OIB Duby delegation’s visit to Paris Model United Nations, 30th November – 2nd December 2018
Eleven of our students, accompanied by Mme Laget and Mr Lewis of AGESSIA, took part in the Paris MUN weekend conference hosted by the American School of Paris and held at le Palais de la Mutualité, 5eme arrondissement, during the first weekend of December.
The theme of the weekend was ‘Sharing Responsibility to Implement Sustainability’ and our delegation participated in 8 of the 10 committees on offer, presenting and discussing clauses and exploring, debating and voting on these clauses in order to forge sound resolutions.
At the opening ceremony on Friday morning, Monsieur Vincent Defourny (currently Head of the Division of Public Information at UNESCO) urged his audience of schools from all over the world, to « save the treasure on which we are living » and reminded us all that we « have the responsibility to build the bridges and not the walls. »
The keynote speaker, Ms Eleanor Beardsley, a journalist and radio broadcaster for National Public Radio (NPR) in France since 2004, called on the assembled students to « never stop learning as [we’re] never done » and to seize opportunities in their youth and to make the most of them.
The conference closed on Sunday afternoon with a General Assembly which debated ‘A Global Compact for Migration.’ Following this, the MUN Director, historian and author of Guerre, Mythes et Caricature (pub. 1984), Monsieur Ouriel Reshef, thanked the 800 students from 60 schools for « the light you have brought with you.»
Our delegation consisted of the following students who represented the listed countries and sat on the committees shown in brackets.
Well done to you all and thank you for your parents’ support of the project.
Lily AZCONA represented India on the ECOSOC Committee and explored the following issues : ‘Creating a framework for corporate responsibility in preservation of socioeconomic rights’ and ‘Question of financing the sustainable development goals in LEDCs through mutual co-operation.’
Crosby BYRNES represented Kenya on the Human Rights Committee and explored the following issues : ‘Measures to strengthen the rights of indigenous people’ and ‘Measures to strengthen co-ordination of humanitarian aid in response to emergencies.’
Anaïs CHIGNARD represented India on the UNODC (Office on Drugs & Crime) and explored the following issues : ‘Measures to stem trafficking of cultural property’ and ‘Question of corruption in sporting events.’
Emilie DELFORGE : represented Kenya on the Environment Committee and explored the following issues : ‘Question of the sustainable use and management of marine resources’ and ‘Question of environmentally displaced people.’
Gabriel FRASER represented Kenya on the Sustainable Development Commission and explored the following issues : ‘Question of agriculture & food security and ‘Question of gender mainstreaming in all sectors of the economy.’
Achille GAZAILLE represented Kenya on the UNODC (see above for details).
Pauline HENRI represented India on the Environment Committee (see above for details)
Thomas JOGAND-COULOMB represented Kenya on the Political Committee and explored the following issues : ‘Measures to promote state-building and good governance in the Middle East’ and ‘Question of mobilising the international community to actively combat corruption.’
Alexandre PONZO represented India on the Special Committee and explored the following issue : ‘Redefining the role of the International Court of Justice.’
Marie-Lou VINCENT-SOUCARET represented India on the UNCTAD (Conference on Trade & Development) and explored the following issues :’Question of intellectual property and biodiversity’ and ‘Measures to promote the diversification of economies in CDDCs.’
Gema WYLIE represented Kenya on the UNCTAD (see above for details).
