MintmuNews Issue 3 High School Level 2013

10 November 2013

OIP - Getting to Know Us Better

(Pg.11)

Welcome to the Official Minsk

International Model United Nations

Newspaper. Your guide to all the latest news of this year’s

high school conference.

It’s in the DNA! – MUN Families

(Pg. 4-5)

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MINTMUN News November 2013

Olga Khabibulina

MINTMUN Director

Dear friends, It's such a sweet moment to start a MINTMUN conference and such a bitter one to finish it. Model United Nations has an enormous effect on society in general since it gives a great opportunity to stop for a few days and reflect. Reflect on global issues, on the problems that the real world around us faces with; problems that we fortunately don't face. After such activities as MUN people all around the world are not only able to be aware of such activities but also are able to bring their contribution to the world by their actions because they feel responsibility within themselves and the processes they are involved into. I hope you have also benefited and contributed to this year MINTMUN High School Conference by friendship built and reflection done! Keep doing what you do and see you next year!

Olga Khabibulina

FERMUN (Ferney Voltaire International Model United Nations)

We invite you to participate in the FERMUN 2014 with other MINTMUN trained delegates for outgoing conferences. Where: Geneva, Switzerland When: 6-12 January 2014 Who: delegates of 15-19 years old Cost: 500 euro (travel, visa, accommodation, fees for participation) How: please visit our website :http://mintmun.org for the application under the link for outgoing conferences or email us [email protected] by November 15, 2013

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Love, War and Stuff - We’re All Just One Big Family!

∗ By Beat Seeman

“I would love to represent Russia or the United States to make a war!” Who might say a sentence like that? This is the Deputy General Secretary of Model United Nations Minsk Marina Nelipovich takes part into Model United Nations since many years. “Russia and the USA bring action during the sessions including many hot debates”. Also the UK is an interesting country for Marina, she represented it as a member of the Security Council in the Netherlands and everybody was afraid of her.

Maria Ugolnik, the Secretary General of MINTMUN, has already been to many conferences also abroad. She would love to be a member of the DPR Korea delegation: “It is interesting to be against everybody and to have a specific view on things”. She exactly remembers a scandal session with North Korea when she was a Director in the Netherlands.

But where is the difference between the conference in Minsk and in other countries? There are 80 delegates in Minsk and 300 abroad, so they are much better in quantity but not in quality, Marina complains. Caused by its tininess, MINTMUN tries to be very professional. Moreover, MINTMUN is very young compared to other conferences, but they try to create new ideas and professionally designed and edited newspapers. “We always try our best to prepare all the participants well”, adds Maria, the Secretary General. Especially the Closing Ceremony in Minsk is always a big show. Also friendship is an important aspect for

both of them: “We have special MINTMUN friends that we only meet there and during these three days we create crazy ideas while leaving the reality”.

The most difficult situation for the 22 year old student of Intercultural Communication was in her first conference: “Standing up and speaking English was so hard, my English was awful that time”. Later she jumped over that step and discussed a lot about her topics. As a chair it was really difficult to find a solution in case there were an equal number of votes. Also for Marina, who is studying Economy, being a chair was a hard task: “I was scared to look more stupid than the delegates and to find a compromise between being too strict, funny and easy going in the same time”. In 2012 it happened to her that only six delegates were in a committee. But in the morning only two of them were appearing. While checking her phone, the Deputy Secretary General Marina recognized a picture of her delegates on Instagram. The two boys sat sleepy in the kitchen while drinking tea and commenting: “We are late but at least we have a good breakfast”. She is usually writing funny stories in a notebook, which is already full now. Maria exactly remembers last year closing ceremony where some participants changed Timberland’s song “Sexy Back” to “Plastic Bag”. There was also an accident where the delegate from Brazil couldn’t forget his Belarusian origin while asking his lovely neighbours “Russia and Ukraine for help“. Instead he should have better asked his South American friends Paraguay and Uruguay!


It’s in the DNA - Model United Nations Families

∗ By Maria Isabella Breen

Model United Nations conferences are all about furthering understanding about the United Nations, educating participants about world issues and promoting peace and the work of the United Nations through Diplomacy and Cooperation. It’s a serious business but it can also be great fun!

Whether it’s heading off to an exotic destination with a new (or old) group or participating in Minsk Model United Nations Conference over the three action-packed days of MINTMUN, it’s clear that Model United Nations brings people together. For the duration of the conference participants work closely together, as delegates, chairs or in staff roles, becoming almost like a family. Speaking with MUN participants it’s very clear that Model UN is a ‘small world’ where nearly everyone knows everybody, it creates a friendly, enjoyable atmosphere making it easier to work but that doesn’t mean that there’s not space for new faces. Below, we meet some of those responsible for bringing new people into the Model UN fold (world). For them, family is a very literal term. These are the brothers, sisters and cousins (let’s hope they’re never on the same committee) who make up the real Model United Nations families.

Valeriya Mandrik is a 21 year old Economics student from Minsk, who became involved after a very simple question from her older brother, Alexander – a true Model UN veteran who has been participating since 2006. “He asked: Do you want to participant in MUN in Warsaw? And I answered: Okay.” And that was how it

started. From there Valeriya began her MUN career where she has participated both as staff and a delegate, first at the conference in Warsaw then in The Hague. Here, one of her scariest MUN moments occurred, when one of the admin stuff came to her and told her that her clothes were not proper for the conference. And also warned her that in case she didn`t change her clothes the next day he won`t let her participate. But Valeriya contests in true MUN negation style, “my shirt with BATMAN LOGO is quite suitable for the MUN… but I kept silence.” Luckily, she was saved by another type of family, the hosting one, who lent her clothes until the end of the conference.

Despite the incident in The Hague Valeriya says that Administration Staff role is the best, “there’s no pressure to speak in front of committees but you are intensely involved in the process, have your own role and get to communicate with participants and organizers.” It’s the best of both worlds.

Next on the list of MUN families is, 23 year old Olga Chebrovskaya, a university graduate who after finishing her studies is now an intern doctor. Olga has been participating in Model United Nation’s so long she’s almost forgot when she started (by the way, it was when she was 17, as a delegate at BELAMUN) but she knows it was all down to her brother, another MUN old-timer also called Alexander


called Alexander who convinced her to join in. And now she’s glad she has done so, taking on the role as Head of Administrate Staff at age 17 gave her a taste of responsibility and also a “very valuable experience and a great chance to develop organizational and administrative skills.” But of course MUN is not always so serious and for Olga, the best MUN gift was the close friendships she developed and the “unforgettable experience” of attending conferences.

It is almost impossible to speak of Model UN families without mentioning about this year’s Deputy Secretary-General and Economics student at the International Relations Faculty of BSU, Marina Nelipovich (21). Not only has Marina got her younger brother, Artyom, involved but now she’s extending the reach of MUN families by brining in her cousin, Eugene Keptuha, and is on a mission to involve more family members; she says, “I wish all of my cousins were included”.

Like Olga, Marina’s own MUN career has been so extensive, “I participated thousands of times, I swear!” she’s almost forgot where she began. What she does know, however, is that it began with luck as she was studying at a school where the English teachers were involved in MUN, conversely, Artyom jokes he was “just lucky to be Marina’s brother”! Newcomer, Eugene, isn’t afraid to participate for the first time, “I’m sure that it will be something cool.”

Between the Nelipovich siblings is, of course, a deliberation on which is the best role in MUN. Artyom believes that the best role is right in the middle of the action as a delegate but staff roles are not so much for him, “2 years ago: I fell asleep during debates being an admin staff!” The diplomatic as always, Marina, sees the aspects of each position, “All of the roles in this conference are very different and difficult. You have to be well prepared and active during debates, if you are a

delegate, and very hard working in the 2 months before the debates, especially if you are a chair. The fact that you are reading this newspaper now shows the crazy work of press staff. And the fact that you had a chance to participate in this shows the great work of organization team”. This year she will undertake the role of Deputy Secretary General, which is new to her but we’re sure it’s merely the next step in her MUN career.

Final to answer the ultimate question, ‘will there be more participants from the Nelipovich family in the future?’ Eugene answers, “We have a big family, and if I like it, I’m going recommend the conference to the rest of the family”. So perhaps we’ll have more of the family to interview and write about in the coming year. But, unfortunately there is a limit to family involvement, as noted by Valeriya Mandrik, it’s not open to everyone, “Even my grandpa wanted to participate. He is really encouraged by the idea of the MUN (joke, ha-ha, Belarusian humor). And he was really upset when I told him that he is out of age limit!” Perhaps soon, we can introduce a conference for senior citizens and widen the net for “all the family” to join!

It doesn’t seem to take much convincing and it really can be a family affair, between Mink MUN and International Conferences there are lots of opportunities to become involved in all capacities. So is Model United Nations in the genes? Unfortunately, due restrictions in scientific testing it’s not possible to find out, but Artyom Nelipovich thinks yes, “It really seems like the Model UN is in DNA!” and we have to agree.

Family Photos


General Assembly Committee 1 (Special Political and Decolonisation Committee)

- “We need somebody to talk to…” ∗ By Margarita Dehtyar

“We need somebody to talk to…” It’s really important phrase for the participants of the MINTMUN. At the conference you could gain useful practice and new contacts, meet people, who care about something you care. At MINTMUN people didn’t just talk, but they solved (try to solve) substantial problems in international language.

After the ceremony of opening we were separated into groups and started discussions. At the General Assembly Committee 1 we talked over the questions of politics and decolonisation. Delegates began with the acquaintance. It was unusual indeed: participants pulled a piece of paper with the number of facts, which they should tell to their colleagues about themselves. Thanks to such introduction students could be easily divided into groups: 1. Fighting Neocolonialism as a threat for the future of modern society and 2. Finding effective ways to develop cooperation between states considering international police, providing people with shelter and regulating refugee flows.

Lika Kharitonchik, the activist of the first group shared their ideas: “Our problem is neocolonialism and we search ways of fighting with the problem. The point in control of small countries by large countries. They can’t become stronger . We want to pay attention of the people on this problem and to tell them that neocolonialism can destroy our society. Also we try to create some alliances to help these small countries to solve their problem.”

Delegates enjoyed discussing problems. It wasn’t a kind of boring conference with the performance of a single person. They spoke to each other and listened

to. They even didn’t need a moderator, who would lead them: they controlled situation by their own forces. It was not only speaking, it was solving of problems of civilization, which surviving. And as a result of discussions we gain resolutions.

Abby’s Ceban Keane group was first who wrote the resolution: “We looking into the problem of refugee flows, shelters and international police. One of questions is how to control refugee flows and we have come to resolution that approve on refugees have to be classifieds. Refugee should have special shelters in different countries, where they can get education and job. That is a basic idea”.

Despite the fact that there is still one day ahead, it is safe to say that the conference has a success. People who worked there: discussed, photographed, wrote, talked, watched, - certainly gained invaluable experience. Experience, a chance to get that is not always given, and sometimes just once. Thanks to all participants of MINTMUN for sharing this weekend with those who care about our world and its problems.

Chairs Vita Archipova and Alexandra Matyash also shared their emotions from the conference: “MINTMUN – it’s really great chance join to UN. It is incredibly interesting and useful. And if to accept these issues seriously, then you can feel yourself be able to solve them. It’s not just practice of English, but communicating, self-development. You learn to defend your point of view on a particular topic, not like “which movie will we watch today?”


General Assembly Committee 2 - Social and Humanitarian Committee

∗ By Konstantin Bayadin

This years General Assembly Social and Humanitarian Committee (GA 2) consists of 17 people, 13 of them are Belarusian students from different gymnasium and lyceums, 2 are from Ukraine, 1 is from United States of America and 1 originates from South Africa.

The chairs of the committee, Valeria Yasukevich and Victoria Porechina, were positive and ready for everything. They answered all the questions from delegates and other participants of the conference. They corrected all the mistakes and exemplary led this committee.

MINTMUN cannot pass without some Russian words and some funny moments. But all delegates worked hard, we shouldn’t forget about high level of

English speaking, because they were ready for a lot of difficult situations and arguments. Also most of the participants in GA 2 were punctual and was not punished. It tells us about responsibility of our delegates. But 2 people left, so the punishment was to sing the song "Sexy bag". They did it smartly without ceremony.

Thanks for all delegates and cheers for work!


Security Council

The United Nations Security Council is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. It is certainly not an easy task and conflicts in interests are inevitable.

The students from MINTMUN had to make this experience on their own bodies, when enthusiastically debating on “constructing a set of measures to interact peacefully with revolutionary ideas and movements worldwide” and “finding and effective cooperation way to improve cyber security”.

Lively discussions, enthusiastic speeches and a lot of debating - that´s what the security councils’ gathering was all about.

Delegates from 12 different countries engaged professionally in the debate. Some of them already participated in Model-UN and therefore enriched the discussions with their knowledge about procedures and formal peculiarities.

The new participants on the other hand, were able to adapt to the new environment quickly, enriched the discussion with many new ideas and brought a breath of fresh air. Alas this “fresh air” existed only in a figurative way- unfortunately the Security

Council’s chamber itself had a rather interesting smell, but fortunately the tough delegates still managed to work.

Overall every delegate showed a lot of knowledge and professional behavior.

Nevertheless some funny moments made time pass by very fast. The punishment for the late arrivers was fun to watch- the Security Council enjoyed the performance of a Ukrainian Song.

English Language was not a problem for anybody, even though during the debate about Cyber Crime there were some entertaining misunderstandings about the term “phishing”. Apparently some members had some other idea the meaning, thinking delegated were talking about the free-time activity “fishing”.

In conclusion the Security Council managed to agree on interesting and productive resolutions. Even though all the delegates worked hard and passionately debated on their topics, there were also a lot of funny moments, which make this year’s MINTMUN Security Councils work a memorable experience for participants and the MINTMUN -Staff.

∗ Regina Geisler


International Dialogue Committee

verbs, International Dialogue Committee delegates (and chairs!) can say in one loud voice: we had a great day!

And, by the way, do you know what does corruption in Ukrainian style means? During the session chairs of the committee, Danuta Lobachenya and Ekaterina Oleynik, got an Ukrainian 1 hryvnia banknote written “Ukrainian style corruption”. What did it mean? For further instructions ask Danuta and Ekaterina: for sure they know the answer!

∗ By Raman Alesiankou

Even though MINTMUN is an official and very serious event, some really funny moments took place there. Except discussing and debating about important topics participants did some amazing energizers to relax a bit and fresh up their minds. In one of them, for example, the task was to make a parody of any person. And that person was PGA Vadim Bayandin. And the parody was so great that Vadim was the first one laughing aloud! After running around playing “Birds and nests” and competing in saying correctly all tree forms of irregular


United Nations Environmental Programme

∗ By Hanna Aranovich

Fruitful debates. Best delegates. Lots of fun. Awesome time. In UNEP Council were some funny moments, like creating new motions by the delegates (motion of veto). These debates were pretty full of motions and different point. On the second day in the end of official debating time there was a sweet reflection. Can you imagine that all the delegates said it was their best conference?! There were certainly lots of energizers.

The best thing about energizers is that delegates get energy from them and use it in a proper way, for really strong solutions. Surely, after our discussion at least 16 people, the Members of the Council, will be aware of the ecological problems we had discussed. It really makes sense! And one more thing which is also really important, is that these pupils (the honourable delegates) faced “real life”. And who if not we, the youth, will make our future?!


Getting to know us better

A lot of people know what abbreviation MINTMUN stands for, but far less people can tell us something about Office for Initiatives Promotion (OIP). But exactly this Office started MINTMUN role-play in Belarus a year ago.

Office for Initiatives Promotion was created in August, 2012. At the same time the MINTMUN conference was launched in Belarus thanks to the director of the office Olga Khabibulina.

Now it is one of the most important programs of OIP. This project is modern, educational, perspective and highly contagious. The aim of MINTMUN is to unite people who are interested in the United Nations, its ideas and actions. The purpose of this project is to give a floor to the young people where they can study and develop themselves in different ways thanks to participating in Belarusian and international projects, exchanges and games.

Here you can improve your skills in diplomacy, public speaking, debates and negotiations. The conference is open for participants not only from Belarus. Here everyone can find new creative and lively friends!

It is difficult to arrange everything for MINTMUN, it is huge work to find the place for the conference, to invite concerned youth and to pay attention every article. The organization team is doing its best to make these days cool and memorable for the participants.

Now the Office works on different conferences and programs: Minsk International Model United Nations (MINTMUN), Youth in Action programme, a work camp CultuREcreate and a lot of minor local projects like British Tea with a volunteer from Great Britain, English and German lessons. All this projects are for people from 13 to 30. Next year new program LeaderShip for children from 14 to 17 will start.

Who

’s W

ho?

MintmuNews Issue 3 High School Level 2013

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Transcript of MintmuNews Issue 3 High School Level 2013