AUBG MUN closed is three-day sessions with the General Assembly Meeting held on
Feb. 19 in the Delchev Auditorium. Honorable delegates from the Security Council, the Human Rights Council, and the UNESCO Council presented the resolutions touching upon the issues of the South China sea crisis, the firearms regulation, and women’s access to education, respectively. The final accord of the conference was the announcement of the best delegates, delegates awarded with honorable certificates, and the delegate chosen to represent AUBG MUN at the Model United Nations in Rome on Mar. 11-14. Nino Avreyski, a third-year student at AUBG, who represented the United Kingdom at the Security Council, was selected to participate in the Rome Model United Nations (Rome MUN). “The best delegate to Rome was chosen by all chairs and the leadership of AUBG MUN by the closed voting,” said Nicoleta Paladi, the president of AUBG MUN. Rome MUN brings together 2000 delegates from around the world with seven committees and high-profile guest- speakers. Anatoly Prekrasnyy, Steven London, and Lea Fanku, all of whom represented the United States, were named the best candidates at the 2017 AUBG MUN. Some of the criteria for selection of the best delegates included professionalism, the ability to compromise and take leadership, knowledge of the procedures, and correct representation of their country’s stance on the issue, according to Paladi. Ketevan Chincharadze, Carl Addoumieh, Michaela Parker, and Benjamin Richter received honorable mentions for outstanding representation of their states. Chincharadze, a delegate from the Islamic Republic of Iran in the UNESCO Council, shared that the process of debating was the most challenging part of drafting the resolution. It was her first time participating in the Model of United Nations. “Participation in the conference was important for my professional and personal development,” she said. Lika Tsintsadze, the vice-president of AUBG MUN, was amazed to see how students can turn into diplomats who debate, negotiate, argue and make decisions like professionals. “I believe the conference was a great success, both academic- and organizational-wise,” she said, noting that AUBG MUN showed the potential of AUBG students. “I hope to hear from you in the future,” said Robert Philips Jr., Professor of Political Science in AUBG, in his closing remarks. Philips is AUBG MUN’s only advisor. “Thank you, professor, for your effort and instructions you gave us. Our club and the delegates are truly thankful!” AUBG MUN posted on its Facebook page. - Written By Adel Zabbarov
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AUBG MUN’s Security Council started the official discussion with regard to the South China Sea dispute between China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines. The issues at stake include states’ access to natural resources worth trillions of dollars. On Feb. 18, 15 Members joined the negotiations table to decide how to resolve the situation. By the end of the first half of the session, the participating Members were still remotely away from settling on the common grounds. However heated the debates are, one fact remains clear. Several Members of the Security Council are trying to build coalitions to lobby their own national interests and ensure the best outcome possible. The United States of America represented by Anatoly Prekrasnyy, in the coalition with the UK, France, and the Ukraine, submitted the working paper proposing the creation of the international forum under the supervision of the UN’s impartial ad-hoc committee with an aim of resolving the territorial claims and ensuing the compliance with the provisions of international law. The paper led to lengthy negotiations with objections voiced by the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation. “We will probably get China on our side as it can clearly benefit from the deal. The biggest challenge is to impose the moratorium on military vessels in South China Sea until the dispute has been settled,” said Prekrasnyy. China is one of the key players in the region with its own interests at stake. China’s military power and its regional intentions put it in the opposition to a coalition led by the US. “China does not see the propositions of the working paper as serving the purpose properly,” Benjamin Richter, who represents People’s Republic of China, said. China would rather see bilateral negotiations between the states of the South China sea region instead of proposed multilateral negotiations under the umbrella of the UN’s impartial ad hoc committee, according to Richter. “The economic consequences of the settled deal would be the crucial part in the negotiations to come,” he admitted. The Security Council is faced with the task of drafting the resolution that will conform to the common interest of all the 15 Members. The voting will be held on Feb. 18 with each Member having one vote. The final resolution will be legally binding to all the Members States. - Written by Adel Zabbarov - Photo Credits // Daria Biryukova On Feb. 17, AUBG opened its doors to the 9th Annual Edition of AUBG Model United Nations (AUBG MUN) organized by AUBG students. The opening ceremony held in the Delchev Auditorium gave a start to a three-day long simulation with Security Council, Human Rights Council, and UNESCO, bringing together 56 participants from different backgrounds. Over the course of the conference, participants will discuss up-to-date issues based on the positions of represented states.
Robert Philips Jr., Professor of Political Science in AUBG, addressed the participants with a short speech emphasizing the importance of participating in simulations like AUBG MUN. “You are developing life skills that will take you to the world of diplomacy, business, and public sector,” said Philips. Brian Stimmler, Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy in Sofia, briefed the participants on the art of diplomacy, sharing his personal experience and bits of advise. Choosing words carefully, being aware of counterparts’ perspective, and separating political and personal are the skills that make one a good diplomat, according to Stimmler. “I am glad to see enthusiastic people who want to change to world,” he said. Another motivational speech was delivered by Safaath Ahmed Zahir, an advocate for women’s rights from Maldives, who won a prestigious Queen’s Young Leaders Award in 2016. Zahir is a founder and president of Women and Democracy, an NGO dealing with the issue of underrepresentation of women in politics and governments worldwide. In her video, she urged the participants to raise the awareness on the role of women in democracy-making process. “All together we are going to make the world a better place,” Zahir said. AUBG MUN takes place in AUBG Balkanski Academic Center. The topics include the South China sea crisis, the firearms regulation, and education of marginalized communities with the focus on women. Participants are expected to follow the procedures and policies set out by the United Nations Charter and other international documents, making it a real-life simulation. Written by Adel Zabbarov Photo credits // Daria Biryukova |
AuthorAdel Zabbarov |