Closing Address-2
by Ami Nash, Secretary-General, Harvard Team
Date: March 18th, 2010
Length：482words, 3 minutes

Thanks very much Bianca.

Delegates, Faculty Advisers, Sponsors and Supporters of WorldMUN, and distinguished guests, it's hard to imagine that we're here today to celebrate the end of World Model United Nations 2010. I'd planned to tell you that this week had left me speechless, and in nearly losing my voice with the incredible chance to talk to so many of you this week...that's sounding a little too close to the truth!

At the beginning of this week, I challenged you to start conversations, change your mind, and to work towards solutions. In the past few days I've seen hundreds of you taking me up on these challenges, and in turn really broadening my and your fellow delegates' perspectives. It's been tremendously gratifying and edifying to talk to you about what has really got you going this week – whether it was gathering the courage as a first-time Model UN delegate to speak for the first time in committee; heatedly working towards compromise on a resolution in the hallways of TICC; or organizing extra dinners for your committee to continue to talk outside of session.
The conversations you started this week don't stop here. Can you imagine if Barak Obama, Kim Jong Il, Vladimir Putin, Lula Da Silva had spent a week sharing ideas, debating, and partying together when they were in their early twenties? In a few decades (or even sooner!) you'll be the leaders of the nations, corporations, and organizations that will move and shake the world...and at you'll still have the experience of this past week with you then.

In the shorter term, next year is going be the 20th year anniversary of World Model United Nations and we can't wait to welcome you back. In the meantime, we're excited to help you keep the friendships you've made here alive through our facebook groups, and new photo sharing website.

Finally, as we celebrate this incredible week, I wanted to take this chance to recognize the group of people who have made this convention happen. While we've been pulling long hours in debate and on the dance floor during the past week, a team of 200 plus members of the NTU host team have been hard at work for nearly the past year to make this conference happen. For the volunteers who guided us home each night, the pages who delivered us notes in committee, the assistant chairs who helped committee to run so smoothly, the directors and deputy directors who with their innovations and dedication set the bar for WorldMUN at an entirely new high, and the countless others who made this week happen – let's give a huge and well-deserved round of applause.

For their tremendous now to present to Jason and the rest of the host team this plaque– representing the gratitude of the entire WorldMUN community for the NTU host team's tremendous work hosting WorldMUN this past year.

Closing Address-1
by Jason Hou, President of NTU Host Team
Date: March 18th, 2010
Length：929words, 5 minutes

Good afternoon,

Our distinguished guests, supporters and sponsors, dear Secretary General Ami Nash, Ladies and gentlemen, and last but not least, our fellow delegates:
To begin with, I want to tell you that I will try not to use the entertaining gestures as I did in the opening.

I am experiencing very complicated emotions right now because not only am I pleased and honored to be with you, but I am also sad. Pleased and honored because we have gone through an unforgettable, successful and fruitful week. Sad because we are about to be separated from each other.

On behalf of the entire host team, I would like to deliver our appreciations to a lot of people. We owe several big thanks to you. Thank you, our strongest supporters, sponsors, contractors, and providers, for you are the main reason why all things are extremely good quality and high standard. Thank you, our dearest mentors, and our faculty advisor Dr. Yang, Yung-ming (楊永明), and Dean of NTU Student Affairs Dr. Feng Yen (馮燕), for you always give us just the guidance we need when we are faced with the most critical obstacles. Thank you, our dear administrators of National Taiwan University, for your hard work with us during the past year and helping us overcome hundreds of problems and issues. Thank you, alumni of NTU Model UN, for you are the pioneers of everything today and we are standing on your shoulders because you are the giants before us. I also want to thank our distinguished Faculty Advisors of all delegations and alumni of WorldMUN. I had no chance to know them in my past WorldMUNs and now I have finally met them this year. We thank you because you are the momentum for WorldMUN to improve each year and continually pass on the experiences to a staff and delegates. I also have to thank my parents, for they support me the whole way and sustain the privileges I have. 謝謝爸爸媽媽。 Of course, we all have to thank our parents. We have the privileges now only because of our parents.

Also very, very, very important, I have to thank the Harvard Secretariat, particularly Secretary General Ami Nash. We had the honor to work with a fantastic team and we learned a lot from them. I learned from them the spirit of never stop trying, never stop finding possibilities, never stop proposing different solutions, and never stop delivering your opinions, no matter an agreement or a disagreement. I see possibilities within them and because of them. There were once some misunderstandings and miscommunications between the two teams, due to cultural differences. Well, if I told you everything went smoothly, I would be lying, but it is just the process of solving misunderstandings and filling cultural gaps which makes interaction between the teams so fascinating.

And I have to express my highest appreciations to our Secretary General Ami Nash! She was the one who brough the two teams together and I believe it was absolutely a tough task! This year’s Host Team is far bigger than in the past, but every one of us in NTU Host Team recognizes her as a great leader who is always friendly and respectful to everyone. There must be a very positive strength and energy within her heart, and we all have seen them with our eyes. I have great esteem for Ami’s content of character!

In this occasion of Closing Ceremony, I would like to share three values of WorldMUN 2010. This year’s WorldMUN is special. Of course, every WorldMUN stands in its unique position.. It is unique among all Host Team members because of a dream, a message, and a goal.
We had a dream to bring WorldMUN to Taiwan. We had a dream to organize one of the best Model UN conferences in the world. We tried to bid for WorldMUN 5 times in last ten years. Seeing the dream come true is really a thrill. If you agree that we are doing a great job, it should not discourage you from trying to make a bid, but should give you a stronger will, because the value of a dream is immeasurable.

We have a message to send. We want people from all around the world to see Taiwan, to recognize Taiwan, and to love Taiwan. We want the people in Taiwan to see the world, to know the world better, and to participate in the world even more actively. We want the people to understand that the special political status of Taiwan will never be a barrier of participating in the world, because we, NTU Host Team, are participating in the world right here, right now. We combine these into a message and send it out, because we believe the value of voicing one’s message is also immeasurable.

We want to show our goals to the world, the goals of everyone in this hall and all people in Taiwan. We all have a goal to gradually change the world, a goal to step in others’ shoes, and a goal to help each other. We all have a goal to fight for the right things, a goal to help the less privileged, and a goal to carry on the mission and the identity of world citizens. We want to show the goals because they are truly immeasurable.

Last but not least, thank you all, fellow delegates. You are the reason why we have gone through a fascinating week!
Thank you.

WorldMUN 2010, Taipei Promo

WorldMUN Taipei Promo from resonance studio on Vimeo.

Opening Address-1
by Jason Hou, President of NTU Host Team
Date: March 14th, 2010
Length：1338words, 10 minutes



Good afternoon,

Our honorable President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Taipei City Mayor Hau Lung-pin (郝龍斌), NTU President Dr. Lee Si-chen (李嗣涔), Dean of NTU Student Affairs Dr. Feng Yen (馮燕), our dear Secretary General Ami Nash, our Faculty Advisor Yang Yung-ming (楊永明), our distinguished sponsors and supporters, Secretariats, WorldMUN Staff and Volunteers , Chairs and Assistant Chairs, faculty advisors, alumni, sponsors and supporters, ladies and gentlemen, and most important of all, our fellow delegates:

I am honored to be with you at the Opening of the finest Model UN conference in the world. On behalf of the entire NTU Host Team, I send our sincere welcome and hospitality to you. Welcome to Taipei, Taiwan.

We have been expecting you for nearly a year and now we meet at last. Looking forward to this day because hosting each and every one of you is the final piece to complete this fascinating mission. This is no doubt the most important piece of work, for each and every one of you adds diversity and enriches the content of WorldMUN; each and every one of you brings something special to WorldMUN. I always remember the times when I participated in MUN as a delegate. The interaction and exciting chemistry with all fellow delegates around me have a special place in my heart – they compose the greatest part of my lifelong memory, because I have gained so much more than I have contributed. I gained precious knowledge of countries and cultures that cannot be obtained from books and news; I was shared by invaluable experiences which I never thought I would have the chance to engage myself in. I cannot describe exactly what you, my fellow delegates, bring to enrich the content of WorldMUN, but I always know this: Were without any of you, this could have been less phenomenal.

I believe there is a story to be told for every one of us and it would be just amazing if I could get to know everyone of you. Although I cannot pinpoint what you add to WorldMUN individually, I do know how to describe the overall inspiration I experienced through WorldMUNs. Today, I would like to share three things I took away from my past WorldMUN experiences. Just three things.

The unique experience I have gone through.
The privilege I realized that I have.
The identity and mission I decided to take on.

But before I proceed, I must not forget to thank the backbones of WorldMUN: staff, assistant chairs, and volunteers of the Host Team. There are nearly 400 of us in total and we have labored for more than a year. Their tremendous efforts are unparalleled and beyond measure, because I have never participated in a team composed of such highly motivated individuals. It was definitely beyond my expectations. I am proud and honored to be with them, and I believe this will remain one of the best teamwork experiences I have! When you encounter any Host Team members in the following week, please don’t forget to send your warmest regards to them. I believe every one of them can share their own stories and distinctive perspectives with you.
Back to the three things. The first thing is about the unique opportunity I have experienced.
I was really shocked when I first came to WorldMUN. It was WorldMUN 2007 in Geneva. At the time, I was still a freshman, and I was shocked by the scene I saw. And I am witnessing the same scene again, right here, right now. At that time, I have never seen so many talented people from so many countries in my life. Just ask ourselves: How many times in our lives do we get the chance to gather thousands of brilliant minds from over 50 countries, establish friendships, and develop solutions together under a united goal? Excitement soon triumphed over the feeling of surprise. I know this is the unique opportunity. Interacting across cultures peacefully and having mutual respect is our ultimate dream, and we are now a part of the unique opportunity to realize this dream in the following days. There are too many conflicts and tragedies rooted in cross-cultural misunderstandings and mutual despise. WorldMUN is THE opportunity not just by the figures on the table, like how many of us or how many countries are here, but also by the people sitting around the table and the unique connections formed among us.

The second thing I would like to share is the privilege I realized that I have.
Before my first WorldMUN, I had assumed that the privileged ones were referring to the millionaires, the well-connected politicians, those people with money that they can never use up, and those who are among the 20% of our population but controls 80% of the resources and wealth in our society. I had not known the world better, thus I came to such a false assumption. I had had no picture in my mind when I heard figures of children morality and world poverty. But now, I know I was wrong. Because of WorldMUN, I was pulled out of my comfort zone and I finally took a deeper and closer look at the world we live in. We definitely are the privileged ones. And this is a world filled with inequalities. The poorest 20% of all people only earn 2% of our total income, but the richest 20% earn 74%. We may not be among the richest people in our country, but we are definitely all among the richest 20% in the world. Moreover, we have the privilege to fly here, the privilege to be with the most brilliant minds around the world, and the privilege to participate in the problem-solving process. We have the privilege to engage in the world community, the privilege to have spare times to think and discuss, and the privilege to pursue higher goals and noble causes. And most important of all, we have the privilege to be inspired by WorldMUN. With great privilege comes great responsibility. We cannot and should not take all these for granted.

The final thing I would like to share is the identity and mission we should take on. The privileged should put tremendous efforts to improve the lives of the less privileged. Inspiration means nothing if we cannot put it into actions. We see change everywhere thus we have a greater possibility than our parents to help improve the world. We are in the middle of a world beginning to praise multilateralism. We are in the middle of the internet era where individuals have the possibility to help ripples build a current and thus leverage giant corporations and bureaucratic machines. The barrier to change is not too little possibility, but too little will and too little awareness.

Because we are and will always be inspired by the WorldMUN spirit, we must put these inspirations into actions. There are plenty of ways to act. Though this mission is open-ended, our responsibility and goal is clear. It is a united goal to strive for a better world, a united spirit to affect people around us, a united will to change, and a united identity and mission to serve as citizens of the world.

I understand that I don’t have answers to many problems in the world now. But I also believe that we have more possible solutions than we expected, more than the problems we are facing now. Approaches to a single issue are always far more than one. I also believe that there are more people who care about the world than I imagine. For I have seen them in several WorldMUNs. They are seated in this grand hall. We see activists in us and we will judge ourselves on how we perform our roles－serving as citizens of the world.
Delegates, grab this unique opportunity, realize the privileges we have, and take on the identity and the mission to serve as citizens of the world.

Thank you all very much.

WorldMUN 2010 Social Events
Night 3: Cabaret @ Denwell Wedding House (120 photos)


(photographed by: Li, Zhen-Hao -
Officer of Social Events Logistics)

WorldMUN 2010 Social Events
Night 2: Lunar New Year @ Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (100 photos)


(photographed by: Li, Zhen-Hao -
Officer of Social Events Logistics)

(Friendly transcript from: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/business/asia/b-taiwan/2010/03/19/248997/WorldMUN-completes.htm)

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The 2010 World Model United Nations (WorldMUN), co-organized by Harvard University and National Taiwan University (NTU), was held from March 14 to 18 at the Taipei International Convention Center (TICC).

Taipei won the bid thanks to the organizers' presentation, which included various forms and tables as well as pictures of Taiwan's convention centers, venues and accommodations that showcased the beauty of the island.

According to organizers, Harvard University was especially impressed with the cultural activities held in conjunction with WorldMUN.

WorldMUN, established by Harvard University, takes place in a different city each year to simulate the operation of the United Nations and bring international students together.

This year, more than 1,700 top students from 42 countries traveled to Taipei to attend the convention and experienced Taiwan's unique culture and scenic landscapes.

To highlight Taiwan's reputation as the Kingdom of Butterflies, the organizers picked the butterfly as a symbol of Taiwan's indigenous myths and diverse cultures.

During the five-day convention, the participating students were divided into 22 committees. Each student took on the role of a diplomat from a different country around the world and applied the U.N. Security Council's procedural rules to discuss, debate, and negotiate important global issues such as nuclear proliferation, climate change, and poverty.

Well in advance of this event, Taiwan authorities have been vigorously promoting the domestic MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) industry.

The Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT), Ministry of Economic Affairs, launched a project handling the promotion of international conventions and exhibitions in Taiwan and provided grants for convention organizers. During the convention, the BOFT held interviews and took photographs, which are posted on the MEETTAIWAN Web site at www.meettaiwan.com to showcase Taiwan's MICE industry and its capability in hosting large-scale international events.

(Friendly transcript from: http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aALL&ID=201003180024)
2010/03/18 19:20:08

Taipei, March 18 (CNA) Three Taiwanese students won awards for their diplomatic skills at the end of Harvard University's World Model United Nations (WorldMUN) conference in Taipei, the country's best achievement of the past five years, the organizers said Thursday.

The winners are Wang Po-ya from National Taiwan Normal University, who acted as a delegate from Kenya at the event, Terence Liu from National Taiwan University (NTU) who represented Lithuania, and Joseph Liang from National Chengchi University who spoke for Dominican Republic.

They were among 70 students awarded in recognition of their in- depth understanding of committee issues, their aggressiveness in speaking for the country they represented, and their ability to help forge consensus.

A total of 1,800 university students from more than 200 schools in over 40 countries took part in this year's event, the 19th of its kind and taking place in Taiwan for the first time after four failed attempts to host the event over the past 10 years.

The diplomacy award was one of the highlights of the five-day event, which featured 22 U.N.-affiliated committees in the daytime and a variety of cultural activities in the evenings.

Meanwhile, a group of five Taiwanese students won a subsidy of US$3,000 from Harvard for a proposed project to increase the use of the metro system in the southern port city of Kaohsiung.

It is the first time Taiwanese students have received the subsidy, said Hsieh Cheng-chang, one of the five winners.

This year is the second year that Harvard has used such a subsidy to encourage students to put forward plans to create a real impact on their community, instead of just having discussions at WorldMUN. The university awarded four projects this year.

Henry Huang, a third-year NTU student representing Guatemala on a committee on the nuclear dispute between India and Pakistan, said he was impressed by foreign students' English-language ability and that it made him realize that a language is more than just a communication tool.

Ourania Vlachea, along with her fellow Greek students Dimitra Stefoudi and Konstantina Linardou, said they learned how to collaborate, how to approach people, how to solve problems and how to face reality and come up with workable solutions during the event.

In addition, Vlachea went on, they learned a lot about Taiwanese culture.

Jason Hou, a NTU student in charge of the event, previously told CNA that some of the students will have clear plans for the future after taking part in the WorldMUN event.

"After they graduate, some might find that they actually dislike international politics and might decide to enter the business sector, take up voluntary work or join a non- government organization, " he said.

"The event is designed to help students get a different experience and find out what they want to do and what they can do for the world in the future," Hou said. (By Alex Jiang) ENDITEM/J

WorldMUN 2010 Social Events
Night 1: Global Village @ Taipei City Hall (91 photos)


(photographed by: Li, Zhen-Hao -
Officer of Social Events Logistics)

(Friendly transcript from: http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aALL&ID=201003160022)
2010/03/16 17:47:40

Taipei, March 16 (CNA) Taiwanese students organizing an annual activity simulating United Nations meetings have capitalized on Taiwan's technological strength to introduce a multifunctional card to the event for the first time, impressing the 1,800 participating foreign students.

"We were given many tickets when we attended the event in the past, which could be really confusing, " Jason Hou, a National Taiwan University (NTU) student in charge of the event, said Tuesday. "This year, we launched what we called the `Super Card,' which helps reduce the use of paper," he noted.

The card serves as an ID card for each student and as a ticket to the many activities they will attend on the sidelines of the meetings, he explained.

The card for the 19th event of its kind, taking place in Taipei for the first time, is modeled on the NTU student card and the Easy Card for Taipei's public transport, and also functions as a meal coupon, Hou said.

The students can also use the card on city buses or the MRT system, as money can be stored on it, he added.

The card is also useful in helping the organizers understand the background of any foreign student who comes to them for assistance, as the card stores the student's information, he said.

"It is the first time the WorldMUN (World Model United Nations) has used this technology," Hou said.

Hou also pointed out that many schools in Taiwan already use a similar card.

"This type of card is one of Taiwan's best technologies and we must let foreigners see it," he said.

Fatima Tariq, a United Arab Emirates University student representing the Marshall Islands at the event, said using the card is a good experience.

Ami Nash, the Harvard University student in charge of the event, said that "it shows the level of planning of the host team and the level of technological innovation Taipei is capable of." "I think some of the delegates were in a state of disbelief when they first saw all that this small card can do," she said. (By Alex Jiang) ENDITEM/J

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2010/3/15 9:00~12:00 14:30~17:30

2010/3/16 9:00~12:00

2010/3/17 9:00~12:00 14:30~17:30

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(Friendly transcript from: http://taiwaninfo.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=96023&ctNode=467&htx_TRCategory=&mp=4)
Lundi 15 mars 2010

« Chercher à établir la paix et éviter les conflits sont des objectifs particulièrement nobles qui sont au cœur de ma politique », a déclaré hier le président de la République, Ma Ying-jeou, aux 2 000 étudiants rassemblés à Taipei pour la 19e Conférence mondiale annuelle de simulation des Nations unies (WorldMUN). Cette manifestation qui durera jusqu’à jeudi vise à former les représentants de plus de 200 universités dans le monde aux négociations internationales et à la diplomatie, dans un esprit de promotion des droits de l’homme.

C’est la première fois depuis sa création en 1992 par l’Université d’Harvard, aux Etats-Unis, que la conférence est organisée à Taiwan. Cinq fois candidate au cours des 10 dernières années, l’Université nationale de Taiwan a en effet été choisie pour accueillir l’événement cette année. Assumant le rôle de diplomates, les étudiants sélectionnés débattront cette semaine des relations internationales et tenteront de trouver des solutions aux problèmes mondiaux.

Le fait que la République de Chine ne soit pas membre de l’Onu a été évoqué avec un brin d’humour par le chef de l’Etat. « Mes amis m’ont taquiné en disant que c’était là la raison pour laquelle [nous souhaitions] faire venir la WorldMUN à Taiwan », a-t-il confié.

Plus sérieusement, Ma Ying-jeou, qui s’exprimait en anglais, a pris l’exemple des relations entre les deux rives du Détroit pour illustrer son propos sur la résolution pacifique des conflits. « Auparavant, le détroit de Taiwan était un point chaud en Asie de l’Est et aurait pu entraîner un conflit majeur non seulement entre Taiwan et le continent chinois, mais également entre la Chine et d’autres grandes puissances. » Depuis son arrivée au pouvoir, a-t-il souligné, 12 accords ont été signés entre les deux rives.

... Read More

(Friendly transcript from: http://www.derwesten.de/staedte/moers/Zur-Debatte-nach-Fernost-id2705148.html)

Zur Debatte nach Fernost
Moers, 09.03.2010, Harry Seelhoff

Moers/Taipeh. Er kommt aus Scherpenberg und weiß, dass er gegen die Besten der Welt antreten muss – in einem fremdem Land, in einer fremden Sprache. Gemeinsam mit fünf Kommilitonen reist der Jurastudent Alexander Röhl zur „Model United Nations Konferenz“ in Taipeh.

Im Gepäck haben sie ihre Waffen: das gesprochene Wort und schlagkräftige Argumente. Die Harvard University lädt in jedem Frühjahr zum „WorldMUN“, zur Simulation einer UN-Konferenz unter Teilnahme von Studenten aus aller Welt. 2010 ist es bereits die 19. „WorldMUN“, die vom 14. bis 18. März in Taipeh, der Hauptstadt Taiwans, abgehalten wird. Der 21-jährige Alexander Röhl ist Student an der juristischen Fakultät der Heinrich-Heine-Universität in Düsseldorf und reist mit fünf Kommilitonen in den fernen Osten, um sich in der freien Debatte mit Studenten aus aller Herren Länder zu messen.

Die Sprache der Konferenz ist Englisch, die Aufgabe schwierig. Alexander Röhl wird mit der Düsseldorfer Delegation über zwei Themen zu debattieren haben, die Zukunft der Fernabwehrraketen und den Cyberwar. Nicht gerade einfacher macht es die Aufgabenstellung der Düsseldorfer: Sie müssen bei der Debatte den Standpunkt des Staates Myanmar (ehemals Burma) vortragen und verteidigen. „Eine interessante Aufgabe“, meint Alexander Röhl, „die Argumente einer Militärdiktatur zu vertreten.“ Und als ob dies nicht schon schwierig genug wäre: „Wir werden gegen Harvard-Studenten antreten – da ist das sprachliche Niveau gehoben.“

Flug, Hotel, Konferenzgebühren, Verpflegung – all das müssen die Konferenzteilnehmer erst mal aus eigener Tasche bezahlen: „Erst hinterher wird ein Teil zurück erstattet.“ Wie viel, das weiß er noch nicht. Es kommt darauf an, wie viele Sponsoren der Verein „Model United Nations Society Düsseldorf“ in diesem Jahr an Land ziehen kann. Bei der Organisation der Reise sind die Konferenzteilnehmer ebenfalls auf sich selbst angewiesen, der Verein regelt nur die Konferenzteilnahme.

Erfahrungen fürs
Leben sammeln

Warum nach Taipeh fliegt? „Es geht um das Prinzip der Völkerverständigung, es werden Studenten aus aller Welt teilnehmen.“ Außerdem, so Alexander Röhl, könne er rhetorische Erfahrungen sammeln, die ihm sowohl im Studium als auch bei der Parteiarbeit zu Gute kommen. Röhl ist Mitglied bei den Jungen Liberalen, der Nachwuchsorganisation der FDP.

Der Jurastudent hat sich seit Januar auf die Konferenz vorbereitet. Am 10. März fliegt er nach Taiwan, am 24. März kommt er zurück. Dann wird er berichten können, wie es war, als er gegen Harvard-Studenten antreten musste.

(google english translation below)

---

At issue in the Far East
Moers, 09.03.2010, Harry Seelhoff

Moers / Taipei. He comes from Scherpenberg and knows that he must compete against the best in the world - in a strange land in a foreign language. Together with five fellow students from the law student Alexander Roehl travels to the "Model United Nations conference in Taipei.

In their luggage they have their weapons: the spoken word and powerful arguments. Harvard University invites every spring to "WorldMUN" to simulate a UN conference with the participation of students from around the world. 2010, it is already the 19th "WorldMUN", from 14 to 18 March in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan held is. The 21-year-old Alexander Roehl is a student at the Law Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine University in Dusseldorf, and travels with five fellow students in the Far East to compete in the open debate with students from all countries.

The language of the conference is English, the task difficult. Alexander Roehl will have to debate with the Düsseldorf delegation on two issues, the future of Fernabwehrraketen and cyberwar. Not exactly easy, it makes the task of Düsseldorf: You must debate the position of the State of Myanmar (formerly Burma) put forward and defend. "An interesting challenge," said Alexander Roehl, "the arguments of a military dictatorship responsible." And as if this were not difficult enough: "We will compete against Harvard students - since the linguistic level is raised."

Flight, hotel, conference fees, meals - all the conference participants must pay out of pocket first time: "It was only after a portion is paid back." How much, he does not know yet. It is important to consider how many sponsors of the club "Model United Nations Society Dusseldorf" this year on land. In organizing the trip, the conference participants are also dependent on themselves, the association only regulates the participation in the conference.

Experience for
life gain

Why fly to Taipei? "It's about the principle of international understanding, students will be able to participate from around the world." Furthermore, says Alexander Roehl, he could earn a rhetorical experiences that come to him both in studies and in the Party's work to the best. Roehl is a member of the Young Liberals, the youth organization of the FDP.

The law student has been preparing since January for the conference. On 10 March he flew to Taiwan on 24 March, he comes back. Then he will be able to report how it was when he had to compete against Harvard students.

(Friendly transcript from: http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aALL&ID=201003150030)
2010/03/15 22:19:51

Taipei, March 15 (CNA) Taiwan's exclusion from the United Nations has not diminished Taiwanese students' interest in world affairs as they eagerly joined future leaders of over 40 countries in discussing urgent issues faced by the world at a mock U.N. conference Monday.

Annie Lan, a fourth-year finance student at National Taiwan University, who serves as an assistant chairperson of one of the event's 22 committees, said that although Taiwan is not a member of the world body, it can still play an active role on the international stage.

"Taiwan organized the Deaflympics (in 2009) and will hold the Taipei International Flora Exposition (late this year), " Lan said.

"These activities has raised Taiwan's international profile and let the world know that Taiwan is able to organize these (international) activities, " she added.

Taiwan lost its representation in the U.N. under the name of the Republic of China in 1971 after the world body admitted People's Republic of China as a member.

Taiwan has since tried to join the U.N. and take part in U.N.-associated activities but has been repeatedly thwarted by China's obstruction.

Vivian Chang, a five-year NTU student who acts as a senior assistant chairperson at the event, said the World Model United Nations (WorldMUN) helps her better understand the importance of Taiwan's participation in international organizations.

She said Taiwan is an island country that can make a contribution to the world by sharing its experience in fisheries and other fields.

Some 300 students from NTU and other local schools are currently co-hosting the five-day event in Taipei with their peers from Harvard University. It is also the first time that the event is taking place in Taiwan.

Over 1,800 students are discussing or debating on climate change, terrorism, nuclear and other issues by playing as delegates from countries other than their own.

Matthew Gibson, an American who teaches English at Mingdao High School in central Taiwan's Taichung County, closely observed the students on the committee on trade and global climate change.

He spoke highly of the performance of delegates representing China, India, Haiti and the United Kingdom.

"These students have demonstrated good leadership skills. They were in charge in group discussions, they have concrete plans and they did well in getting people on their side, " he told the Central News Agency.

He attended the event because he and other teachers at his school also created a club to help students get familiar with world issues.

Arne Schroer, a teacher from Universitat Passau who led a group of 10 students from Germany, said that his students are representing Pakistan and they have to defend the current government's policy position.

This has helped his students look at international issues from "an unusual perspective, " he said. "It is very interesting to look at these issues not from a foreign, western, or German perspective, but from a Pakistani one." Another university professor, Jose Pavia from Portugal, said that students who have attended the WorldMUN often look for jobs related to diplomacy and international relations after they graduate.

"They can understand much better what they have to do when they arrive there," he said. (By Alex Jiang) ENDITEM/ls

(Friendly transcript from: http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aALL&ID=201003140015)

2010/03/14 20:56:10

Taipei, March 14 (CNA) The annual mock United Nations conference organized by university students in Taiwan and the United States opened Sunday in Taipei, with 1,800 participants from over 40 nations, excluding China.

The Taiwan government granted visas to between 70 and 80 students of major universities in China, but they failed to obtain the permission of the Chinese government to attend the five-day event, according to event organizer, National Taiwan University (NTU) , in charge of public relations.

The World Model United Nations (WorldMUN) conference, created by Harvard University in 1992, is taking place in Taiwan for the first time after NTU won the bid to organize the event after four failed attempts.

In his opening remarks, Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou said he expected the students to learn how to solve differences peacefully.

"You should learn the skills and attitudes in dealing with other leaders representing other countries and learn to use all peaceful means to solve international disputes, " he told the students from over 200 colleges.

He also noted that since he came to office in May 2008, Taiwan has no longer been a flash point as his administration has improved ties with Taiwan's long-time political rival China.

Ma also said that Taiwan, which was a founding member of the U.N. under the name the Republic of China, but lost its representation in the world body in 1971, has been following the principles of the U.N. charters.

For example, he said, Taiwan ratified two U.N. human rights conventions last year and will adopt them as domestic law.

He also said that Taiwan has been excluded from taking part in U.N. activities in the past, without specifically attributing the reason to China's obstruction.

"Some of my friends joked that just because of that, you decided to bring the Model U.N. to Taiwan, " he said, drawing laughs from the students.

But he also spoke of Taiwan's breakthrough in participating in U.N. activities.

"After working for so many years, we were able to attend the World Health Assembly organized by the World Health Organization last year. We hope we can do it again this year, " Ma said.

About 30 minutes before the event opened, scores of activists supporting the independence of Tibet marched loudly outside the hall, and some of the participating students took their pictures.

The WorldMUN conference will feature 22 committees discussing a wide range of issues such as terrorism, medical tourism, human rights, biodiversity, and corruption.

Participating students will act as delegates from countries other than their own, already determined by drawing lots. Taiwanese students will speak for Namibia, Paraguay, Switzerland, Somalia, the Czech Republic and Maldives at the conference. (By Alex Jiang) ENDITEM

Dear Guest：

Organized by Harvard University and National Taiwan University Teams, the 19th Annual World Model United Nations (WorldMUN 2010) will take place in Taipei from March 14-18, 2010. 1800 students from over 200 universities, 40 countries will gather in Taipei to attend this week-long event. The National Taiwan University Host Team has recruited over 100 passionate students for the year-long preparation. This could not have been possible without your contribution and continuous support.

    This is to cordially invite you to attend the Opening Ceremonies of WorldMUN 2010 that begins from 3:30 pm on March 14, 2010.

                          Sincerely,
                                  WorldMUN 2010 National Taiwan University Host Team

WorldMUN 2010 Opening Ceremonies
Time: Sunday, March 14, 2010, 3:30 pm-5:30 pm
Venue: National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall (No.505, Sec.4, Ren-ai Rd., Taipei)

2:30 pm～3:30 pm | Guest Registration
3:30 pm～3:35 pm | Opening Video
3:35 pm～3:45 pm | Emcee Opening Statement
3:45 pm～3:55 pm | Opening Address by President of the Republic of China, Mr. Ma Ying-Jeou
3:55 pm～4:05 pm | Address by Mayor of Taipei, Mr. Hau Lung-Bin
4:05 pm～4:15 pm | Address by President of National Taiwan University, Dr. Si-Chen Lee
4:15 pm～4:25 pm | Address by President of the National Taiwan University Host Team
4:25 pm～4:35 pm | Address by President of the Harvard University Team
4:35 pm～4:55 pm | Performance Group: Taiwan Aboriginal Dance
4:55 pm～5:25 pm | Speech
5:25 pm～5:30 pm | Trailer of the WorldMUN 2010 Social Events

Contact: CHENG, Yu-Ju (Yolanda) +886-926-340-838
                  HUANG, Shiao Yuan (CHarlotte) +886-930-040-749
Email: info@worldmun2010.org

A press conference was held at NTU on March 12th. We have received blessings from NTU, the Taipei City Government, the Harvard Alumni Association of ROC, and our many sponsors.

Press Conference Remarks 
by Secretary-General, Ami Nash & President of Host Team, Jason Hou

Ami: Thanks to everyone for being here; we're extremely excited to be starting World Model United Nations' 19th annual conference here in Taipei in just a couple of  days, with the tremendous team of students from NTU as our hosts.


Jason: First of all, on behalf of the entire WorldMUN Team, we deliver our thanks to National Taiwan University, WorldMUN's generous sponsors and supporters, and hundreds of staffs and volunteers from the NTU Host Team & Harvard Team, along with the press representatives here with us today.

So how exactly does WorldMUN work? WorldMUN is a simulation or "model" of the United Nations and many international organizations in which college and university students step into the roles of foreign diplomats to debate and form new solutions on the world's most pressing issues. This year we have 22 committees led by Harvard, NTU students, and students from all over Taiwan.

... Read More

The Harvard Secretariats arrived at the Tao Yuan International Airport late at night on March 10th. After months of skype conference calls and gtalks, gmails and word minutes,
the two team meet at last we become unitedly the ONE WorldMUN 2010 Team :)

From left to right: 
Ken (Director of Business, Harvard); Amy (Deputy Director of Logistics Accommodation & Health, NTU); Kelly (Director-General, Harvard); Lauren (Deputy Secretary-General -GA, Harvard); Jason Jr. (Director of Logistics Accommodation & Health); Prathama (Deputy Secretary-General - ECOSOC, Harvard); Robert (Deputy Secretary-General Strategy, Harvard); Ami (Secretary-General, Harvard); Katheleen (Director of Administration, Harvard); Reihan (Deputy Secretary-General - SA, Harvard); Iris (Director of Design; NTU); Egbert (Mentor, NTU)


First thing in Taipei: walk through our conference and event venues together.

Inside Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC)	Opening and Closing Ceremonies: National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
Ken, front view of National  Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall	Honor Guards at Chiang Kai-shek  Memorial Hall (Venue for Lunar New Year)
Look up and you'll see Taipei 101 - the lofty landmark of Taipei.	Hi guys! We're on NTU main campus,  Here's its famous Coconut Grove Boulevard!

(Friendly transcript from: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/03/13/2003467881 )

By Flora Wang
STAFF REPORTER
Saturday, Mar 13, 2010, Page 2

---

A World Model UN (WorldMUN) meeting co-hosted by National Taiwan University (NTU) and Harvard University will begin in Taipei tomorrow, marking the first time the meeting would be held in Taiwan.

At a press conference in Taipei, Ami Nash, head of the Harvard host team of the event, said a total of 1,800 delegates from more than 200 universities and 50 countries were expected to participate in the simulated UN committee sessions and workshops through Thursday.

“WorldMUN is often called the Olympics of Model United Nations as it brings together the brightest students interested in international affairs from around the globe,” Nash said.

Jason Hou (侯宗成), president of the NTU host team, said participants in this international event would be able to step into the role of foreign diplomats to debate the world’s most urgent issues, including climate change, refugees, the Aboriginal rights, fair trade and government corruption. Each of the 22 simulated UN committees will negotiate and draft a resolution on a relevant agenda through dialogue, Hou said.

“Today’s international affairs headlines are often based on conflicts and we are extremely excited to offer a counterpoint,” Nash said.

The World Model UN was founded by Harvard in 1992 for university students to simulate UN negotiation sessions, although the world’s oldest continuous college model UN conference was founded in 1955.

The meeting is held in a different city each year.

NTU won the bid to co-host the event with Harvard after beating eight other universities around the world last year.

NTU had filed five applications to compete for the right to host the international student event in Taipei since 2000.

Mr. Tseng Hou-Ren
Director-General,
Department of North American Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)


WorldMUN 2010 Host Team Division of Public Relations is honored to share with its delegates and friends worldwide this exclusive interview with Mr. Tseng Hou-Re:


1. Why did you pursue a diplomatic career?

---

Tseng: To be honest, I didn't have any big epiphany. I graduated from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures from National Taiwan University and of course I wanted to find a job after I graduated. At the time, I knew language would be one of my tools so I wanted a job that was relevant to languages. Before I looked for a job, that is to say, when I was still a student, I took the foreign service exam. Out of all the civil servant jobs, I found that the one having most to do with languages, is Foreign Service. So when I took the exam, I passed and I decided to go down this path. [laugh] So there's no special reason. Of course, the 1979 Kaoshiung Incident happened while I was studying at NTU during my junior year. Now that I look back, I was still confused about life, so maybe it was these events that influenced my later decision. But if I put it this way, it sounds like I'm trying to boast about it. But it was just that I had a language advantage and I found a job that had to do with language.


2. How do you want students to view Model United Nations?

... Read More

Click web shot below to access pages on City Transporation, Day-to-Day Info on how to get from venues to venues, and specially selected Taipei attractions:

"From Taipei to The World"
World Model United Nations (WorldMUN) is the most internationally diverse college-level Model UN conference. This March, the Harvard Team along with the National Taiwan University Host Team will bring the phenomenal event to Taipei.
→Photo: WorldMUN 2010 Lightbox on the MRT Taipei Main Station platform

WorldMUN 2010, GO!

Every Saturday morning at 8:50 AM, 70 students show up at NTU’s classroom with their backpacks and some with their breakfasts. Two students checked the name list for each incoming student and hand them their badge. Four others are up on the stage, busy setting up the microphone, projector and the computer. A small group of students are in one corner of the room, making final changes to their PowerPoint slides, and reaffirming several things that they should say for the next couple of hours. For ten weeks, this scenery appears on campus. The students that have dedicated their weekends to participate in the training program are the Assistant Chairs (AC) of the WorldMUN 2010 conference. Eight “senior” Assistant Chairs are in charge of planning and directing the training, The senior ACs are experienced “MUNers,“ recruited from NTU and NCCU. They have been working on the program since July, 2009.

... Read More