In This Issue:

pg. 14-15pg. 8 -9 pg. 13 pg. 16pg. 2-7 & 10- 12

Earthquake, a Cyber Attack, and Closing Ceremonies

Dinner Dance!

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In a frenzy of black jackets and click-clacking business heels, delegates were ushered into their seats, and Secretary General Carol Lin called for order. The whole conference had come together to witness the debate of the crisis situation: Cyber attacks affecting t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s a n d financial markets in Southeast Asia and the Americas and the damage of recent earthquake i n Ta i w a n . D e l e g a t e s o f China, Taiwan, USA, UK, and Ind ia were qu ick to speak on the issue, point ing out the resolut ion’s f laws and controversies, and applauding i t s s t r e n g t h s . T h e m a i n submitter, China, called for an investigation and extradition of individuals who participated in the cyber attacks and for the implementation of economic sanctions on India if they failed to comply with these terms. However, the delegate of Australia criticized the severity of these punishments and called for amendments from the house. Despite bold speeches made by the USA and UK on their support for the resolution, the resolution failed with 13 votes for, and 31 against.

Af ter the cr is is s imulat ion, the ambassadors were invi ted to represent their school. Each ambassador brought something new to the podium, and the result was a variegated collection of passionate and first-rate speeches. While the

ambassador of IBSH was overcome with emotion with the prospect that TAIMUN VIII would be her last conference, the ambassador of MCA wowed the crowd with metaphoric magic. The ambassador of Tainan Boys congratulated the participants of TAIMUN VIII on their “eloquence,

elegance, and excellence,” and TES reminded the house that despite conflicts during debate, delegates were able to overcome differences to resolve world issues and enjoy the conference. Among the speeches was a cheery appreciation speech from Taipei Girls and a heart-felt recognition of how AST’s Jesse Chang found his calling in Model United Nations as a delegate.

R o s a K i m c o n g r a t u l a t e d delegates on their hard work over the last two days. The conference at last came to an end with a speech from the Secretary General, Carol Lin. Reciting from the Girl Scout

By Karen Sims and Belle Wu, American School in Taichung

Delegates debated in Crisis Simulation

Oath, she reminded participants of TAIMUN of the importance of cooperation and consideration. In unison, the Secretaries General struck their gavels and officially ended TAIMUN VII.

Closely fol lowing the sharp pounding of the gavels against the

podium, the lights were dimmed and projectors and screens lowered. A slide-show about sustainable agriculture and the benefits of organic food played to appropriately dramatic music. The editor Andrew Lih, and photographers Iris Gwon, Mary June Manno, and Daniel Lih presented us with yet another video slide-show of the TAIMUN VIII conference. Emotion filled photos showing both serious faces of debating delegates, and laughing photographs from the dance accompained “Here and Now” by Mark Erelli.

Why not here? Why not now? All seventeen schools came to TAIMUN to make a difference. By the looks of the gracious speeches during the closing ceremony by not only committee chairs but also ambassadors, they have done exactly that.

It was with weary minds and tired eyes that we retired from our most recent MUN experience. However, true MUNers are already thinking about their next conferences, one of which is sure to be TAIMUN IX, ready to come back bigger and better than ever.

Committee Report

Stepts To Save The Earth

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Protection, Punishment, and Prevention By Sean Liu, International Bilingual School at Hsinchu

The Human Rights Council first debated a resolution submitted by Anna Kim, delegate of Turkey, on the issue of the prevention of and accountability for honor crimes. The resolution focused on education and raising global awareness on the issue, protection of females from mutilation, implementation of harsher penalties and punishments for those caught committing honor crimes, and shelter for the victims of honor crimes. Anna Kim spoke confidently to convince the Human Rights Counci l to vote for her resolution and had high hopes that it would pass easily.

Unfortunately, her resolution was challenged shortly after it was presented. Delegates immediately noticed the resolution’s problems, which included a lack of methods for monitoring instances of honor crimes, of enforcement methods for the punishments, and of clarity in how the resolution’s goals would be implemented. As Kevin Lu, delegate of the Russian Federation, s ta ted , “Th is reso lu t ion does not directly address the issue of preventing honor crimes. It lacks the key to the door of the solution.”

The main defect in the resolution, as Justin Chang, delegate of Cuba, noticed, was that the resolution did not “address the Islamic religion and parental influence,” which are the main causes of honor crime. The resolution focused too much on educating the young to prevent the next generation from committing t h e s e c r i m e s , a n d t h u s o n l y provided a long-term solution to the prevention and accountability for honor crimes. With a vote of 11 for and 28 against, the first resolution failed to pass.

After a ten-minute break, the Human Rights Council debated a resolution on the issue of human trafficking. The resolution, submitted by Fiona Liao, delegate of the United States of America, was an extremely lengthy but detailed solution to the problems imposed b y h u m a n t r a f f i c k i n g . L i a o ’s resolution called for the formation of a new branch of the United

Nations Center for International C r i m e P r e v e n t i o n ( U N C I C P ) called the Anti-Human Trafficking Organization (AHTO), which would be responsible for tracking human trafficking instances, and finding methods for the prevention of more human trafficking through raising awareness and constant monitoring of those crossing national borders. The AHTO would also provide immediate assistance and aid to those who are trafficked and impose severe punishment and penalties on traffickers. Liao passionately encouraged all members of the Human Rights Council to vote for the resolution. “Let us make human trafficking history,” she said. “Let us make history.”

Delegates agreed wi th the r e s o l u t i o n a n d s u p p o r t e d i t . Michelle Rao, delegate of Norway, spoke after Fiona Liao, noting that the resolution encompassed a l l a s p e c t s o f t h e i s s u e . “ I t prosecutes traffickers, prevents further occurrences [of human trafficking], and helps re-integration of victims,” Rao explained. “This resolution is effective, detailed, and efficient.” Sally Shin, delegate of the Netherlands, agreed, saying that the resolution was “comprehensive and amazing” because it effectively provided both short-term and long-term solut ions. Jason Chang, delegate of Italy, also complimented the resolution, saying “AHTO is a great idea. I f we create this specialized branch of UNCICP, the issue of human trafficking will become much more manageable. It is much more efficient if we divide and conquer.”

However, Arthur Lin, delegate of Indonesia, strongly opposed the resolution, saying that it had “unrealistic” goals, lacked enough methods of prevention of human trafficking, and required too much funding. “If the United Nations created a branch to solve every single international issue,” declared Arthur, “it would go bankrupt in less than a day.” His argument was immediately challenged—delegates po in ted ou t tha t fund ing was

assumed in TAIMUN and shouldn’t be an issue. Ingrid Lan, delegate of Bolivia, ended the debate session with a convincing speech, saying, “This resolut ion provides both protection from human trafficking, a short-term solution, and prevention o f i t , a l o n g - t e r m s o l u t i o n . ” The resolut ion passed with an overwhe lming major i ty o f the delegates voting for it. Fiona Liao wasn’t surprised. “[My resolution] is flawless,” she confidently stated.

M o s t o f t h e d e l e g a t e s o f the Human Rights Council also supported the next two resolutions, which passed wi th ease. This year, the Human Rights Council succeeded in passing three of four well-debated resolutions.

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“Wow, that was just…. Wow,” gasped President Hunter Putzke of the Security Council after the House unanimously passed a resolution on the Korean Peninsula. This constructive, passionate, and respectful chorus of delegates boasted a total of 122 Points of Information, 63 speeches, and 10 resolutions in the debate, a majority of which came from the delegates of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United Kingdom (UK), the United States of America, China, and Japan.

After discussing tense issues such as the citizen welfare in DPRK, invasion of DPRK’s sovereignty, transparency, and DPRK’s capability to keep its end of any deal, the House managed to convince DPRK to collaborate. Surprisingly enough, DPRK agreed to consider rejoining the Six Party Talks, complying with previous Security Council

resolutions on denuclearization and transparency, allowing “limited numbers of IAEA inspectors within its borders, providing military officials to accompany [them], opening its borders to its citizens and foreign nationals, retract[ing] its withdrawal from the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT),” and limiting the number of troops along the border separating both Koreas in return for lifted economic sanctions, provision of “food, water, electricity and other basic living necessities, increase[d] foreign investments,” and supported energy and aid for building industries. “However,” declared Jason Hsieh (AST), “DPRK believes that 240 days is not enough for DPRK to get back to the Security Council,” a limit the House set for decisions to be made, not actions to be taken.

The topic discussed on the second day focused on the situation in Kosovo, and the eager House started early. Collaboration and tension already masked two corners of the room though the President constantly reminded the House that “they still had a couple more minutes.” Opening speeches began and presented swaps in collaboration amongst nations. While the UK, Austria, Japan, Gabon, France, USA, and Turkey recognized Kosovo’s independence, China, Russia, and Mexico disagreed. A few members of the House, especially the delegate of France, Andy Wu (KAS), emphasized that “the House is unfortunately divided… [and that] Russia has exercised its veto power. Russia will veto every clause.”

“Approximately 60 member states have already recognized the independence of Kosovo,” said Jason Hsieh, who represented Kosovo. He concluded, “Give me freedom or give me death.”

The House moved swi f t ly through the Preambulatory Clauses to debating solutions to untangle the furious knots of the situation in Kosovo. The delegate of the Russian Federation argued against of the involvement of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in receiving

and delivering reports on specific actions in Kosovo. Tim Edstein (AST) as the UK said, “That would be too much on the ICJ.” Even the call for creating the Kosovo Security Force was lambasted as members of the House argued that enough outside forces and organizat ions were already involved.

The UK took the floor again to “urge members states to send a minimum of 300 border patrol officers to maintain security and arbitrate ethnic tensions and [for] one NATO medical brigade to provide primary health care.” Brazil agreed that such inclusion of members would help “regulate drug abuses.” Kosovo also added that it does indeed need more security to help watch over the “illegal trafficking of arms and aggression of mafia and gangs.” This clause passed unanimously.

W i t h t h e e x i s t e n c e a n d participation of permanent members, the House struggled to pass clauses; however, fu r ther e labora t ion , cooperat ion, and amendments moved many to abstain instead of reject more clauses. It was also the threat of the veto powers that encouraged more delegates to compete to have the f loor and extend debate time. The House finally agreed on the “creation of more refugee camps before they can be safely escorted back to their rightful homes and improvement of living conditions in current refugee camps,” to allow involvement of NATO peacekeeping personnel and have the United Nations monitor the actions of peacekeeping forces, as well as dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

The remainder of the debate was about recognizing Kosovo’s sovereignty and independence from Serbia. The delegate of the Russian Federation, Athirah Azmi (TES), countered, “Kosovo has always been and is currently a part of Serbia.” Serbia warned that “it would do everything in its power to stop Kosovo from being liberated.” Kosovo, however, firmly asserted, “Make no mistake. Kosovo is free and independent.”

From Korea to KosovoBy Grace Wang, American School at Taichung

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On April 16th, the second day of TAIMUN VIII, delegates of the Health and Wellness committee (HW) swarmed into the classroom, eager to begin the daylong debate. They were given a short lobbying session first to sort out their ideas. Delegates immediately jumped into it. In the afternoon of the first day, the one resolution on the issue of global pandemics was debated, and passed. On the second day, the two opposing resolutions on the issue of stem cell research locked horns. Kevin Chen, delegate of China, made rounds of the room to persuade other countries with a promise of a share of China’s already well-developed technology as well as monetary aid. When faced with the question of the ethics of his country’s strong support for embryonic stem-cel l research, Kevin insisted that this “is a new age. This is Health and Wellness.” When the issue of China’s bad credit was raised, he replied that China would ensure the transparency of its actions, and emphasized, “countries not supporting this resolution are th i r ty years behind. ” Whether delegates would support or oppose China’s suggest ions would be evident after the debate began.

Star t ing o f f the day was a r e s o l u t i o n f r o m B e t s y Ya n g ,

Different Views Give a Complete PictureBy Diane Lee, International Bilingual School at Hsinchu

delegate of France. The ethically-minded resolution strove to “end controversies surrounding stem cell research and to provide a general solution that meets the needs of all nations.” The debate kicked off with several points of information regarding speech. The resolution sparked a very stimulating debate, as the air was constantly filled with placards and the podium never stood empty. Vincent Lee, delegate of the United States, believed that the resolution addressed “the critical issue of creating an ethical and procedural guideline” future stem cell research. The United States has just begun its stem cell research program, due to disputes over the ethics of the research. On the other hand, the delegate of China would say that such worrying is “of the past,” as China has already entered ex tens ive research and even therapy.

The vote was close but the resolution did not pass, on the g rounds t ha t wh i l e pe r f ec t l y add ress ing the much -hea ted controversy surrounding stem cells, it was too vague. Next up was Kevin ’s resolut ion, which s t rong ly advoca ted s tem ce l l research application for medical and environmental causes. While highly comprehensive, two clauses

of the resolution caused much heat. Kevin suggested that state-financed cloning be used on animal stem cells to produce delicacies such as shark fins, reducing the amount of environmental damage done to the species. The other controversial clause suggested that states finance abortions for financially unstable mothers to provide embryos for research. Max Tseng, delegate of Bangladesh, argued that not enough protection was given to mothers and children. The delegate of United States applauded the resolution, but was strongly opposed to state-f inanced abor t ions. However, China’s resolution received the support of most, if not all, countries.

In contrast to the first day’s debate, which was, as co-chair D e v a n G i b s o n s a i d , “ a l i t t l e lethargic,” both resolutions on the second day and the debates they stimulated “were excellent.” Much like scientists working to image each part of a cell to give a whole and complete picture, the delegates worked towards creating a well-rounded resolution encompassing all aspects of the global issues. Delegates of HW left the room feeling extremely satisfied and looking as if they had grown a little more.

Delegates brace the attention of the whole house as they ask points of information

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S t u d e n t s c l u t c h e d t h e i r new no tes and speeches as they shuffled into the ECOSOC conference room, ready for another day of debate. As soon as the first issue was brought up, delegates immediately raised their placards, prepared for action. The first hour began with a resolution submitted by the delegate of China, Sandy Tang from the American School in Taichung (AST). It concerned the question of facilitating the transition of developing nations into the world economy. In her speech, Tang emphasized the importance of free trade, which she believed would improve the overall standard of living and employment rate. She also thought that free trade without tar i ffs would encourage more nations to trade.

Suddenly, placards shot up and delegates burst with interrogations. The delegate of Norway, Brian Chen from Taipei European School (TES), declared that no committee could force companies to do anything in response to an operative clause designating regular inspections with strict guidelines of companies. Many delegates also fought back, stating that removing tariffs is a task too great and sudden. Daniel Cheng, the delegate of USA from International Bilingual School in Hsinchu (IBSH), reported that if tariffs were eradicated, nations could take over other nations’ industries. However, the delegate did believe that free trade could be a long-term goal to reach for. Another delegate soon stood up making a remark about hypocrisy. “It is unlikely that some of the co-submitters such as Israel, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, would want to establish Free Trade Agreements with each other as stated in clause two,” announced Kevin Liu, the delegate of Australia from Taipei Amer ican Schoo l (TAS) . Af te r a per iod of d iscussion, some amendments were put forward. However, not everyone was against much of this resolution. Daniel Lee from AST took the podium and

made a strong speech supporting not only China’s resolution, but also the need for free trade. After spending a couple of hours on the resolution, debate on the resolution finally came to an end. The votes were in. The announcement was made. It was a tie! Twenty-four people voted for the resolution, twenty-four people voted against and six abstained. Unfortunately, when the votes are tied, a resolution fails. However, delegates did a great job keeping the debate moving.

F o l l o w i n g t h i s i s s u e w a s another resolution. This time, the topic was the challenges to society and good governance by illegal organizations (e.g. mafia, pirates, terrorists). The main submitter, the delegate of the United States, Daniel Cheng from IBSH, eagerly stood up, read his clauses and complemented his passionate voice with a strong speech. His resolution called for many actions such as: a United Nations Counter-Terrorism Implementat ion Task Force to facilitate efforts against terrorism, frequent check-ups on corrupt governments, and strengthened border control. Receiving many notes concerning the absence of nuclear weapons on the resolution, the delegate of the United States made a speech announcing his distaste for nuclear weapons and the United States’ current stand on the issue. ECOSOC delegates listened intently and nodded their heads and the news sunk in.

S o o n , a n o t h e r d e l e g a t e , Germany, Mike Tseng from Tainan Boys’, mentioned the significance

of the stabi l izat ion of regions where illegal organizations stand. “Education is important, however it’s not easily accomplished if the area it’s being taught in is unstable.” The delegate of the United States once again shot back with a reponse, calming Germany’s worries.

Finally, the delegate of Somalia stood up. The United States had earlier announced that Somalia has been ranked as the most corrupt nation in the world for a while. Of course, the delegate of Somalia couldn’t resist a response. The United States supported entering corrupt nations such as Somalia and attempting to help the country. Somalia fought back, asking the US, “how will the UN get permission to enter areas such as the country of Somalia and enforce actions? This is national sovereignty at hand here.” United States responded that nations are only working to collaborate with the governments of corrupt nations and willing to help improve the situation. In the end, the United States stated that it is essential to have good living standards. With a happy environment comes happy people and happy people don’t kill for no reason.

A f t e r m u c h d e b a t e , w i t h an overwhelming major i ty, the r eso l u t i on was passed . Th i s resolution brought constant, intense debate. Delegates always had something to say: new speakers, follow-ups and collaborations were frequent. TAIMUN is proud to hold such strong delegates as these and hopes to see everyone again next year!

Pirates with a Passion By Michelle Mcneill, American School in Taichung

ECOSOC delegates were focused and engaged

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The delegate of China approached the podium and delivered a speech during a heated debate.

A relat ively new committee in the TAIMUN conference, the Special Committee of Sustainable Development picked up on alacrity wi th each pass ing resolut ion, accelerating through as respect for the issues at hand was implemented upon the committee. However, although discussing solemn world issues, the 16-delegate committee nonetheless remained a niche for new beginnings.

“Many delegates are stepping out of their comfort zones,” said Jonathan Tsay, the delegate of the United States, “The first resolution served as more of a warm-up session.” Andy Hsu, the delegate of Japan agreed: “The resolutions are getting to be more and more debatable.”

After a stir in the atmosphere by the secretary general Carol Lin, the debate over the resolutions began to heat up. However, the atmosphere still persisted in a friendly manner, keeping the administrative staff busy w i t h no te pass i ngs , as delegates fervently discussed the amendments.

Regardless of the countless first-timers in the committee, the delegates continued to impress with their confident aura, as they delivered increasingly eloquent speeches and posed decent points of information to the delegates in question.

T h e i s s u e s t h e m s e l v e s , however, could be noted to be sl ight ly more chal lenging than the average topic. Shellen Li, the delegate of Sudan, conceded that “it was difficult to research a definite stance on the topics itself, even from UN resolutions.” Delegates

also indicated that the topics for this committee were not widely discussed or debated in the typical school environment, causing it to be more difficult for delegates to comprehend the full extent of the effect of actions included in each resolution.

The Secretary General, Carol L in, commented that th is new committee “can be seen as an extens ion of the Envi ronment Committee that specifically deals with the future of the environment plus the aftermath of destruction. I appreciate and take pride that TAIMUN is taking in i t iat ive on addressing these issues.” Mr. Brown from the American School in Taichung affirmed that these issues regarding the use of fisheries as well as third world development is just as hard to reach consensus on, even in the United Nations itself, as there are so many factors to keep in consideration while debating these topics.

“ T h e r e w a s s o m e r e a l l y thoughtful discussion though,” Mr. Brown noted. “In a way, this is l ike the real United Nations Special Committee of Sustainable Development, (comma splice??)these topics are more difficult to be passionate about. The answers to these problems aren’t as apparent and unequivocal as those, for example, in the Security Council. It’s hard to just take one side and stick to it, also because it is the future, and that in itself makes it a lot hazier.”

M s . R o s s i n g f r o m t h e International Bilingual School in Hsinchu agreed that the topics were rather ambivalent for discussion: “It’s

the same in the real world. The focus isn’t [just only] how the environment can be salvaged, but also on how, as we hold the envi ronmental support constant, we can continue on with steady economic growth.”

To many, th is commi t tee ’s goa l seems to be a inso lub le paradox: how can citizens possibly dedicate themselves to saving the environment, while sustaining development in countries, especially those who are less economically developed? This pertains also to the United States of America’s decision to withdraw support of the Kyoto Protocol, stating that the reduction of economic consumption in consideration of environmental issues “would result in serious harm to the economy of the United States.”

As for the ongoing debate, it seems to have taken a turn for the positive, as each delegate has come to acknowledge and respect every nation’s stance, to look past differences, and to proceed to find new solutions to these controversial concerns. As Christian Ko, the chair of the Special Committee said, “The delegates will be remembered for their efforts in making this newest committee work.” As for the rest of us, we can only hope that delegates wa l k away w i t h a l i t t l e more knowledge and understanding: that most decisions cannot be made in black and white, and the origins of controversy.

To Sustain and Develop New ChallengesBy Elissa Lee, International Bilingual School at Hsinchu

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culture, or long-developed tradition. Denying groups thei r t radi t ions would be akin to denying them their rights. Sam Kuo admitted that those practices are not correct, but dutifully represented Sudan’s opinion by urging that the traditions should be left alone, regardless.

A n i m a t e d d e b a t e f o l l o w e d between Sudan and countries such as Norway, the Russian Federation, and the United States. Points pertaining to pedophilia, the cruelty of forced marriage, and the utmost importance of human rights were brought up and bounced back and forth like a ping-pong ball between equally bright delegates. Sudan is l isted under countries that still practice female genital mutilation and the delegate of Sudan played his part well, even in the face of confrontation and criticism. Surprisingly, despite all the debate, no amendments were proposed, and so the Chairs moved to voting procedures. By an overwhelming majority of sixteen votes for the resolution, it passed amidst a din of enthusiastic applause.

The remainder of the committee session flowed as smoothly as melted butter. The f inal two resolutions passed with flying colors, to the joy o f many de l ega tes . TAIMUN VIII began to draw to a close, but the delegates and cha i rs o f the Special Commit tee on Gender will surely l o o k b a c k u p o n their exper iences with a fond smi le a n d f e e l i n g s o f satisfaction.

It’s All About the WomenT h e S p e c i a l C o m m i t t e e o n

Gender promptly began the second day of TAIMUN VIII with the first of four resolutions. Submitted by the delegate of the United States of America, Shannon Lin of IBSH, the resolution focused on promoting women’s participation in fostering a culture of peace and specifically emphas ized the impor tance o f education in preventing violence and the need to have representation of women in government. The delegate of France, April Wu of KAS, expressed her support for the resolution, stating that “women are the first teachers of the values of peace to the next generation” and so it is pertinent that women receive high-quality education to pass on to the citizens of the future. The delegate of the United States further defended the resolut ion, reasoning that by being polit ical leaders, women can have a voice in making governmental decisions.

The debate hit a bump when the issue of quotas was mentioned. The resolution proposed that a quota be established “guaranteeing women a minimum of 20% of seats in elected governmental positions.” After some views against this proposal were expressed, Shannon Lin explained that

quotas would actually help underdeveloped countries. Although a government composed of equal parts men and women would be ideal, she said, “small steps of progress” toward the ideal would still be immensely beneficial.

Speeches about the first resolution soon started inching toward the second issue of tradit ional practices affecting the health of women. Chair Michelle Lu and Co-chair Stephanie Chen allowed the change in discussion to continue for awhile, as the two issues are closely connected. Sudan, represented by Sam Kuo of Putai, ruffled feathers when it articulated its belief that harmful traditional practices against women are “deeply t ied” to the cultures of many countries and thus “removing one’s traditions will be like removing one’s identity.” Although insightful, the statement was quickly challenged by other delegates. The Chairs then decided to move the focus of debate back to the topic of cultural peace. Two amendments were soon ratif ied, and following those, the first resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority of sixteen for, one against, and one abstaining.

After a brief recess, the Committee came to order to beg in debate once more. The second resolution was submitted by Aisl ing Mart in of TES, the delegate of Norway, and pertained to harmful traditional practices committed against women. It contained proposals such as using education to “promote awareness of traditional and cultural practices, such as breast ironing, that go against the gender identity of women” and implementing “government policies that deal with gender rights offenders.” India, represented by Justin Yang of TAS, conveyed its endorsement, saying that the resolution contained well-considered ideas that will create societies “free from gender inequality.”

The delegate of Sudan spoke up once more, arguing that the procedures are “all practiced for a reason,” whether it is due to religion,

Delegates listen to the main submitter's speech

The delagate of USA

By Hannah Yung, International Bilingual School at Hsinchu

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The TAIMUN VIII conference is f i l led wi th formal i ty and s e r i o u s n e s s . Wi t h i n t e n s e l o b b y i n g , h e a t e d d e b a t e s , and r igorous note -pass ing constantly going on in each of the committee rooms, delegates are often pushed to the limit by the amount of work they have to do.

However, the conference is not all work and no play. Outside t h e c o n f e r e n c e , d e l e g a t e s enjoy a mixture of activities such as watching movies and playing card games with both schoolmates and new friends. TAIMUN also made sure that delegates had an opportunity to unwind and socia l ize by hosting a dinner dance at the Plaza International Hotel. With long buffet tables consisting

of a variety of hotel dishes,

quality

service, blinding strobe lights, booming music, and a hired DJ crew, the planners made sure that the delegates were satisfied both physically and mentally.

In general, the delegates were indeed pleased with the combination of food and music, as it was able to satisfy their end-of-the-day needs.

“The food was amazing as usual and I was pretty satisfied,” s a i d D a n i e l C h e n g o f t h e International Bilingual School at Hsinchu.

Cheng also thought that the music was able to boost the level of excitement of the dance. “Even though there was way too much Lady Gaga playing, there was lots of hype, and the DJs helped improve the atmosphere with their constant shouting,” he said.

L i l i a n B a r r a t t o f Ta i p e i European School agreed with the high quality of the food provided; however, she thought that the music was too loud.

Jeffrey Hsiung of Taipei American School, however, did not enjoy his dinner

dance experience. “The DJ should just stop talking,” he said. “The sashimi was gross, too.”

C h e n g a l s o v o i c e d h i s disappointment with the fact that there were no battles. “I personally liked last year’s dance better only because there were intense and sweat-filled battles,

but in every other aspect, this dance was equally good,” he said.

Even though the d inner dance has become a traditional TA I M U N e v e n t a n d m u c h planning was done pr ior to the night, Barratt believes that improvements could stil l be made to make the dance more pleasurable for all participants, and suggests adding other forms of entertainment to next year’s dance.

Despite the flaws of the dance, the delegates all believed that the dance improved their TAIMUN experiences and should be continued in the future.

“There should be a dance next year because it is still enjoyable and it is good to spend time to get to know the other delegates,” Barratt said.

Cheng also thinks that the tradition of the TAIMUN dinner dance should continue. “I think while the dances are getting a bit old, delegates still look forward to them,” he said. “And I’m sure that all the delegates secretly want to get their groove on.”

W h e t h e r o r n o t t h e d e l e g a t e s e n j o y e d t h e experience, the dinner dance al lowed them to strengthen new friendships made during the conference as well as relax before the demanding debates of the next day.

By Ivan Yeh,Taipei American School

Delegates Dance Away the Stress

the DJ's took out their

microphones!

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Students get their grooves on!!

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An Energetic Beginning, A Tiring EndingThe debate in CDIS lashed

out feverishly right from the start, as main submitter, Antonio Liao, delegate of Iran from Morrison Christian Academy, explained his resolution for the privatization of war and the employment and arming of security contractors. The minute the chair opened the floor to any points of information, four placards immediately shot up, marking the beginning of a heated and intense debate. Right from the start, the delegate of the United Kingdom, Roger Yang, attacked a clause that called for security contractors accused of committing war crimes to be tried for their misconduct. He said that it would be “a waste of time, money, and energy to track down the shielded companies.” He continued to emphasize his points several times and later submitted an amendment to revise the clause. Although he attempted to convince the delegates that the clause would be applicable if they could improve the transparency of companies, this amendment failed with 6 votes for the amendment and 9 votes against it.

After numerous critical assailments regarding a clause that proposed to withdraw all non-military combat units from regions of armed conflicts in which a member state is involved, the delegate of Afghanistan, Michael Chen from the International Bilingual School at Hsinchu, submitted an amendment to strike the clause. He pointed out that the clause was “simply unfeasible. Although setting standards is crucial, the PMC’s (Private Military Contractors) cannot be completely taken out of

Afghanistan, since we need them to defend against the Taliban.” With 11 votes for the amendment, and 6 against it, the amendment passed.

T h e d e l e g a t e o f t h e USA, Gary Liou f rom the International Bilingual School a t H s i n c h u , f e r o c i o u s l y at tacked one c lause that stated: Countries that use securi ty contractors must meet a criteria, which shall be determined by the UN in a future period of time. He pointed out that the words “ ‘future period of time’ were too ambiguous. Is it 5 years? 10 years? 300 years? It’s an unacceptable, open- ended statement that may lead to further problems.” He continued on and fervently disagreed with half of the clauses in the resolution and said that they were “more than enough to make the delegate of the USA vote against the resolution unless amendments were to make them more plausible.” Following this, the delegate of Israel, Christine Yeh from Taipei European School, also said that “half of the clauses are not feasible and two of them do not pertain to the resolution.” Thus, after an hour and a half of debating, this resolution failed, with a close vote of 6 for, 8 against, and 1 abstention.

Although the conference kicked off with a hyped up debate, the second round of debate began to lose its zeal and energy. The Chair, Patrick Lo, saw that there wasn’t “much discussion on the Afghanistan issue.” Gary Liou, the delegate of the USA, brought

up a r eso lu t i on f o r ensu r i ng security, freedom, and stability for the citizens of Afghanistan. This resolution passed successful ly with 16 votes for the resolution, 0 against, and 1 abstention. Why is this? The resolution “ensures that resources for the Taliban will be completely shut off and also offers a method of combating the Taliban more efficiently. Moreover, the resolution calls for international aid for Afghanistan and endorses economically stimulating programs so A fghan is tan can s tand on its own,” noted the delegate of Afghanistan, Michael Chen.

This year in CDIS, the delegates of the USA, the Russian Federation, and Iran each submitted a resolution, thus resulting in two resolutions resolving the privatization of war and the employment of security contractors and one regarding the Taliban guerrillas in Afghanistan and the security, freedom, and stability of the populace. Sparked with excitement at the beginning, the Chair, Patrick Lo, was disappointed t o s e e t h e “ s e r i o u s l a c k o f participation on the last resolution” and believed “that delegates were getting pretty tired of the issues.”

N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e c o n f e r e n c e in CDIS st i l l

m a r k e d g r e a t s u c c e s s a n d w a s f i l l ed w i th innovat ive ideas.

By Tsai- Wei Chen, International Bilingual School at Hsinchu

Delegates of the CDIS stand to make points of information to the speaker

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As the last day of the conference a r r i v e d , t h e E n v i r o n m e n t Commit tee took o n n a t u r e ’ s o v e r w h e l m i n g t h r e a t s . T h e committee spent the entire first day merging resolutions and creating the best solutions to combat the threats. By the end of the day, the committee officially had four approved resolutions ready to be debated.

T h e f i r s t r e s o l u t i o n t h e environment committee debated was submitted by the delegate of the United States, Fermin Liu from the International Bilingual School at Hsinchu (IBSH), along with twenty-three co-submitters, and tackled the topic of “responsibility of providing safe drinking water for all.” Because it is an undeniable fact that 3.5 million people still lack safe drinking water in the first place, any resolution regarding the responsibi l i ty of providing safe drinking water must acknowledge this fact, and resolve the issue immediately. To start off his speech, the delegate of U.S.A. stated, “when young people are educated about the need for safe drinking water, they’ll understand that some people do not have this basic necessity.” The committee agreed upon this point and in the credible solutions the resolution put forth.

The main concerns of this resolution pertained to water as a basic human right, the formation of a new UN water commission, and the passing of laws that prohibit toxic waste dumping. Due to the detailed suggestions and solutions the resolution proposed, the majority of the house had already agreed that this was an adequate resolution ten minutes into the discussion. However, despite the well-roundedness of the resolution, the delegate

of Belgium, Arthur Chang, Taipei American School, was dissatisfied with the wording of the resolution. “The operative clauses with words ‘encourages,’ ‘expresses hope,’ and ‘suggests’ are not strong enough to tackle such issues and should be amended.’ However, the resolution passed with twenty-seven votes for and twenty-three against.

The main submitter of the next resolution, the delegate of Canada, Angel Wang from the American School in Taichung, took a similar yet different approach to the same issue. Though both resolutions aimed to provide safe drinking water for all, the delegate of Canada, along with her twenty-five co-submitters, suggested different methods to combat this issue. Compared to the resolution submitted by the delegate of the United States, Wang’s resolution started a heated discussion. The early parts of the resolution followed similar propositions as the previous resolution, but operative clause six, which read “Recommends all member states to privatize their water systems in coordination with the respective laws and regulations of member states in order to assist nation states with efficient, productive water serv ices, ” was s t rongly opposed by many of the delegates. “This resolution cannot be passed unless clause six is stricken,” said the delegate of Afghanistan, Matthew Lee, IBSH. “How do you judge countries according t o t h e i r

capabilities to control water? That takes away their rights to access to water.” Following his comments, the delegate of Turkey, Dara Lan, IBSH, also stated, “privatizing water systems will not only create chaos between countries for the rights for water but also give the richer people priority to access water.” Numerous other delegates approached the podium stating the same concern they shared along with the delegates of Turkey and Afghanistan. “The most detrimental part of privatizing water systems will put developing countries under the mercy of developed countries. When developing countries run out of water, they will be under the control of developed countries in order to receive water,” said the delegate of Afghanistan, deeply bothered by this clause. Without any further consideration, the committee immediately amended the resolution by striking the clause. This made the resolution more acceptable, so the delegates voted to pass the resolution.

With both resolutions passed concerning the topic of responsibility of providing safe drinking water for all, the delegates of the environment committee are proud and satisfied with their progress and hope for the improvement of lives of the 3.5 million people denied safe drinking water access.

Water Woes Bring Delegates TogetherBy Sunny Wang, International Bilingual School at Hsinchu

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Volume VII Issue 3

“The house has now come to order,” said the honorable chair, Winnie Liao from the American School in Taichung, addressing the delegates of the Social, Culture, and Humanitarian Committee.

A n e r v o u s a t m o s p h e r e permeated the crowded room, which was so quiet that you could hear the delegates’ hearts beating anxiously. Today was a crucial day because today the delegates would support their ideas during debate and decide whether to pass the resolutions or not.

The first resolution was on the topic of improving health care in rural areas. After the main submitter read the operative clauses, all the delegates tried their best to tell the other delegates how their countries fee l and what the i r count r ies want the United Nations to do. Delegates from various countries expressed themselves by taking the floor. Speaking to the issue, the delegate of France, Joshua Wu from Kaohsiung American School cried out, “When is the last time you looked at a pill and knew what was in it?”

Meanwhile, other delegates passed notes to gain support for or to oppose the resolution being considered.

“The de lega te o f N ige r i a would like to urge all the

delegates to support t h i s r e s o l u t i o n , although there are s o m e p l a c e s w e should correct,” said

the delegate of Nigeria, Jul ius

C h i a n g f r o m

Pacific American School.

H o w e v e r o n the opposite side, the delegate of A f g h a n i s t a n , E r n e s t W a n g from International B i l i n g u a l S c h o o l at Hsinchu said, “The delegates s h o u l d b e f u l l y a g a i n s t t h i s resolution.” Sparks flew as the two sides debated, and delegates from different countries proposed amendments, seeking to improve the resolution, until it could be passed.

During the process of excited and aggressive debate, some of the delegates used points of information to show whether they supported or opposed the resolution. The time limit expired, so debate ended quickly, and with the overwhelming majority voting for the amendment to strike clause one, it passed.

As debating continued, more and more amendments indicated that the delegates wanted education to improve enormously, and wanted

powerful countries to help poorer ones. Other amendments called for doctors to avoid cultural

discrimination, and to learn to accept all different kinds of medical treatments.

The first two resolutions passed. During the time between voting procedures and the start of debate, delegates representing different countries gathered quickly and

figured out what they would say when they took the floor, or what points of information they would ask. They found out who was against the upcoming resolution and who was for it. Thereby they knew who their allies were and who would vote for or against the resolution, or submit amendments.

After listening to the amazing arguments flying back and forth during debates on each resolution, each delegate learned something that he/she did not know, and now dreams of one day becoming a great chair who can lead and organize the committee as well as Winnie Liao and Emily Lu did..

“Finally the debate is done. I don’t need to worry about a thing any more!” yelled Michael Chang, the secretary of the Social, Culture, and Humanitarian Committee from the American School in Taichung. However, what Michael failed to point out was that although the debate is over in the SCHC of TAIMUN VII, this issue will continue to exist.

Because of the hard work and determination of SCHC’s delegates, we are one step closer to improving the world

Sparks Fly over International MedicationBy Tiffany Lieu, American School in Taichung

Sparks flew all over the committee while delegates debated

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TAIMUN VIII 2010 Conference PhotosWant to see more photos? Visit the TAIMUN TIMES Website!

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Volume VII Issue 3

What are the politics of food? Industrial farms harm the environment, as well as the plants, animals and people that inhabit these farms. Do not buy foods from these sources. The phrase “think globally and act locally” applies. In Taichung, for instance, local organic farmers from Nantou, Changhua, Yunl in, Tainan, Hsinchu, and Taitung sell their produce every Saturday morning, 8:am to 12:00. The NCHU Organic Farmers market is located at the National Chung Hsing University, 250, Kuo Kuang Rd., Taichung 402 TAIWAN.

Food sovereignty is a term used by Raj Patel in Stuffed and Starved to discuss the importance of an individual’s ability to freely choose the food she or he can eat. Poverty and the globalization of food production have severely harmed

the quality of life for many farmers and people who live in poor rural areas. When we refuse to understand the political and economic harm inflicted by global food markets, we are refusing to acknowledge our connectedness and humanitarian responsibility.

So, what can you do? Many people feel that as individuals we are helpless against corporate agribusiness. But every day what you chose to eat and drink can be a vote for healthy foods and a more humane existence. The food you buy is your vote.

Make your choices show a commitment to personal health, mindful eating and food sovereignty. It takes daily vigilance, but the effort will be worth it.

1. Filter your water. Plastic bottled water is an environmental and health

“Hundreds of millions of people cannot afford to feed themselves or their families.” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the Summit of the World’s Regions on Food Security in Dakar, Senegal, 18 Jan. 2010.

“The leading cause of death in the United States is chronic diseases associated with excessive intake of food and drink.” Marion Nestle, Chair of the Department of Food, Food Studies and Public Health, New York University.

Half of the world suffers from food excess and the other half from food scarcity. We have all heard of the digital divide, but increasingly the world is exhibiting a food divide as well. Government subsidies for industrial agriculture and corporate food producers have created

an abundance of cheap, unhealthy foods. Jane Goodall in Harvest for Hope, A Guide to Mindful Eating, points out that many people are no longer aware of where their food comes from, and have no idea of what they are eating. She adds that “the industrial, technological world has increasingly destroyed our understanding of the food we eat” (Goodall xxi).

This lack of information is intentional. For if we knew what was in our foods and how cruel and inhumane the production of these foods is to people, animals and the environment, most of us would refuse to eat such food. Food that is presented as healthy is often contaminated by transfats, sweeteners and chemicals which produce neurotoxins in the body. Feedlot animals are tortured and injected with growth hormones and antibiotics. These foods are produced by a system of corporate agribusiness that not only harms the environment but is also cruel to its animals and workers (Schlosser 8).

Mindful Eating: The Politics of Food

Change the quality of your life by supporting organic food markets

By Lorna Parker

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Works CitedGoodall, Jane. Harvest for Hope, A Guide For Mindful Eating. New York: Time Warner Books, 2005.Hyman, Mark, The Ultramind Solution: Fixing the Broken Brain. New York: Scribner, 2008.Patel, Raj, (2008). Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System. Hoboken: Melville House Publishing, 2008.Schlosser, Eric, Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: Perennial Books, 2002.

Never has the saying “you are what you eat” been more true. This is true personally and politically. Cancer is in epidemic proportions. Obesity and diabetes rates are on the rise (1 in 3 children born after 2004 in the USA will have diabetes). Mental and sleep disorders are plaguing children and adults.(Hyman 48)The world’s earth, water and air systems are near eco-collapse. The resources that are needed to support the production of a beef industry is ethically unconscionable. It is time to seriously rethink food and what constitutes healthy, sustainable and ethical eating practices.

Nutritionally rich foods are cornerstones to lifelong good health. The following foods will cause serious chronic health problems: fast food, prepackaged foods (aka poison in a box), foods containing MSG and other preservatives, large amounts of sugars, or even worse, sugar substitutes which cause nerve damage, bad oils, animal proteins that are full of hormones and antibiotics, and produce laden with fertilizers and pesticides. These foods make for a disease-promoting lifestyle and compromised health. Research has linked all these foods with most of the major diseases and mental health disorders. (Goodall 86) Diseases that have been traditionally associated with ageing such as cancer, diabetes, and even Alzheimer’s are increasingly showing up in thirty-year-old people. Given that most diseases, such as cancer, can take up to twenty years to ‘appear’, it seems evident that good nutrition is essential from conception/infancy onwards.

Dr. Mark Hyman in “Healing the Broken Brain Syndrome” claims that “problems of the brain such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disease, attention deficit disorders (ADD), Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease and even mood swings can be prevented, improved or even cured by a program of diet, nutritional supplements, exercise, meditation and lifestyle changes.” And that “we have 1.1 billion people in the world with mood or cognitive disorders” (Hyman 76) He warms us that our diet and environment is becoming increasingly toxic, and we live in a constant state of stress that further erodes our health and immune systems. He also says that while we cannot avoid all the environmental toxins, we can avoid them in much of our food and water supply. He points out that “the average person consumes a gallon of neurotoxic pesticides a year and that there are 3,500 different additives put into our foods” (Hyman 87).

problem.2. Try to eat organic food: find out the

levels of contamination in the foods we eat. Check out the following website of the Environmental Working Group (www.edu.org) to see the latest figures on the level of pesticides in foods. Read the labels on all the packaged foods, you purchase.

3. Try and buy your food locally. Support local farmers markets and farmer cooperatives. (The NCHU Organic Farmers)

4. Become mindful eaters. If you do not wish to be a vegetarian, only eat small portions of meat, and, even then, know how and where the animals were raised.

5. Eat good oils. People that go on fat free diets are harming their health. The body and mind needs healthy Omega-3

and a smaller amount of healthy Omega- 6 oils to function at optimal levels. Do not consume transfats or vegetable oils, such as corn, sunflower or canola oils. Extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed is healthy oil. Many people take fish oil supplements for their Omega-3 requirements.

6. Buy food that has been produced by paying fair prices to the farmers and laborers that grew the crop. (Fair Trade)

7. Eat your meals with family and friends. Food is a gift and a blessing. A culture of thankfulness should surround the rituals of eating.

Mr. Doug Parker shopping for fresh, organic fruits and

vegetables

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Editor-in-ChiefBelle WuKaren SimsProanne Liao

Layout EditorTiffany Chang

ReportersGrace WangMichelle McneillIvan YehSunny WangElissa LeeTsai-Wei ChenHannah YungDiane LeeTiffany LieuSean LiuLayout DesignersAngela LaiEdmund TungNelson LinBryant ChaoTina FunAngela WuJessica LinSelena Chen

Artists & PhotographersMary June MannoChieh LinIris Gwon Tina FunGrace ChenAlice-Lin- HsiehJessica Yang

AdvisorMr. Doug Parker

ContributorMs. Parker

It is settled then. Look at the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. Be reminded that the ten hottest years on record have occurred since 1990. Since 1978, the ice in the Arctic has shrunk by 2.7% per year. The seas are currently rising 3.1 millimeters each year. Look again. Ivory and shells do not magically appear on our clothing, and more animal and plant species face extinction each year. Fellow citizens of the world, we do not need any more to know that we must save our Earth. Everyone can contribute. Everyone must contribute. Perhaps these tips can start you out.

• Try not to get too excited about flashy paper or plastic bags. Bring your own, preferably ones made of cloth.

• Read labels and research the products you buy.• Avoid buying products with packaging, or recycle the

packaging.• Don’t buy unnecessary items.• Don't purchase products made of ivory, tortoise shell,

animal skins.• Buy items that are recycled or recyclable.• Colorful and sparkly greetings cards are nice, but

handmade ones come straight from the heart and are environment-friendly.

• DO NOT release helium balloons into the air. DO NOT inhale helium. Just DO NOT have anything to do with helium.

• Take shorter showers—three to five gallons of water go to waste every minute you leave the water running.

• Turn off the lights whenever you leave the room and unplug your electrical devices whenever possible.

• Decide what you want to eat before opening the fridge, not while you stand there in front of the open door.

• Get rides with your friends, walk, or bike.• Eat less meat and more organic food.• Hang up your clothes instead of ironing them.• Make sure all your documents are perfect before printing

them. Make as many changes as you can on the computer.

• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to watch TV for three hours or to use half a gallon of gasoline in your car.

• If every newspaper were recycled, we will save about 250,000,000 trees each year

• More than 20,000,000 Hershey's Kisses are wrapped each day, using 133 square miles of tinfoil, all of which can be recycled.

• 85 percent of consumers have the intention to save energy, but only 3 percent actually do something. What’s with the big difference between intention and action?

• We can make a difference, a huge difference.

Simple Tips to Save Our Earth

By Grace Wang, American School in Taichung

Cool facts:

For the average teenager:

For the shopaholic consumer: