March 14, 2007

 

Dear Colleagues, Supporters and Friends:

 

Please join me in congratulating eight UCCS students for their outstanding performance at the 2007 Canadian International Model United Nations (CANIMUN) conference held in Ottawa, Canada last week!

 

The team of 8 UCCS advanced Model United Nations students represented the People's Republic of China on eight committees of the United Nations including the General Assembly 1^st, General Assembly 2^nd, World Health Organization, UN-HABITAT, UN HIV/AIDS, Security Council, Counterterrorism, and UNCSTD as follows:

 

2007 UCCS CANIMUN team assignments:

 

Delegate	CANIMUN Committee	Committee Topics
Erika Berry	Security Council	Topic 1: The case of Darfur
Adam Brickley	Counterterrorism	Topic 1: Counter-Terrorism Action
Abigail Craft	HIV/AIDS	Topic 1: Rights of Sex Trade Workers Topic 2: Male Circumcision as Prevention
Jessica De Mont	GA 2nd	Topic 1: Globalization and Interdependence Topic 2: Eradication of Poverty
Katherine Dutton	WHO	Topic 1: Healthy Children, Healthy Communities Topic 2: Social Determinants of Health and National Health Policy
Austin Frindt	UN-Habitat	Topic 1: Cities Without Slums Topic 2: Small Arms, Light Weapons, and Secure Cities
Carlos Ochoa	UNCSTD	Topic 1: Gender, Science and Technology Topic 2: The Digital Divide
Aaron Rowland	GA 1st	Topic 1: A Re-evaluation of Current Nuclear Non-proliferation Activities Topic 2: Conflict Diamonds

 

 

A very special "congratulations" goes to five students who won awards at the conference:

 

Adam Brickley             Outstanding Delegate             Counterterrorism Committee

Abigail Craft                Outstanding Delegate             UN HIV/AIDS Committee

Jessica DeMont           Honorable Mention                  GA 2^nd Committee

Kate Dutton                 Verbal Shout Out                     World Health Organization Committee

Austin Frindt               Outstanding Delegate             UN-HABITAT Committee

 

Over 500 students from around the world participated in this year's simulation of the United Nations. Organized by United Nations Association-Canada and sponsored by the Canadian Government, CANIMUN 2007 boasted a series of 21 committees dealing with the world's most pressing and complex issues. UCCS students stepped into the shoes of the Ambassadors from the People's Republic of China this year and represented this country on eight important United Nations committees. Our students were among the very best prepared at the conference and this was reflected in their individual impact in each of their committees. Their knowledge and ideas were instrumental, respected and very well received. To be certain, each one of the UCCS delegates was a major sponsor of resolutions and recommendations that passed in their respective committees.

 

As noted by the organization: "At a time when what happens beyond our borders is having a greater impact on our lives than ever before, our engagement with the world is increasingly important to our well-being today and into the future. Model UN activities assist students in understanding the intricacies of global challenges while increasing their awareness and capacity to engage in the policy debate surrounding current international issues. Model UN activities also underscore the potential for solutions through discussion, compromise and multilateral cooperation." CANIMUN is the world's only post-secondary level bilingual (English and French) simulation event and this bilingual component adds an important dimension to the realism of the United Nations simulation. Students concentrate to listen through head-sets to real-time interpreters, and await the translations of all critical documents debated and voted upon. The conference itself takes place in the Canadian Government Conference Center, across the street from the Canadian Parliament. For these and other reasons, CANIMUN enjoys the reputation as one of the best Model United Nations conferences in the world.

 

• Awards are based on the following criteria:

• Overall knowledge of the topic

• Overall knowledge of the country

• Effectiveness within formal debates

• Effectiveness within informal debates

• Leadership skills within formal settings

• Leadership skills within informal settings

• Position papers

• Punctuality

• Participation at the conference in general

 

Three delegate awards are given for each committee at the Closing Ceremony: Best Delegate Award, Outstanding Delegate Award and Honorable Delegate Award. The Committee Chairs and Directors also verbally recognize a select few additional delegates on each committee with "Verbal Shout-out" distinction. This year's team won more awards than any other previous UCCS team attending the CANIMUN conference (UCCS has attended this conference three times: 2005, 2006 and 2007).

 

In addition to four intensive days of simulations, our students participated in numerous other activities including: attending a very informative Embassy Briefing at the People's Republic of China Embassy in Canada; listening to several speeches at the Open Ceremony held at the Canadian War Museum; hearing from representatives of several government agencies, think-tanks and nongovernmental organizations during committee sessions; participating in a tour of the Canadian Parliament and Peace Tower; networking with movers-and-shakers of the future; and making new friends. It was a very memorable experience and I am indeed quite proud of our students.

In closing, I'd like to take this opportunity to extend a special "thanks" from me and the students to the entities whoin part made this possible including the Department of Political Science, the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the Vice Chancellor of Student Success, and the Chancellor's Office. Your support of the UCCS Model United Nations program is appreciated!

 

Sincerely,

Patricia Keilbach

UCCS MUN Faculty Advisor

 

2007 UCCS Model United Nations Team

Patricia Keilbach (MUN Faculty Advisor), Austin Frindt, Aaron Rowland, Kate Dutton, Abbey Craft (Head Delegate), Erika Berry, Jessica DeMont, Carlos Ochoa, Adam Brickley

 

 

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