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High School and College Students Recreate United Nations on Campus
by Yonatan Arnold
Facing world issues in Belk Auditorium
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Mars Hill College hosted its first Model United Nations Conference on April 26 in Belk Auditorium.
The Model U.N. is a "simulation of the actual U.N.," says Senior Danielle Kamffer, who organized the event. Students practice solving a world issue together, following the same procedures, rules, and regulations that are actually being used in the real United Nations.
"At the core of the Mars Hill College Model U.N. is the ability to debate and resolve current global issues and agree on a solid resolution," Kamffer told participants.
Six high school students from two area high schools and three Mars Hill College students responded to invitations to take part in the conference. The event was co-sponsored by the United Nations Association of Asheville and MHC's Political Science Honor Society, Phi Sigma Alpha.
Each student was assigned to be a delegate representing a particular country. At this conference the countries included the United States, Russia, China, Belgium, Panama, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Indonesia, and Costa Rica.
Before they arrived, the students had to research the country they would be representing. At the Conference, they chose two issues to tackle -the Kosovo independence conflict and the oil crisis in Nigeria - both issues that are actually being discussed in the U.N. right now.
As "delegates," they deliberated, debated, investigated and consulted about the issues. They had to take positions that were consistent with the positions of the country they represented.
Their goal was to agree on a resolution - a plan to help solve the issue.
They could agree to send money, peace-keeping troops, and many other actions to help a country in turmoil.
Indonesian and Russian delegates ponder policy regarding Nigerian oil
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The delegates discussed the Nigerian oil crisis for about an hour and a half and "were pretty much together," said Kamffer. They did agree on a resolution. But coming up with a resolution for the Kosovo independence conflict was not very easy, she said. Russia was on Serbia's side and did not recognize Kosovo's independence. The group was not able to agree on a resolution, but did recognize some of the human rights issues.
The United Nations has 192 member nations. Only 15 of those are in the Security Council. The Security Council has the power to veto, but it cannot avoid an issue
On the Security Council there are five super powers: the United States, France, China, United Kingdom, and Russia. These super powers can veto; when they do, the proposal can not go any farther. The other ten seats are rotated every two years among the remaining 187 member nations. One country comes in and sits for two years, and two years later another takes its place. The Security Council makes very important decisions.
Kamffer worked with the president of UNAA, Doug Jones, for her internship in Political Science to get this conference together. But "anyone can organize a Model U.N. You don't have to be part of any group to organize one," she says.
She sent out a global email to the MHC student body and got seven responses. MHC students Chris Rokosny, Barbara Hugl, and Kyle Toman were the three MHC students who actually participated.
Kamffer hopes more students will get involved and organize a Model U.N. at Mars Hill College next year.
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