Moderator from
Mexican Presidential
Cabinet
This year, MUNterrey Jr. High School and Middle School edition took place the 23rd through 25th of January on the “Garza Laguera” campus of ITESM High School. During these three days, delegates shared their points of view and broadened their perspectives regarding worldwide issues and policies that would lead them to find peaceful and viable solutions. After a year’s worth of planning, the whole team, Secretariat and Staff was thrilled to receive over 300 delegates from different parts of the region. The following recap expects to share the excitement and personal satisfaction felt by both delegates and MUNterrey team.
Committees
This edition of MUNterrey consisted of three different types of committees, developed with the aspiration of intellectually stimulating their participants in mind. The three different sections were identified as: General Assemblies, Crisis Committees, and Court Committees, each one concerning worldwide topics in both English and Spanish.
General Assemblies
This year, the GAs were categorized into five different sections featuring states from Africa, the Western Hemisphere, Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America. These five committees gathered during the last session in order to share and discuss the solutions that had been achieved, allowing other committees and countries to voice their opinions regarding diverse topics. The simulation focused on producing solutions to combat violence related to organized crime. The Spanish language committees such as PNUD (Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo, or United Nations Development Program) and CDSI (Comision de Desarme y Seguridad Internacional, or Disarmament and Security Commission) discussed the different factors that affect our global community.
An aptly decorated room!
Crisis Committee
Special branches such as the Security Council require a completely different protocol regarding the decisions that can be taken as well as the type of procedure that is followed during the debate. Even if it may seem quite similar, the crisis committees are designed to challenge those who seek topics that require hard work and in-depth knowledge. Delegates are often taken by surprise with different ‘Breaking News’ or ‘Official’ documents that alter the flow of the debate, challenging them to make quick decisions and renegotiate amongst each other regardless of the issue. These ‘time bombs’ follow patterns like those used by famous corporations such as the BBC and CNN, as well as official government agencies.
This year, the simulation consisted of two Security Council committees, one in English and the other one in Spanish. In addition to this, MUNterrey offered a new committee based on Interpol, an idea which dared upcoming delegates to participate in unique roles. Also singular to MUNterrey were the Presidential Cabinets, featuring one for Mexico and another for the USA. In these types of committees delegates are encouraged to think in a much different manner; their decision-making does not only concern their own country but also could have a greater global impact. Aside from this, it gives them a perspective of what actually may happen inside the presidential cabinet their country when they make policy decisions.
Court
Court committees present a unique opportunity to delegates who want to interact in different ways, and learn other decision-making processes. There are various things to consider when going into committees such as the International Criminal Court. Firstly, your role as a country or part of the country does not remain the same. Delegates are referred to as judges who take part of a trial, while witnesses are brought in and evidence is presented. It is up to the “Judges” to decide whether they charge the incriminated person guilty or innocent, based on the different evidence and case. Courts test the delegates’ knowledge of international law and how it is applied to international cases.
Delegates at work
Guest Speaker
MUNterrey 2014 had the pleasure to receive Manuel Clouthier, a former congressmen and a current political activist. Mr. Clouthier gave different reasons as to why politics is viewed in a negative manner by Mexican society; however he later incited delegates, advisors, and staff members to become better citizens and participants in the nation by actively partaking in Mexican politics and making the right choices day by day. The conference concluded with part of the audience sharing their point of view, as Mexicans and part of the community. They shared their opinions on how to become a better citizen as well as a better member of the Mexican community on a national scale.
The whole Senior Staff and their corresponding members find themselves overjoyed with the preparations for the High School edition which will take place in ITESM High School Campus Santa Catarina, Monterrey, Mexico on April 3rd.
The MUNterrey team
