Due Date

           

Assignment
MUNday, February 6th All MUN Delelgates should:
1) Read the 16 page handout on Speaking, Procedures, and Resolution Writing (I handed it out and it is also attached).

2) Start writing your position paper (one per committee so work with your partner (real or imagined)) and to continue your research to fill in any gaps. Be sure to review the committee guide that the MUN people prepared to remind you about important issues and resources.

3) Come up with two questions that you would want to ask the Philippine Delegation (we will call or email them).
December and January Continue taking all notes in a computer file or a binder that you have with you at MUNches.
  1. Read your real UN committees website to see what issues are currently important (http://www.unausa.org/msmun/committees and click on the left-hand label).
  2. Find and read many, many articles online at some of these sites:
    1. The United Nations website (http://www.un.org/en/). The search box is in the upper right corner and if you pick two good keywords (maternal health, refugee rights, return artifacts, you will find many many articles and resolutions to read about).  
    2. Al Jazeera (http://www.aljazeera.comhttp://www.aljazeera.com)
    3. BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/search/?q=news and type your keywords in the search box in the upper righthand corner). For example, I typed "maternal health" into the BBC site and many interesting articles appeared. You are trying to learn about current challenges in the world for your topic and, with any luck, some of the approaches to these problems that are proving helpful. Remember, we want to be able to offer resolutions to improve situations. 
  3. Take notes and record citations for those notes (when you make claims in your speeches and resolutions you are going to need to be able to back them up with citations).
  4. Read the Unversal Declaration of Human Rights (http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/). In what ways might it connect to your committee's work?
  5. Make a table of specific problems related to your committee's topic and specific proposals/solutions.
Issue/problem Approach to solution
   

 
November 29 It is time to learn more about your committee and its issues. Please visit http://www.unausa.org/msmun/committees and click on the topic words (which are a link to your background paper). Read that paper carefully and write down notes (key vocabulary, questions that you have, etc.). Think about what you need to learn next and what the Philippines might think about the issues. Write down next steps (questions, resources, etc.). 

Want to know about the other countries and schools? Click here.

Websites that you found and recommended:
Committee Assignments
November 21

Research the Philippines and fill out the Getting to Know Your Country sheet.

Send me one or more links for good Philippines sites with a note about what made it valuable.
October 24

Do one or two countries of this assignment for 10/24.

Research three adjacent countries (using Wikipedia, CIA Fact Book) in your group's block of 9 countries (you picked Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America). Write a few paragraphs on:

  • The country's economy (what is the standard of living? Main exports and imports, level of government management of the economy?)
  • The country's political system
  • The country's relationships with their neighbors. Are there any border or resource issues? 
  • Does the country belong to any blocs?
  • Any important international issues.
  • Feel free to record whatever you think is interesting and relevant about the country and its place in the international scene. 
October 10 Do more geography. I added Asia below and make sure you try GeoSense out as well.
Geography Games

Asia:
http://www.playkidsgames.com/games/asiaJigsaw/asiaJigsaw.htm

South America: https://www.mochimedia.com/community/games/olltwit/south-american-jigsaw

Europe: https://www.mochimedia.com/community/games/olltwit/european-jigsaw

Africa: http://www.playkidsgames.com/games/africaJigsaw/africaJigsaw.htm (Be sure to read the name of the countries at the top of the screen each time you click on them)


Once you are ready, try http://www.geosense.net/. Press "visit" and then "Play Alone." The goal is to read the place name on the top of the screen and to then click as close as possible on the map to the true location. It will show you both your guess and a golden circle with the correct location and, in the lower left, it will tell you how many km away your guess was. Pay attention to the answers to learn from them. After your rounds, it will give you a total error which you should try to improve upon each time.
Essential Information
 Conference Dates: Thursday, MARCH 22 - Sunday, MARCH 25, 2012

Committees:
  • General Assembly - Sport for Peace and Development (Mixed)
  • World Health Organization - Malaria, TB and Infectious Diseases (Beginner)
  • UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - Return of Cultural Artifacts to their Countries of Origin (Mixed)
  • UN High Commission for Refugees - Human Rights of Refugees (Beginner)
  • UN Environmental Program - Freshwater Resources (Mixed)
  • Economic and Social Council - Maternal Health (Beginner)
  • UN Children’s Fund - Protection of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (Advanced)
  • Commission on Sustainable Development - Energy for Sustainable Development (Mixed)
  • UN Development Program - Democratic Governance (Advanced)