URJCmun2021 experience finishes with a crisis, but also with emotivion
16 de abril de 2021, Amaia Gonzalo
The last session of this year started with good news, as last day. A resolution for the second topic about multinational companies and their effect in refugees was on the making. Delegates were working hard to get a draft resolution. Time rushes and these four days felt like just one. All was working for the delegates and their resolution, but as every day, bad news kept coming.
A caucus finished and the press came out to stage with awful news: The United States of America has declared war on the State of Palestine with the help of the State of Israel. Also, an investigation team has discovered a nightmare in Walmart multinational: thousands of children are obligated to work in inhuman conditions for them. This, of course, fired up the committee and turned most delegations against the US and Israel.
The United States’ delegation tried to defend their attack with Israel, but the rest of the floor sentenced the war. “Is it worth it to make America great again?” were the words Belgium condemned the United State of America with.
Although this crisis marked the last session of the debate, good humour, and the emotion of being the last day of the model dominated the session. Dances, punishments, laughs, and camaraderie filled the room.
Laura Rodriguez Salgado, best delegate. Isabel de Hevia Díaz and Carla Serrano Dorado, honourable mention. Covadonga Barro Blanc, diplomacy award. The honourable chair formed by Fiona del Río McDermontt and Leandro Liistro, decided to give the special awards to these delegates.
Despite these delegates were the awarded ones, but all of them proved through all sessions they are capable of anything they want. Professionalism, dedication, and a really high level is present in all the delegations. The UNHCR committee press only has but to that every one of them for such a great debating session. Best of luck to every one of them.
A caucus finished and the press came out to stage with awful news: The United States of America has declared war on the State of Palestine with the help of the State of Israel. Also, an investigation team has discovered a nightmare in Walmart multinational: thousands of children are obligated to work in inhuman conditions for them. This, of course, fired up the committee and turned most delegations against the US and Israel.
The United States’ delegation tried to defend their attack with Israel, but the rest of the floor sentenced the war. “Is it worth it to make America great again?” were the words Belgium condemned the United State of America with.
Although this crisis marked the last session of the debate, good humour, and the emotion of being the last day of the model dominated the session. Dances, punishments, laughs, and camaraderie filled the room.
Laura Rodriguez Salgado, best delegate. Isabel de Hevia Díaz and Carla Serrano Dorado, honourable mention. Covadonga Barro Blanc, diplomacy award. The honourable chair formed by Fiona del Río McDermontt and Leandro Liistro, decided to give the special awards to these delegates.
Despite these delegates were the awarded ones, but all of them proved through all sessions they are capable of anything they want. Professionalism, dedication, and a really high level is present in all the delegations. The UNHCR committee press only has but to that every one of them for such a great debating session. Best of luck to every one of them.
United Nation High Commissioner of Refugees sees the light at the end of the tunnel
15 de abril de 2021, Amaia Gonzalo
Hard work from our delegates seems to pay off after two days and one morning of fierce debating and eternal negotiation. This third day, our delegates started the session with some news: a draft resolution was born last night on an informal reunion. Although this seems like good news, the draft just marked the beginning of the end.
Germany excitedly announced the information and the search for sponsors and signatories began. Some other delegations also pointed out that there were other important topics the committee should have talked about before signing anything. This led to a new informal session where delegations talked to each other about establishing their decisions about the topics addressed the previous days.
Education was the first point to discuss for the committee. The Western block declared that educating refugees and providing them with scholarships and an education focused on integration to avoid them falling into terrorist gangs. These declarations joined both educational and security themes, what disturbed deep delegations such as India or Iran. This last one accused Europeans delegations of attacking refugee’s cultural identity by imposing their culture instead of respecting theirs. Belgium, on the other hand, answered Iran with the following words: “math, history and biology are the same of everyone”, leaving the educational debate for amendments.
After a few more informal sessions, the draft was finished, and few amendments were included in the resolution. The redefinition of the word “refugee” to include those who must move due to climate change debated on the first day came into the one that the International Organisation of Migration and provide them a legal framework.
The health and COVID-19 issue led into creation of programs covering basic healthcare in camps and creating a mental health support program. A special program for COVID-19 covered massive testing and vaccination. The problem with the money was solved by using the committees’ funds, jointly with the WHO and with the help of private investments. Vaccines will be distributed proportionally and revised by a board of their own committee.
There will be a program jointly with UNESCO to bring education to camps for general knowledge and language of the country they are settled in.
All camps would be investigated to provide refugees at it the best conditions and the identification of refugees for a better inclusion in the society.
Finally, news on the fight of terrorism and crime, the resolution focus on the vulnerability refugees presents in long-term stays in the camps.
The resolution was supported by most delegations, with some of them doubting in some issues, as Eastern delegations with the terrorism and education ones. The voting of China against most of the motions is not a surprise due to their debating trajectory. But in the end, it all came to the happy ending we all hope at the beginning of the sessions. All motions where approved and the resolution was sponsored by Federal Republic of Germany, Kingdom of Belgium, Kingdom of Morocco, Republic of India, and United Kingdom; and signed by State of Israel, Commonwealth of Australia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Korea, United Mexican States, United States of America, People's Republic of China, Syrian Arab Republic, Italian Republic, Kingdom of Norway, French Republic.
Now, our delegations face a new topic, and with it, new discussions, and debates: The impact of multinationals in refugees.
Germany excitedly announced the information and the search for sponsors and signatories began. Some other delegations also pointed out that there were other important topics the committee should have talked about before signing anything. This led to a new informal session where delegations talked to each other about establishing their decisions about the topics addressed the previous days.
Education was the first point to discuss for the committee. The Western block declared that educating refugees and providing them with scholarships and an education focused on integration to avoid them falling into terrorist gangs. These declarations joined both educational and security themes, what disturbed deep delegations such as India or Iran. This last one accused Europeans delegations of attacking refugee’s cultural identity by imposing their culture instead of respecting theirs. Belgium, on the other hand, answered Iran with the following words: “math, history and biology are the same of everyone”, leaving the educational debate for amendments.
After a few more informal sessions, the draft was finished, and few amendments were included in the resolution. The redefinition of the word “refugee” to include those who must move due to climate change debated on the first day came into the one that the International Organisation of Migration and provide them a legal framework.
The health and COVID-19 issue led into creation of programs covering basic healthcare in camps and creating a mental health support program. A special program for COVID-19 covered massive testing and vaccination. The problem with the money was solved by using the committees’ funds, jointly with the WHO and with the help of private investments. Vaccines will be distributed proportionally and revised by a board of their own committee.
There will be a program jointly with UNESCO to bring education to camps for general knowledge and language of the country they are settled in.
All camps would be investigated to provide refugees at it the best conditions and the identification of refugees for a better inclusion in the society.
Finally, news on the fight of terrorism and crime, the resolution focus on the vulnerability refugees presents in long-term stays in the camps.
The resolution was supported by most delegations, with some of them doubting in some issues, as Eastern delegations with the terrorism and education ones. The voting of China against most of the motions is not a surprise due to their debating trajectory. But in the end, it all came to the happy ending we all hope at the beginning of the sessions. All motions where approved and the resolution was sponsored by Federal Republic of Germany, Kingdom of Belgium, Kingdom of Morocco, Republic of India, and United Kingdom; and signed by State of Israel, Commonwealth of Australia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Korea, United Mexican States, United States of America, People's Republic of China, Syrian Arab Republic, Italian Republic, Kingdom of Norway, French Republic.
Now, our delegations face a new topic, and with it, new discussions, and debates: The impact of multinationals in refugees.
COVID-19’s vaccine maintains the committee divided
14 de abril de 2021, Amaia Gonzalo
Delegations today focused on how they should handle the COVID-19 crisis in terms of vaccination programs and distribution of the vaccines. All the delegates of this Refugees Agency committee agree that vaccinating refugees is a slow but necessary process. Although delegates accept that, the main concern of most delegations is who should receive first the dose we all yearn for.
Countries like Italy state that as their resources are limited, their own populations should receive first the vaccine. This led to a debate where Eastern delegations accused European powers of hypocritical. In words of Palestine’s delegation, “You [western countries] have enough resources to vaccinate everyone. You are putting first the profit of pharmaceuticals rather than health”. The declaration of Palestine stirred the judged delegations, whose defence came clear with Belgium’s response: “If we had all those resources, we would have already vaccinated all population”.
This argument ended as a confusion and the debate kept walking toward a solution to this problem. The committee decided on an informal session to think about a common program of refugees’ vaccination. While this topic seemed to keep the delegates on the same path, the economic issue of who is going to pay for those vaccines divided again the representants of the countries. Italy was decisive in their point of view of this topic and said they will not pay for anything if their own people are not finished with the vaccination and demanded, like other countries such as India or Germany, that the money should come from the committees’ funds.
“We are here to work together”. Palestinian’s words of encouragement and unity keep the debate forward a new theme to discuss. This time, the integration of refugees kept the dynamic debate alive. Mexico and Norway pointed the importance of helping refugees integrate them with education, healthcare, and a recognition of the professional skills of many of them to integrate them and making an economical growth out of it.
Nevertheless, this integration means the arrive of many emigrants to the delegation’s frontiers, and the western block (Germany, United Kingdom, France, or United States of America) communicated their concern about massive migration and about the difficulties, resources, and economy, they face when those massive migrations occur.
United Kingdom defended helping refugees in their own land to avoid them leave it and pointed internally displaces as an internal issue. India threw the following question: “What about Syrian people running away from war?”. And Syria answers with a heavy and realistic statement to critic western’s concern about massive migrations and internally displaces: “If you want to avoid mass migration, why would you keep bombing and financing war in our land?”.
The day ended with an informal session where delegates started making a draft for a resolution. Although not all delegates where happy about the draft, they recognised all have different interest. Maybe we are nearest than we expected to a resolution for the protection of refugees on the new global context.
Countries like Italy state that as their resources are limited, their own populations should receive first the vaccine. This led to a debate where Eastern delegations accused European powers of hypocritical. In words of Palestine’s delegation, “You [western countries] have enough resources to vaccinate everyone. You are putting first the profit of pharmaceuticals rather than health”. The declaration of Palestine stirred the judged delegations, whose defence came clear with Belgium’s response: “If we had all those resources, we would have already vaccinated all population”.
This argument ended as a confusion and the debate kept walking toward a solution to this problem. The committee decided on an informal session to think about a common program of refugees’ vaccination. While this topic seemed to keep the delegates on the same path, the economic issue of who is going to pay for those vaccines divided again the representants of the countries. Italy was decisive in their point of view of this topic and said they will not pay for anything if their own people are not finished with the vaccination and demanded, like other countries such as India or Germany, that the money should come from the committees’ funds.
“We are here to work together”. Palestinian’s words of encouragement and unity keep the debate forward a new theme to discuss. This time, the integration of refugees kept the dynamic debate alive. Mexico and Norway pointed the importance of helping refugees integrate them with education, healthcare, and a recognition of the professional skills of many of them to integrate them and making an economical growth out of it.
Nevertheless, this integration means the arrive of many emigrants to the delegation’s frontiers, and the western block (Germany, United Kingdom, France, or United States of America) communicated their concern about massive migration and about the difficulties, resources, and economy, they face when those massive migrations occur.
United Kingdom defended helping refugees in their own land to avoid them leave it and pointed internally displaces as an internal issue. India threw the following question: “What about Syrian people running away from war?”. And Syria answers with a heavy and realistic statement to critic western’s concern about massive migrations and internally displaces: “If you want to avoid mass migration, why would you keep bombing and financing war in our land?”.
The day ended with an informal session where delegates started making a draft for a resolution. Although not all delegates where happy about the draft, they recognised all have different interest. Maybe we are nearest than we expected to a resolution for the protection of refugees on the new global context.
Climate and health: the main concern about refugee’s situation
The redefinition of the word “refugee” and how COVID-19 has affected to them
13 de abril de 2021, Amaia Gonzalo
The problem of refugees and migration has been on the international spotlight as an important issue to solve, and does climate change, topic which has been part of most important political agendas in the last years. Those subjects took the attention of the delegates in the morning of this first day, relating the two of them to tackle the first topic of the agenda: climate and the protection of refugees in the new global context.
“Climate change has become an existential problem”. these are the words the Iranian delegate has break the ice with to state the fact that climate change has turned into one of the most alarming issues in the international society. Floods, hurricanes, volcanoes, and other climate change problems had force thousands of people to move out from their countries and native lands to other who are not facing those issues. Delegations like the named Iran and others like Syria, Palestine, India, Norway, or Belgium defend the idea of creating a new definition that includes climate refugees to give them the recognition and help they deserve. On the other hand, China, Mexico, Germany, Israel, United Kingdom, French Republic, Italy, or the United States of America recall protecting and help refugees in their own country before they became refugees.
Mexico’s delegation stands by their policy, stating that its more important to protect the refugees and the environment of those affected areas rather than changing any definition. This opinion is shared by the Germany’s, France’s, and Italy’s delegations, who are concerned about the mass emigrations that their countries are facing, and the spends implied.
An agreement in this topic has not being reached today despite the deep debate that has take place. Some of the most repeated arguments have been gathered by Palestine’s delegation, who asks for more save spaces, or the delegation of Mexico who still claims for an improvement in refugee’s conditions instead of redoing a definition. To close the first discussed topic, here are Belgium’s delegation words: “If we are denying climate refugees, we are somehow denying climate change”.
The COVID-19 crisis and the debate of the vaccines is the other main topic of today’s session. All delegates agreed on the importance of allow refugees to healthcare and vaccines. The delegation of Norway pointed on the racist face of the pandemic and how is important to educate population to show them that refugees are not the reason of the spread of the virus, and they are, in fact, one of the most vulnerable groups.
So far, there are not any agreement, but all delegations understand and share the importance of solve refugee’s situation, and they surely are going to reach a resolution. There are many days left and all delegations have strong points and an open mind to dialog and understanding.
“Climate change has become an existential problem”. these are the words the Iranian delegate has break the ice with to state the fact that climate change has turned into one of the most alarming issues in the international society. Floods, hurricanes, volcanoes, and other climate change problems had force thousands of people to move out from their countries and native lands to other who are not facing those issues. Delegations like the named Iran and others like Syria, Palestine, India, Norway, or Belgium defend the idea of creating a new definition that includes climate refugees to give them the recognition and help they deserve. On the other hand, China, Mexico, Germany, Israel, United Kingdom, French Republic, Italy, or the United States of America recall protecting and help refugees in their own country before they became refugees.
Mexico’s delegation stands by their policy, stating that its more important to protect the refugees and the environment of those affected areas rather than changing any definition. This opinion is shared by the Germany’s, France’s, and Italy’s delegations, who are concerned about the mass emigrations that their countries are facing, and the spends implied.
An agreement in this topic has not being reached today despite the deep debate that has take place. Some of the most repeated arguments have been gathered by Palestine’s delegation, who asks for more save spaces, or the delegation of Mexico who still claims for an improvement in refugee’s conditions instead of redoing a definition. To close the first discussed topic, here are Belgium’s delegation words: “If we are denying climate refugees, we are somehow denying climate change”.
The COVID-19 crisis and the debate of the vaccines is the other main topic of today’s session. All delegates agreed on the importance of allow refugees to healthcare and vaccines. The delegation of Norway pointed on the racist face of the pandemic and how is important to educate population to show them that refugees are not the reason of the spread of the virus, and they are, in fact, one of the most vulnerable groups.
So far, there are not any agreement, but all delegations understand and share the importance of solve refugee’s situation, and they surely are going to reach a resolution. There are many days left and all delegations have strong points and an open mind to dialog and understanding.
