Page 58 - The Gonzaga Record 1994
P. 58
The conference was opened by Brian For the next two days we were broken
Lenihan TD. He was, however, followed up into various Com mittees, which
by none other than Paul O’Connell who discussed issues as diverse as Northern
was chosen at random to make the first Ireland and corporal punishment.
'Opening Speech’ for his country, Costa Committees are obviously smaller than
Rica. An Opening Speech is the chance the General Assembly and so many who
given to each delegate to speak for a found it too nerve-wracking to speak to
minute introducing their country, or the six hundred people in the General
making any other points they want. Assembly (or GA, as we will now call it,
We then settled in for the next 119 having become true MUN groupies)
speeches. Two hours later our turn came found their feet in the Committees. On the
round.We decided that, since Andorra has third day the Committees rose and the GA
very few actual policies, we could make reconvened. The Assembly got down to
them up as we went along. Using debating the resolutions passed by the
language more often reserved for use by Committees during the previous two days.
the Ayatollah Khomeini we denounced The standard of debate and level of
the ‘genocidal Indonesians and their participation was noticeably higher than
blood-soaked cronies the USA and the on the first day, perhaps justifying the
UK.’ The speech, however, resulted in a existence of the Committees, which,
period in exile for the Andorran although found boring by many, clearly
delegation when, having been asked by do help to raise the level of confidence
the chair to apologise, its members told and consequently the level of
the General Assembly that they were participation amongst formerly unwilling
‘sorry for having told the truth about the delegates. There is no compulsion on
murderers who defile this assembly with delegates to speak at all. In effect, over
their stinking murderous presence.’ half of all the delegates choose not to,
Discipline in the General Assembly is although those who do, benefit
maintained by the St Andrew’s pupils enormously from the chance to address
who fill all positions from Secretary six hundred hostile peers. In fact, the
General down to Security Guard No. 99. whole MUN circus, while apparently
They all enjoy immensely the petty power frivolous, is the best practice around for
thrill derived from ejecting unruly, noisy speaking in front of a large crowd,
but often innocent delegates. The ultimate making coherent arguments and thinking
weapon in the hands of the authorities is on your feet. The results are permanent
the suspension of the ‘Secretarial and obvious in those who use the MUN
System.’ The Secretarial System is the experience to the full.
life blood of the MUN. Although it was The last two days of the conference
originally intended that this system would were truly enjoyable. Those MUN virgins
carry notes between delegates discussing of the the first few days had developed a
the intricacies of various resolutions, brazen new confidence and could be seen
something of a ‘note culture’ has waving their placards, shouting ‘Point of
developed in the last few years where 99 information’ or, even bolder, abusing the
per cent of all notes say things like ‘Will ‘point of order’ system, wherein delegates
we c u in the Horse Show 2nite? Luv, claim to have a procedural or
Afghanistan.’ Notes are, however, a vital administrative axe to grind, but actually
part of the MUN and the social life that use their time at the podium to make
surrounds the conference, which simply nakedly political points. Those Fifth Years
could not function without it. who had attended the conference last year
50
Lenihan TD. He was, however, followed up into various Com mittees, which
by none other than Paul O’Connell who discussed issues as diverse as Northern
was chosen at random to make the first Ireland and corporal punishment.
'Opening Speech’ for his country, Costa Committees are obviously smaller than
Rica. An Opening Speech is the chance the General Assembly and so many who
given to each delegate to speak for a found it too nerve-wracking to speak to
minute introducing their country, or the six hundred people in the General
making any other points they want. Assembly (or GA, as we will now call it,
We then settled in for the next 119 having become true MUN groupies)
speeches. Two hours later our turn came found their feet in the Committees. On the
round.We decided that, since Andorra has third day the Committees rose and the GA
very few actual policies, we could make reconvened. The Assembly got down to
them up as we went along. Using debating the resolutions passed by the
language more often reserved for use by Committees during the previous two days.
the Ayatollah Khomeini we denounced The standard of debate and level of
the ‘genocidal Indonesians and their participation was noticeably higher than
blood-soaked cronies the USA and the on the first day, perhaps justifying the
UK.’ The speech, however, resulted in a existence of the Committees, which,
period in exile for the Andorran although found boring by many, clearly
delegation when, having been asked by do help to raise the level of confidence
the chair to apologise, its members told and consequently the level of
the General Assembly that they were participation amongst formerly unwilling
‘sorry for having told the truth about the delegates. There is no compulsion on
murderers who defile this assembly with delegates to speak at all. In effect, over
their stinking murderous presence.’ half of all the delegates choose not to,
Discipline in the General Assembly is although those who do, benefit
maintained by the St Andrew’s pupils enormously from the chance to address
who fill all positions from Secretary six hundred hostile peers. In fact, the
General down to Security Guard No. 99. whole MUN circus, while apparently
They all enjoy immensely the petty power frivolous, is the best practice around for
thrill derived from ejecting unruly, noisy speaking in front of a large crowd,
but often innocent delegates. The ultimate making coherent arguments and thinking
weapon in the hands of the authorities is on your feet. The results are permanent
the suspension of the ‘Secretarial and obvious in those who use the MUN
System.’ The Secretarial System is the experience to the full.
life blood of the MUN. Although it was The last two days of the conference
originally intended that this system would were truly enjoyable. Those MUN virgins
carry notes between delegates discussing of the the first few days had developed a
the intricacies of various resolutions, brazen new confidence and could be seen
something of a ‘note culture’ has waving their placards, shouting ‘Point of
developed in the last few years where 99 information’ or, even bolder, abusing the
per cent of all notes say things like ‘Will ‘point of order’ system, wherein delegates
we c u in the Horse Show 2nite? Luv, claim to have a procedural or
Afghanistan.’ Notes are, however, a vital administrative axe to grind, but actually
part of the MUN and the social life that use their time at the podium to make
surrounds the conference, which simply nakedly political points. Those Fifth Years
could not function without it. who had attended the conference last year
50
