ya Tsen Memorial

The biggest tower in the world until 2007: Taipei 101 (510 meters high)

Me, Connie, Daniela, Kai, and Christian in front of Taipei 101

Stairway to Heaven

Hiiii all, I am still alive! The MUN is soooo great!!! Unfortunaly, I have been so busy the last days that I don’t have one hour to write for you on my blog. Please be patient, I ‘ll write as soon as I will be able to.

Here are some pictures of Sunday.