What’s Different about UBCMUN 2011

This year, we’re hoping to make your experience richer and much more enjoyable with a few key changes.

These are just a few of the things we’re working on:

An Entirely New Committee Experience

We’re pleased to introduce, for the first time in the history of UBCMUN, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). This forum will consist of sixteen member states and approximately 25-30 Indigenous organizations. The room will be set up in a parliamentary style with the purpose of encouraging and enhancing debate and resolution. Click here for more information.

           

A New Direction for the Case Study

            Myanmar has been under military rule since 1962. Minority groups assert that all political dissent is often sidelined and silenced. Media censorship is rampant and the ruling military council stands accused of gross human rights violations, including the use of forced labour and relocation. With the upcoming elections in Myanmar, it will be interesting to see the dynamic between the ruling military council and various opposition parties plays out. Will the elections be free and fair, or will they cause even more turmoil in a country already embroiled in ethnic tensions?

This year’s case study will be divided into two groups in two separate rooms, the ruling military council and the various oppressed minority parties and organizations. Click here for more information.

Much More Interactive Roles for Volunteers

            While volunteers will still have the opportunity of being pages, we have created new positions for those volunteers who want a more engaging role in committee sessions. From guest experts to spies to committee positions, we have made it so that those volunteers who would like to play a key role in the conference have the option to. Click here to sign up to be a volunteer.

Bringing Back the Delegate Speech Competition

            With the overwhelming success of last year’s Delegate Speech Competition, we have decided to bring it back for UBCMUN 2011 as well. While there will only be five finalists, our goal is to have as many delegations participate as possible. Click here for more information on how to participate.

Committee Guest Speakers

            For the first time ever, UBCMUN is working on having guest speakers open up the first committee session. We hope that this will provide participants with insight into that particular field of research and perhaps inspire new experiences. Keep checking our blog for more information on specific committee speakers.

A number of these changes are the result of feedback from past participants, if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please contact Dominika Ziemczonek at sg@ubcmun.org or Jaskiran Kaur at usg@ubcmun.org.