HARVARDNATIONALMODELUNITEDNATIONS2019REPORT

Location:BostonParkPlazaHotel,Boston,MADate:February14-17,2019

PERSONALREFLECTIONSOFHNMUN2019

WORLDHEALTHORGANIZATION

TERRIANNBAKER:The opportunity to grace the HNMUN platform as a chosen delegate for the UWI team was anhonour thatonecouldnot take lightly.Thebenefits thatwerederived fromthisexperiencewereendless.Iwouldencourageanystudentwhohastheaccessandresourcestotakefulladvantageoftheopportunitytobuildfellowships,engageinsalientdebateandcriticallyanalysepolicypositions.Thereisnodoubtthatthisexperiencehasbuiltresilience,determinationandencouragedagreaterappreciationforInternationalRelationsandtheworkoftheUnitedNations.

Mypartner,ToniciaandIweregiftedwiththeopportunitytorepresenttheRepublicofKenyaontheWorldHealthOrganisation. From theonset, our speech chemistry sparkedabuzzwithinourrespectiveCommitteeroom.Ourvibrantexchangesmirroredourpassiontodiscussthepertinenttopic of Special Needs and Disabilities. As our confidence increased so did the tasks andresponsibilities associated with HNMUN. Strategic relations became the order of the day. Wesurveyed the room for potential partnerships in order to produce a well written resolution. Aprevailing challenge within this Committee was the uncompromising stance of delegates. Thissignificantly stymied the resolution writing process and resulted in internal conflict within thegroup. Inspiteof this,wecontinuedtobesignificantcontributors,havingbeenaffordedwith theopportunitytospeakonthefinalresolution.

The HNMUN experience brought with it new connections and a new appreciation for warmweather. In spite of the surrounding cold,my partner served as a dynamic, confident andwarmdelegatewhoprovidedmuchneededstrengthanddeterminationduring thisevent. I amgratefulthat Iwasabletoworkwithherandshare inourachievementas ‘OutstandingDelegates’onthisCommittee.

TONICIAWILLIAMS:

HNMUN2019wasanincredibleopportunitytolearnthroughdoingabouttheconductofdiplomacyinavariety of fields. My partner, Terriann and I, were assigned to theWorld Health Organization as thedelegationfromtheRepublicofKenya.Wedebatedaboutspecialneedsanddisabilitiesaroundtheworldandthebestwaytocreateamultilateralframeworktoguaranteerights,resourcesandopportunitiesforpeoplewithspecialneedsanddisabilities.

WhileIfoundthatitwasimportanttocreatetangiblesolutionsthatallmembersstatescouldagreeon,oneof themostsubstantial issues I sawwas theneed fornegotiationandcompromise throughout theprocess.Manydelegateswerebentofensuringthattheirexact,unalteredideaswereincludedinthefinaldraft resolutions or that they were able to defend their positions in more depth than time allowed.However,IfoundthatmanyofourideasweresimilarandassuchIfocusedonpromotingcompromise,understandinganddialoguebetweenmembersespeciallywhentensionwasrunninghighandtimewasshort.

The HNMUN experience is challenging from the lack of sleep, pressure to come to a resolution andnewness of the experience overall. However, my partner was invaluable in maintaining positivitythroughouttheconferenceandtheUWIteamfromothercampusesallowedmetorelaxandgettoknowtherestofthedelegationbetter.Overall,IamblessedandgratefulfortheexperiencetorepresentUWiSt.AugustineandtheInstituteofInternationalRelationsandproudthatmypartnerandIwereabletobringhomean“OutstandingDelegate”award.

INTERNATIONALORGANIZATIONFORMIGRATION

ASABIRAWLINS:IrepresentedtheRepublicofKenya,togetherwithMrNestorGarcia,intheInternationalOrganizationforMigrationCommittee.

I would recommend participation in HNMUN to any university student. It is a truly dynamic andmemorableexperiencethatwhilebriefoffersincredibleopportunityforselfdiscovery,self-reflectionandpersonal development.HNMUNboosts your confidence, your ability towork productivelywith othersandsharpenyourcreativity.AspartofaDoubleDelegationteaminparticular,HNMUNreallyshowedmethevalueofteamworkwithmypartner,Nestor.Youhavetobeacutelyawareofyourownstrengthsbutalsoremember thatyouare jointlyonedelegation.Oneparticularlymemorableexperience thatstandsoutmetointhisregard,isbeingliterallyabletocompleteoneofNestor’ssentenceinouropeningspeech.Itwasunplanned.Nooneinourcommitteeknewthis,andmydramaticinterjectionwhenNestorpausedastofindtherightwordreallystruckachordwiththeentireCommittee.Everyoneapproachedusafterthatfirstspeechtalkingabouttheimpactwehadmade.

Indeed, I am appreciative of the insights this experience offered into the grave problems of humantrafficking,migrantsmugglingandthesocio-economicimpactsoftheseproblems.IcameawayfromtheHNMUNexperiencesomuchknowledgeableontheseissues,andtrulyresolvedtoenlightenothersaboutthese dire challenges that face millions of people globally. But apart from this, HNMUN truly, trulysharpensyourresearchskills,yourspeakingflair,yourdynamismasapresenter-becauseyoucannotbesoweddedtothebarefactsthatyouneglecttheimportanceofmakinganimpactinyourCommittee.

Insum,thisiswhatIwouldtellanystudentaboutHNMUN:Doit!Ifyoulovebeingchallenged…Ifyouloveengagingcritical,realworldissues...Ifyouloveinteractingwithpassionateindividualsandaspiring

changemakers...HNMUNisanexperienceyoucannotandwillnotforget.

NESTORGARCIA:

HNMUN2019formewasbothintenseandrewarding!Answeringthecalltoagainenterintocontentionforaspotinthisregionallyandacademicallydiverseteamwashardtopassup.ItwascertainlyworthitasAsabiandIwontheDiplomaticCommendationAwardintheInternationalOrganizationforMigrationCommittee(IOM)alongwithotherreasons.Fromthefirstcommitteesessiononwards,Iwasexhilaratedby the dynamism, pace and competitiveness of the IOM and the substantive discourse on HumanTrafficking,a topic that Iampassionateabout. In thiscompetition, Iwasallowedtoutilizeandfurthercultivatemydebating,negotiatingandimpromptuspeechmakingskills.

Havingafirmgraspoftheproceduralrulesservedusingoodsteadaswewereabletoeffectivelyraisemotions, amendments and acquire numerous opportunities to speak. With Human Trafficking beingchosenasopposedtoMigrantSmuggling,aspredictedbymypartnerAsabiandI,theflowandnatureofthedebatewaslessobstructionistandcontentious.Inspiteofthis,withinourblocandsubsequentblocmergers there was significant debate and negotiations over the exact solutions and programs to beimplementedinthedraftworkingpaperandresolutionduetotworeasons.Firstly,themajorplayersintheblocallhadinnovativeandactionableprogramsforeachsubissuewhichweresimilarinapproach,secondly, in keeping with national agendas and the competition format, every country wanted asignificantparttoplayinresolution.Inthiscontext,Irelishedmyroleofdebating,negotiating,advancingourcountry’spositiononseveralsubissuesinthisblocandincollaboratingwithothercountriesinthedevelopmentofseveralnewprogramsthatmadeitontheresolution.

TheHNMUN2019experiencewasengagingandchallengingwiththelonghours,demandingdebatesandtimelinesforthedevelopmentoftheresolution.However,mypartnerAsabiandIwereabletoovercomethis througheffective communication, teamwork (Asabi took the lead inmoderated caucusingwhilst Itook the lead in unmoderated caucusing and after hour’s committee sessions) and emotional supportduringthisgruelingcompetition.IamtrulygratefulfortheUniversityoftheWestIndiesandtheInstituteof InternationalRelationssupport in this initiativeandIamecstatic thatmypartnerandIwasable tocome home with the Diplomatic Commendation Award in the IOM and I am so proud of theunprecedentedperformanceofthecombinedUniversityoftheWestIndiesDelegationinthisprestigiouscompetition.

STADELEGATIONCHALLENGES

Lack of a formal MUN club that provided year-round training. There are several specificprocedural and general aspects of HNMUN that we had to learn from experience as first timedelegates, for example impromptu speaking and caucusing.WhileMr. BrandonRampersad andMs. Akeela Marin assisted us through training, we had a short time to learn the specifics ofHNMUNandwhatexactlywouldbeexpectedfromusoncewearrived.

Travel/layovertimewaspoorlyplanned.Wehada7hourlayoverbetweenMiamiandBostononthewaytotheconference,whichwasnotanefficientuseoftime.However,onourwayback,ourlayoverfromBostontoMiamiwasonly1hourwhichdidnotconsiderdelaysonourfirstflight.Asaresultoftechnicalissuesanddelaysonourfirstflight,wemissedourflightbacktoTrinidadandhadtowaitforthenextavailableone.Inthisinstancethedelegateswereseparatedandwereonlyreconnectedupontherealisationthatallpersonsmissedtheflight.

SUGGESTIONSANDRECOMMENDATIONS

TheIIRshouldliaisewiththeUWIModelUnitedNationsclubtoprovideanenvironmentwhereregulartrainingscantakeplacethroughouttheyear.

Arrival intoBoston at least 24hours prior to the start of the competition, in order to facilitateacclimatization,optimalstrategizationandperformance.

ThepriorinstallationofusefulappssuchasLyft,UberandAmericanAirlinesareusefulforflightupdatesandcommutingaroundBostonwithease.

Readtheroom:ItisimportanttodetermineearlyonwhattypeofCommitteeyouareinsothatyou canbe strategic aboutmaking an impact. SomeDAIS aremost impressedby contentwhileothersare impressedbydramatic, innovativepresentations.YouhavetounderstandthetypeofCommitteeyouareinandhowbest

THANKYOU!

WetheSTADelegation forHNMUN2019,would like toextendthewarmestandheartfeltappreciationand gratitude to all those who aided us throughout this successful and unforgettable journey. Inparticularto:ProfessorJessicaByron-Reid,Dr.GeorginaChamiandtotheSecretariatofTheInstituteofInternationalRelations for theirunwavering support towards this initiative.The successof this venture servedas ameans to foster regional cooperation, academic excellence and personal development and a host ofothers,whichwashugelydependentonyourperseverance,diligenceandpassion.OurTeacherandFacultyAdvisorDr.Chami,yourguidance,careandsupportthroughoutthisendeavourservedusingoodsteadandwillalwaysbeappreciated.YourfacultyadvisorexperienceinHNMUN2018and your initiative ensured that we were afforded the requisite training and advice to excel in thiscompetition,inspiteofourinexperience.Furthermore,yourenergy,wordsofencouragement,logisticalassistanceanddailypracticalsupportandpresencetrulyhadacalmingandreassuringeffectonallofus.Youalwaysfoundtherighttimetonourishusduringourhighpacedcommitteeactivitiesandforthatweappreciateit.Ms.AkeelaMarinandMr.BrandonRampersad, twoexemplarHNMUNalumni,whotookthetimefromtheir busy schedules to provide critical training , advice and direction on substantive and proceduralaspectsofHNMUN.Theyservedusingoodsteadandwearegrateful.TheOfficeoftheViceChancellor’sforitscontinuoussupportinprovidingthenecessaryaccommodationfortheUWIdelegation.TheSchoolofGraduateStudiesandResearch,aswellas,TheInstituteofInternationalRelationsfortheirfinancialcontributiontowardsthecostsincurredbytheSTAdelegates.

PHOTOGALLERY

STAdelegateswiththeirrespectiveawards

TheDelegationofKenya:Mona,CaveHillandSt.AugustineRepresentatives

NestorandAsabiwithotherdelegatestotheIOM

TrinidadiandelegatesfromallUWIcampuses

NestorandAsabiwithotherdelegatesfromtheIOM