NMUN catchup

2 weeks in NY. First week was the busy and amazing reason why I went on this whole trip: The NMUN, a role game of university students playing the UN in different bodies. I was with my beloved wonderful partner N. in the World Tourism Organisation representing Lebanon. Already at the opening ceremony in the General Assembly hall at UN headquarters everybody started lobbying and running around getting to known as many people as possible, passing out cards with names and hotel room numbers to identify allies. As everyone was living in the ****Marriott directly located at Times square we called each other at impossible times concerning strategies and amendments of articles and sentences in our reports and resolutions for the following 5 intensive days. These can be called our targets, reports, for which we voted and argued, in seemingly endless sessions. Imagine a proper conference room full with students all nicely dressed in line with business dress code, all with placards saying their country name representing, being role called and standing up stating present and/or voting. Lebanon is just present. Does certainly not want to be bind to any kind of behaviour. Following the strict rules of UN we set speakers times, argued for them, voted, set caucus times, wrote and all fought hardest to be put on the speakers list! It’s partly scary how frightful people can become just wanting attention and their certain point made known, and that was the point of this whole game for me: that’s politics.


Thats GA Plan with manymany sudents

We voted on topics to be set on the speakers list, our favourite was privacy rights, because it’s the hardest discussed one. The intention was to discuss legal complicated issues as privacy as human right versus security – means states policies versus the benefits of tourists moving and spreading money, important issue, specially for Lebanon whose tourism infrastructure was completely destroyed by the Israeli attacks in summer 2006. But the people were coward! Not realising about their great possibility and power to discuss such matters as students, free in spirit but bound to rules of behaviour of international policy. Well, sad but the body ruled on eco tourism as primary topic. After some hours of listening to funny, bad, populist or in character speeches we also once had mine where I think to got the importance of basic infrastructure across. Where is the need for more institutions and bureaucrats evaluating on importance and possibilities, on schemes and premises? There is need to get good ideas and get them going. Everyone together. International politics is like kids playing in the sand, power relationship issues but if the kids don’t get them over they wont have fun playing. And all of us want to have fun also kids in Africa. We succeeded then with our report but couldn’t drop other ones (Syria sucks), sorry China and Nepal. What else did I learn? Much about myself, I am very able to work under stress, can be productive but need other players to not have the ball all the time. Leadership skills c Anke. One telling incident: We were again at GA Hall caucusing with countries. I felt frightened and insecure because of so many people screaming and could not just walk around saying ‘hi’. When my partner was with me 5 min later I felt perfectly alright and it was fun to do so, like ‘Hey that’s Lebanon, what your point at…’ meeting allies and opponents. I was confident and calm, although N. was just there to just be there because I wouldn’t let her say a word in my state of enthusiasm. *nice smile*.
Besides the bunch of 20 people enjoyed beer and run from the cops, but that’s another story…