I attended my first MUN in December 2018. Organized by BVS Parsi High School for the fifth time it was a three day long session and was organized by their students. Despite their ages (they're even younger to me) they managed to organize a wonderful event devoid of confusion, mayhem and everything else people (wrongly) associate with teenagers. It was good enough to make me want to attend again. So my primary purpose for writing this is to thank you guys for making it an experience worth paying for!
I also want to discuss with my friends what one should take care of during an MUN. Getting started with that; register early! I registered late and did not get the committee of my choice (UNHRC) not that being a member of the PNA was a bad experience (it was a better one I guess) but still.
Friends, there is one thing we all need to remember about an MUN. It is a MODEL United Nations, it has to act as a 'model' for the real UN. And especially if you get sorted into the PNA remember that what you do there determines what you would do as a real parliamentarian. The model PNA does not have to be like the real Pakistan National Assembly, it should be so good, so organized, so respectable that it serves as a model for the real one. There don't have to be so many divisions, so much of leg pulling and so much deviation from the topics! Parliamentarians are there to solve problems, and if that does not happen it is the failure of the whole Assembly and of every parliamentarian regardless of his political party or side in the Assembly. And we being the future of Pakistan need to understand our roles.
A tip: READ!
That study guide! your chair has put in a lot of effort into making that. It is there to help you, it's there so you know what you're talking about, it's there so you know what your chair and everybody else is talking about. When I walked into the Assembly (forgive me if I say Assembly again and again like it's real) I came with the idea that everybody knew at least what was written in the study guides, but alas! Most of us hadn't even bothered to open it, let alone done some extra research. If you really want to enjoy the experience, put some effort into it! And I am not just saying this for you but also for those poor people in your committee who actually do some research for this. Take special care of this especially if you have a leading position because you can get your party members into real trouble by saying something out of context (happened with us). In fact it would be better if you printed the document and kept it with you in a clip file so you can refer to it during your sessions. It is really necessary to be on the same page as the rest of your committee if you're planning to work together.
Ok, next one is for those who are out for that award: be active, and I don't mean start shouting for order at the top of your lungs during an un-moderated caucus. I mean, take what's important into your hands for example, the laptop, when you're making the draft resolution. Further more do not let anybody take your work into their hands, yes even if you share the same bloc and even if you're the only who has actually done some work. You can share your ideas and everything but don't let them takeover your hard copies, or make sure your chair knows it's your work the others are using! Secondly don't loose hope. If you do something wrong or your teammates do something wrong or keep doing things wrong don't give up on yourself or on them. (I made all these mistakes, so I don't want you to make them)
Thirdly: ask your chairs. If you have problem understanding something try asking your chairs or your ACDs during an unmoderated caucus or break (I regret not doing that too), if they are as kind as mine they'll help you and it won't result in negative marking. They understand that MUNs are learning experiences and they are there to teach us.
Another really important tip: Pray! pray that you get a dais as considerate as ours. They literally guided us through every process, miraculously saving the committee from dissolving, saving us from failure, as model parliamentarians.
Lastly as sir Moiz Usmani (part of our dais) said ' It doesn't matter if you win or loose as long as you learn something out of it, as long as you are a different person on the last day than the one you were on the first one' and as sir Saad ud Din (also part of our dais) said 'In this world there are no winners and losers, we all are learners'. Thank you sirs for making this event a memorable one, and I surely have learnt a lot from you!
I also want to discuss with my friends what one should take care of during an MUN. Getting started with that; register early! I registered late and did not get the committee of my choice (UNHRC) not that being a member of the PNA was a bad experience (it was a better one I guess) but still.
Friends, there is one thing we all need to remember about an MUN. It is a MODEL United Nations, it has to act as a 'model' for the real UN. And especially if you get sorted into the PNA remember that what you do there determines what you would do as a real parliamentarian. The model PNA does not have to be like the real Pakistan National Assembly, it should be so good, so organized, so respectable that it serves as a model for the real one. There don't have to be so many divisions, so much of leg pulling and so much deviation from the topics! Parliamentarians are there to solve problems, and if that does not happen it is the failure of the whole Assembly and of every parliamentarian regardless of his political party or side in the Assembly. And we being the future of Pakistan need to understand our roles.
A tip: READ!
That study guide! your chair has put in a lot of effort into making that. It is there to help you, it's there so you know what you're talking about, it's there so you know what your chair and everybody else is talking about. When I walked into the Assembly (forgive me if I say Assembly again and again like it's real) I came with the idea that everybody knew at least what was written in the study guides, but alas! Most of us hadn't even bothered to open it, let alone done some extra research. If you really want to enjoy the experience, put some effort into it! And I am not just saying this for you but also for those poor people in your committee who actually do some research for this. Take special care of this especially if you have a leading position because you can get your party members into real trouble by saying something out of context (happened with us). In fact it would be better if you printed the document and kept it with you in a clip file so you can refer to it during your sessions. It is really necessary to be on the same page as the rest of your committee if you're planning to work together.
Ok, next one is for those who are out for that award: be active, and I don't mean start shouting for order at the top of your lungs during an un-moderated caucus. I mean, take what's important into your hands for example, the laptop, when you're making the draft resolution. Further more do not let anybody take your work into their hands, yes even if you share the same bloc and even if you're the only who has actually done some work. You can share your ideas and everything but don't let them takeover your hard copies, or make sure your chair knows it's your work the others are using! Secondly don't loose hope. If you do something wrong or your teammates do something wrong or keep doing things wrong don't give up on yourself or on them. (I made all these mistakes, so I don't want you to make them)
Thirdly: ask your chairs. If you have problem understanding something try asking your chairs or your ACDs during an unmoderated caucus or break (I regret not doing that too), if they are as kind as mine they'll help you and it won't result in negative marking. They understand that MUNs are learning experiences and they are there to teach us.
Another really important tip: Pray! pray that you get a dais as considerate as ours. They literally guided us through every process, miraculously saving the committee from dissolving, saving us from failure, as model parliamentarians.
Lastly as sir Moiz Usmani (part of our dais) said ' It doesn't matter if you win or loose as long as you learn something out of it, as long as you are a different person on the last day than the one you were on the first one' and as sir Saad ud Din (also part of our dais) said 'In this world there are no winners and losers, we all are learners'. Thank you sirs for making this event a memorable one, and I surely have learnt a lot from you!
-Azka Javeria
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