Sydney University United Nations Society

It’s YOUR world

Society Handbook 2011

WELCOMEto your world!

Welcome to the Sydney University United Nations Society. In 2011 we plan to continue the exemplar tradition of excellence in Model UN (MUN) and provide outstanding opportunities for students to engage with humanitarian, political, social, security and environmental issues.

As Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, once said, “More than ever before in human history we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together. And that, my friends, is why we have the United Nations.” This is why we are here. In our increased participation at MiniMUNs, roundtable discussions and conferences of every level, our common interest in realising fundamental freedoms and human rights is followed with conviction and inspiration, as peoples of the world.

As the leading MUN Society in the region, we believe in adding extra value to your model UN experience. Through both semesters, we look forward to good, spirited debate and insightful talks by guest speakers that will span a range of current and refreshing themes.

A highlight of this year will be the Asia-Pacific Model United Nations Conference in July held at the Australian National University. Not only will this be a prime opportunity to test your skills against some of the best delegates around the Asia-Pacific region, it will also serve as a valuable opportunity for advancing our MUN outreach to the wider community.

So whether you are an experience MUN-er or a fresh newcomer seeking to explore the world of international issues through an interactive framework, we welcome you to join us for the most enriching and unforgettable year. Our common destiny is the product of what we choose in the present. Indeed, much more needs to be done to resolve the conflict and to achieve lasting peace and security.

This is your world. Be the change you want to see.

Yours sincerely,

Hitesh ChughPresident of the 2011 Exec

In a nutshell, Model United Nations (MUN) is a simulation of the real United Nations, where you take up the role as ambassador to the UN and debate on various international issues; as a lobbyist from a NGO to ask the politicians to help push your agenda through; or as a journalist recording what is happening.

It’s not just about giving speeches - you have to work to others in order to come up with a viable solution. It involves a lot in communication, negotiation and compromise ... a very good place to pick up debate skills and to make new friends.

What is

MODEL UN?

MODEL UNat Sydney

Yes, there are heaps of pizzas and many new faces to know ... but what else do we do?

MiniMUNs

Simplified and short versions of a

Model UN conference. It is good

for newbie to start MUN-ing,

and for old and new friends to

catch up.

JointMUNsJointMUN is like a MiniMUN, but with MUN-ers from UNSW, Newcastle and Macquaire as well and along with it, more drama!

SydMUNReady for big time?

SydMUN happens

in Sydney Uni in

December each year - and is a

weekend long conference with

MUN-ers around Australia.

Think of it ... as a 3-day long

MiniMUN.

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Meet Our

MASCOT!The UN Society wouldn’t be afloat without that up bright gentleman called Doc drawing everyone to all those MiniMUNs and roundtables (free pizza and drinks can only do so much).

Named after the President of the United Nations General Assembly from 1948 – 49, Dr. H. V. Evatt, Doc has been to major MUN conferences around the world ... meeting the ladies and sampling all the MUN and the alcohol the world has to offer.

Hug Doc, take a picture with him, but please don’t kidnap him.

Meet the

EXECSPresident - Hitesh Chugh

From nearly instigating a war between India and Pakistan at AMUNC 2009, to bringing AMUNC 2010 close to nuclear Armageddon through Iran and Israel; Hitesh’s penchant for crisis nearly always turns into a spectacle. Now as President of Society, his ability to abate them with flair and class will be put to the test by way of a dedicated cabinet, friends in high places and house wine on standby.

Vice-President - Sarah Nguyen

Sarah has grown to call MUN Conferences her second home - the behind-the-scenes organisation, the technical aspects of debate, and most importantly, the social, free-flowing-alcohol side of MUN. While not MUNing, she likes to reform organisations, compete in business competitions, watch documentaries, read conspiracy theories and harass people on omegle.com with her political stances (only to be rejected due to her some-what socialist ideals).

Secretary - Oliver Pase

Oliver Pase is our Secretary, a veteran of MUN for nearly a decade, making his debut at the tender age of eleven. While it’s safe to assume his performance was woeful at best, he’d like to assure readers that he has long since realised that possessing some knowledge of the debating topic is advisable so as to spare one from the trauma of being told to desist mid-speech and refrain from contributing for the rest of the conference.

Treasurer - Dan Barabas

Call him “Dan”, or one of many nicknames such as “Barbados”, “Baramundy”, or “Barnaby Joyce”. However, that does not mean he will respond to all of them. He has attended many many domestics and international conferences. When you don’t see him at uni, he is probably swimming in a pool, paining a picture, or chilling.

Conference Director - Angela Chen

For Angela, it was love at first sight - it was a perfect, sunny day during O-week 2010 when her naive first-year eyes saw Doc guarding the UN Society Stall. It didn’t take long for her to realise that Doc has many, many admirers. She is currently the UNSoc’s Conferences Director so she is planning big adventures for Doc and all his groupies.

Education Director - Dorothy Tran

Dorothy is the Education Director for the society and third year International and Global Studies student. Current passions: human rights, having fun, food, reading, seeing new places, meeting new people, chai…yum! She can often be found around campus lying on the grass or chairs on a sunny day, reading and listening to whatever random music suits her mood and the weather at the moment.

External Events Director - Sean Bruce

Sean joined the society about a year ago and since then have found many new friends and opportunities. He attended his first big conference last year where he met people from universities around Australia and the world. He found that everyone had a different outlook and different beliefs, but all shared a common interest in shouting and lively

discussion.

Marketing Director - Jeff Li

Jeff our Marketing Guru is the Society’s resident alcoholic. When not plundering the Bar Tab during conferences, Jeff is either hung over or plotting his way to become a journalistic deity. Jeff, being literally the head of creative, in some respects, would be the society’s equivalent of Don Draper (minus the good looks and sleeping around - just the drinking a lot bit).

Internal Events Director - Cathy Tran

With a passion for event coordination and an almost OCD-like obsession with spreadsheets, colour-coding and organisation, Cathy hopes to make you fall in love with the Society (and Doc) just as much as she has. While this is her first year on the exec, she has been involved in the Society for many years as well as many other clubs and societies and as an avid volunteer for the USU. In addition to her affection for MUN and the UN, Cathy has a bit of a penchant for baked goods, travel, art, British accents, lace and kittens.

Sponsorship Director - Daniel Liu

Daniel resembles a nocturnal, oriental woodland creature that only ventures out for books for his honours thesis or for MUN, before

scurrying back into the safety of the inner city terrace that is his den.

Living on a diet consists purely of redbulls, apples and snickers bars, his defence mechanisms against predators involve either bombarding his enemies with useless biochemistry facts or west wing trivia; or beating them over the head with a bamboo sword while dressed in a glorified bath robe (aka: Kendo).

General Exec Member - Karen Chau

“Call me KChau, cos I like sounding like a superhero sound effect.” Karen enjoys reading the Economist (and anything related to Harry Potter), hanging out with friends and walking down Eastern Avenue whilst playing “Pretty Woman” on her iPod. The things she loves most about the UN include peacekeepers, Ban-ki Moon and the fact that the UN is manly enough to use periwinkle blue as their dominant colour.

General Exec Member - Ina Hoxha

As an International and Global Studies Student, Model UN raises Ina’s placard.Although formally she holds the position of the UN Society’s General Executive, she is better known for her love affair with the political left, passionate debates, drinking way too much vodka and generally looking damn fine in a business skirt and heels.

Although not a Law student yet, she loves pretending to be one from taking on the title of “Justice Hoxha” in the ICJ at SydMUN 2010 to drinking a substantial amount of Campos coffee every morning and of course, occasionally spending the night at Lawbry.

Get

INVOLVED!

Week 1March 1

Week v2March 8

Week 5March 29

Week 7April 12

Week 9May 3

Week 11May 17

Week 13May 31

Start of Semester BBQ

First MiniMUN (on the situation in Egypt)

Second MiniMUN(Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation)

Guest Speaker (details to be confirmed)

Roundtable

AMUNC Training

End of Semester drinks

Three steps to kick start your MUN-erful year with UN Society!

1 - Add Doc as your friend on Facebook (facebook.com/usydunsociety)

2 - Come to the start of semester BBQ in week 1

3 - Go to the brand new Society website at www.usydunsociety.org to find out more about Model UN (or if you prefer to talk to a human being, ask our exec!)

Events calendar for semester 1 ...