This recap was provided by Caitlin Adams.
2011 State Board plus two of your YMCA Program Staff volunteers
Just over 100 delegates, representing 33 countries, attended this year’s conference from 7 Louisiana high schools. Councils included General Assemblies 1, 2, and 3, Economic and Social Council, and Security Council. Delegates also had the option to participate in the International Criminal Court/International Court of Justice (ICC/ICJ) or be on the conference Press team.
In addition to debate on topics ranging from Women’s Welfare to Technology to Terrorism, delegates at the YMCA Louisiana Youth and Government Model United Nation’s conference were encouraged to interact with one another by completing a MUN Passport.
Each country’s goal was to be the first to complete the 15 tasks included on their passport. Tasks could be anything from “Be the national animal” for the nation of Pakistan to “Make the Euro lose value… fast” for Greece, and one task was created for each country represented at the conference. Countries had to photograph at least one member of their delegation completing each task and include the placard or flag of the country whose task they were completing. The Passport winner was the nation of Costa Rica, represented by delegates from University High School in Baton Rouge.
General Assembly council
To encourage cultural representation, delegates were also invited to participate in the Cultural Showcase by preparing a skit, song, or dance native to their country. China delighted everyone with a comedic skit of a series of interviews of a tiger mom, American tourists, and business men discussing China’s economy. France’s delegation lip-synced and danced to a hit French song, and Germany presented a traditional dance, the Shoe Platter, used by men in Germany to woo a lady. The United Kingdom transported delegates to Hogwarts, and the United States interviewed “President Obama,” who broke into their own original version of “Like A Boss” by The Lonely Island. Delegates from Russia performed a ballet.
Russia, represented by students from Mandeville High School in Mandeville, won this year’s Outstanding Country Award, given to the delegation that best represents the culture of their assigned country at Model United Nations. Award winners must fully and accurately represent the perspective of the country in councils, participate in cultural dress throughout the conference, and participate in the cultural showcase.
This year, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy in New Orleans received the Premier Delegation Award, which is given to the school that most exemplifies the mission of YMCA Louisiana Youth and Government through their participation in Model United Nations. This mission is to encourage and foster leadership through service, fellowship, responsibility, and respect for oneself and others among all participants and to educate and engage students in the process of government from local to international so that they become more active participants in their communities.
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This Model United Nations is sponsored by the YMCA. For several years now, YMCA Louisiana Youth and Government has been organized entirely by volunteer alumni of the program. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the program and the 24th year of the Model United Nations conference in Louisiana. The conference was held Thursday, December 1, through Saturday, December 3, in Baton Rouge, LA, and included seven high schools from Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Mandeville: Baton Rouge High School, Episcopal High School, McKinley High School, and University High School (Baton Rouge); Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies and Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy (New Orleans); and Mandeville High School (Mandeville).
