Hsinchu Model United Nations
December 18th, 2007
Just down Guang-Fu Road, about a mile from PAS, the Model United Nations team joined the National Experimental High School and four other Taiwanese schools for the second annual Hsinchu Model United Nations (HSIMUN) conference. As a conference with a mixture of international and local schools, HSIMUN offered our students a chance to step up and take a leading role in debates and the passing of resolutions. We had the opportunity to represent three different delegations: China, Mexico and Portugal. Representing the PRC afforded us a coveted position on the Security Council with the privilege to veto any and all resolutions. This was a first for our school and our two Chinese delegates, Ching Lin and Erica Jang, found out first hand how great power comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility. Their overuse of their veto power led to direct confrontations with other delegations critical of China’s stances. For example, during the final debate on Sunday afternoon, Ching and Erica were forced to give into mounting pressure and compromise on applying pressure to the Sudanese government over the crisis in Darfur. As they both learned, in MUN, compromise is the name of the game.
This year’s HSIMUN focused on the issues of global warming and the ongoing humanitarian conflict in Darfur, Sudan. With only three weeks to prepare after our return from Singapore, the students had to work over-time to get up to speed on the issues. Their hard-work paid off and for the first time every member of the PAS team was quick to take the floor and speak. The smaller number of delegates at HSIMUN was the perfect training ground for our upcoming conference in New York City. So, chalk up another conference for the PAS Model United Nations team. Next stop, NYC.