PAZMUN REMEMBRANCE

In memory of PAZMUN 2012

General Assembly

Security Council

 first arrived at Instituto La Paz in 2010 exactly during that time of the year when students were getting prepared for their MUN, I saw that the students were very involved in the model however, at that time it was more a recreational activity rather than an educational one.

Therefore I saw a great chance for opportunity to develop as many skills as possible in our students for upcoming models.

All these ideas needed to be discussed in order for them to become effective therefore I shared these ideas with the Coordinator, Miss Elisabeht Taboada. It is worth mentioning the aim of these ideas was to make the Model more meaningful to our Junior High students.

The following are some of the aspects that should be taken into account when planning a Model of United Nations:

1. The creation of concepts beyond the students' knowledge, but at the same time using what they have learned over the years to develop an action plan that would benefit the community.

2. The communication of their ideas based on a proper protocol according to the international standards for a MUN in Middle Schools.

3. The sharing of ideas in a respectful and diplomatic atmosphere.

4. To defend their ideas using reliable statements, creating an argument over their own point of view, honoring the Country's position.

5. Promoting interest on other culture¬s point of view regarding international issues.

These aspects are only a few of many more developed during this year¬s PAZMUN, which would not have been accomplished without the participation and unconditional cooperation of our Secretary General Valeria Vigueras Rivera (4th PAI), who came up with an action plan for this year¬s PAZMUN since the beginning of the school year working hand by hand with the Model¬s Under-Secretary General Danae Tea Espinosa (3rd MYP).

Both of them dealt with a series of situations and though some of them might have resulted frustrating they overcame them successfully. This of course would not have been possible without the help of a great team who did an outstanding job as Secretariat:

∑ Servio Reyes- General Assembly,

∑ Manuel Rubio-Security Council,

∑ David Madrigal- European Union,

∑ Renata Fernandez-Commission of Crime Preventions and Criminal Justice,

∑ Victoria Flores- World Health Organization,

∑ Angelica Arratia- Commission on Narcotic Drugs,

∑ Maria Elena García-United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund,

∑ Joaquin Toledano- Counter Terrorism Committee and,

∑ Mayte Gómez president of Environmental Program;

All of them together with their table members made it happen.

It would not be fair to close this article without acknowledging the help we received from our 5th PYP and 1st MYP students, whose performance as ushers was managed responsibly and outstandingly.

To sum up, this PAZMUN would not have been possible without the cooperation and hard work shown by all the delegates, and our guests from sister schools: Olinca, Green Gates and Colegio del Pilar; as well as the cooperation from Tecnológico del Monterrey and former students from La Paz. This would not mean a thing without all the effort, interest and support of all the Delegates from Middle School, who displayed an amazing level of English and debating skills in order to reach very worthy resolution papers.  This sort of events allows students to show to what extent they have developed the attributes from the IB Community Profile such as Inquirers, Open-Minded, Principled and Knowledgeable to name a few.

We look forward to the next PAZMUN, we will be glad to see many of you taking up this challenge in order to make it better every year.

Commission of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

2.   

Commission on Narcotic Drugs

World Health Organization

International Children's Emergency Fund

Counter Terrorism

Environmental Programme

Ushers

JR High Escort

 During the event there were many special moments to point out. So many indeed, that it seems impossible to write about all of them. However I will try to make my best to talk about not the most important ones, but at least of those who seemed to me to give more to think about.


First of all I would like to talk about the Opening Ceremony, within the one I know there were many mistakes, but without question one of the best moments of all was  the intervention that Rodrigo Maza and Nayelhi Alcázar gave us with a piece composed by Rodrigo Maza himself and adapted for the violin by him, to make this outstanding duet during the ceremony. 

Rodrigo Maza and Nayehli Alcázar

As well I would like to thank Miss Martha Castro the representative of the ONU who served as our guest of honor during the opening ceremony and who gave us a very thoughtful speech, with lots of words that not only made us stop for a moment of reflexion but as well to conserve for out professional and personal lives for the rest of them, when she mention that we must conserve all the knowledge gather at the school, but that we must put it in practice in all our actions, as to promote the respect and good wealth around our communities and for our communities. 

Miss Martha Castro UNO Representative

As soon as the opening finished we were witnesses of the hard work made by all delegates, they began to debate, they defended their ideas with such enthusiasm but most of all with all that knowledge gathered in days before. They shown themselves, not only because they wanted a price, but because at the end they understood and enjoy fighting for what they believed. I am proud to say that not only they were trying to make themselves clear but they were willing to join others point of view as to try to negotiate with them for a better solution of the problematics to be solved. 

In General Assembly we had the participation of students from Green Gates with Timo Kuerten, Olinca with Tonantzin Real Rojas and from  Tecnologico de Monterrey Guillermo Tamayo, making the debate very substantial and critical for those who wanted to stand up, the participation of our students Jallath Carreón, Aldo Torres and René Robles was indeed outstanding from all expectations and for that they were grant with their prices as Honorable Mentions and Special Recognitions, however Timo Kuerten recieved the grant of Best Delegate.

Timo Kuerten receiving his Best Delegate Price

Talking about Security Council, it is a privilege indeed, not only they developed there topics in a notorious way, it took them more than a day to conclude with one of the problematics. This because of the strongly believes of right and wrong that the delegates shown. No matter how long it took them, they created one of the best resolutions ever seen during the Models. With proud we would like to point out that this committee was the most competitive of all and for that Instituto La Paz grants them with the honor of being the BEST Committee. On this committee  won Nayehli Alcázar (2nd PAI) won Special Recognition, Sebastián Salim (2nd PAI) Honorable Mention and as the Best Delegate Alejandro Morán (4th PAI).


DELEGATES' COMMENTS:

Mario Gutiérrez. General Asemmbly Delegate from United States of America:
Debating, maybe one of the most interesting things that I like, specially and mainly if I'm representing a country, solving problems, discussing, arguing.
In this case I got the awesome opportunity to represent the World's most powerfull county (USA) so it was pretty amazing to debate against poeple from other schools and even from other countries.

Nayelhi Alcázar

Álvaro -Japan-Olinca

Alejandro Morán

This way we put on practice what SEP and IB program demand the schools to do and more.

PAI Coordinator Miss Elisabeht Taboada

Secretariat

Secretariat, Coordinator and Head Advisor

Presidents and Teachers

Colegio del Pilar

Colegio del Pilar

Former Student and Guest of Honor Javier Martínez Mendoza

Presidents: CND, WHO, UNICEF AND UNEP

Presidents: UNCCPCJ, EU, CT AND HR. 

Presidents: GA, SC AND UNCCPCJ. 

Under Secretary General and Secretary General 

Secretary General Valeria Vigueras Rivera

Academic Coordinator Miss Liliana Muñoz 

Band of 3rd PAI

Instituto La Paz Cheer Leader Team

Head Advisor Miss Vicky Caballero

Go and take a look on how PAZMUN 2012 look like on FACEBOOK.

PICTURES AND MORE

Perfect PP EUibarra1

GREECE

Official Name: Hellenci Republic.

Population: 2011: 10,787,690.

Government: Unitary Parliamentary Republic.

Official Language: Greek.

Religions: Greek Orthodox Church.

                  Christianity.

                  Catholicsm.

                  Hellenic Neopaganism.

                  Protestantism.

                  Islam.

Governors: President: Karolos Papoulias.

                     Prime Minister: Lucas Papademos.

Main exports: Fruit, vegetables, olive, oil, textiles, Steel, aluminum, cement, and various manufactured items such as clothing, food stuff, refined petroleum-based products.

Literacy rate: 97.2%

Member of UN since: October 25th 1945.

COMMITEE: European Union.

President: David Madrigal.

Delegate: Ibarra de la Peña María José.

English Group: 1ºA

English Teacher: Ana Nóchez Vera.

INSTITUTO LA PAZ MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2012

DELEGATION: Greece

COMMITEE: European Union

TOPIC A: Economical crisis in the European Union.

DELEGATE: Ibarra de la Peña María José

1)      European Union

The EU is an economic and political partnership between 27 European countries that together cover much of the continent.

It was created in the aftermath of the Second World War. The first steps were to foster economic cooperation. Since then, the EU has developed into a huge market with the euro as it common currency.

It has delivered half a century of peace, stability and prosperity; helped raise living standards, and launched a single European currency.

Thanks to the abolition of border controls between EU countries, people can travel freely throughout most of the continent; and it´s also become much easier to live and work abroad in Europe.

The member states of the EU are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and United Kingdom.

2)      Background

The European economy is in the midst of the deepest recession since the 1930´s. Although signs of improvement have appeared recently, recovery remains uncertain and fragile. The EU´s response to the downturn has been swift and decisive.

Overall, to stabilise, restore and reform the banking sector, the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP) was launched in December 2008.

The objective of the EERP is to restore confidence and bolster demand through a coordinated injection of purchasing power into the economy complemented by strategic investments and measures to shore up business and labour markets. 

                                                   

However, the European economic situation was originated on 2007 by the collapse of US investment bank “Bearn Stearns”. This situation create crisis in countries such as Greece, Portugal and Ireland.

3)      Greece Policy and involvement

 

Over the last decade, Greece went on a debt that came crashing to an end in late 2009, provoking an economic crisis that has decimated the country´s economy, brought down a government, unleashed increasing social unrest and threatened both Europe´s recovery and the future of the euro.

The Greek government has been kept afloat by its fellow Eurozone countries, but at a steep price: the austerity measures demanded by France and Germany in return for two massive bailout packages have ripped holes in the Greek safety net.

After long resisting the idea of a default, European officers in March 2012 helped Greece negotiate a landmark debt restructuring deal with the vast majority of it´s private sector lenders, who agreed to swap 177 billion in Greek debt for new bonds worth as much as 75 per cent less.

Nevertheless, in late 2009, the new government of Prime Minister George A. Papandreou announced that it had discovered that it´s conservative predecessor had falsified budget figures, concealing a swollen debt that was growing rapidly in the wake of global economic meltdown. Greece was frozen out of the bond markets and in May 2010 began to rely on an aid package of €110 billion agreed to by it´s richer European neighbours.

4)      Negative consequences of the past solutions

Perhaps the most constructive comment on the solution to the Greek debt crisis has become from Andrus Ansip, prime minister of Estonia. He said that Greece have to cut public expenditure, making structural reforms and creating a really efficient taxation system.

Although, Professor Thanos Veremis of the University of Athens, the lack of charismatic political leaders in Greece and the resulting political mismanagement contributed to the deteriorating economic situation of the country. That is why the late-2000 financial crisis had a particularly large effect on Greece because tourism and shipping experienced a significant drop of revenues.

5)      Proposals

Delegation of Greece thinks that we can help Greece economy by improving tax collection that is that all people and all business pay taxes without having to raise taxes.

Liberate some economic sectors. Currently, the Greek state is the only active in certain economic sectors. Companies selling these individuals would reduce the current government spending, increase income and promote competition in some sectors of the economy.

In addition, strengthening the internal market and promoting exports of woods and services, this to give more work opportunities to people, because unemployment in Greece is very high.

Bibliography:

No author, (nd), EU, Viewed April 1, 2012. Consult URL:  http://europa.eu/about-eu/basic-information/index_en.htm

No author, (nd), EU countries, Viewed April 1, 2012. Consult URL: http://europa.eu/about-eu/countries/index_en.htm

Buti Marco, 2009, EU economic situation, Viewed April 2, 2012. Consult URL:

http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/publication15887_en.pdf

No author, 2012, Greece´s economic situation, Viewed April 2, 2012. Consult URL:

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/greece/index.html

Hawes Michael, 2011, Greece´s solutions, Viewed April 2, 2012. Consult URL:

http://www.landvaluetax.org/current-affairs-comment/the-only-solution-to-the-greek-financial-crisis.html

INSTITUTO LA PAZ MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2012

DELEGATION: Greece

COMMITEE: European Union

TOPIC B: Food crisis all over Europe as well as lack of food for future generation.

DELEGATE: Ibarra de la Peña María José

1)      European Union

On the fist place, the EU is an economic and political partnership between 27 European countries that together cover much of the continent.

It was created in the aftermath of the Second World War. The first steps were to foster economic cooperation. Since then, the EU has developed into a huge market with the euro as it common currency.

That is why, it has delivered half a century of peace, stability and prosperity; helped raise living standards, and launched a single European currency.

Thanks to the abolition of border controls between EU countries, people can travel freely throughout most of the continent; and it´s also become much easier to live and work abroad in Europe.

The member states of the EU are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and United Kingdom.

2)      Background

The growing impossibility of a dignified livelihood in the European countryside has provoked a widespread and active social response on the part of Europeans unwilling to sacrifice their society and environment to corporate greed.

Farmers, unions, environmental organizations, consumers groups, fair trade organizations, and economic solidarity networks, among many others, have begun to work throughout Europe to denounce the impact of the EU´s agricultural policies and call for alternatives.

Response have varied by country according to the character of local organizations, but all are creating and strengthening alliances between the different social sectors that are negatively affected by the agrifood polices of the Common Agricultural Policy. Together they are creating a host of alternative practices and polices for sustainable production, distribution, and consumption.

3)      Greece´s policy and involvement

On the other hand, the citizens of Greece go on strike to ask for government assistance but do not get any response.

The price of food is too expensive and people have to work overtime to feed his family because it is not enough money they receive.

In some cases, who keeps the family, who generally is the husband, has to give up his food for his children and wife do not die of hunger.

But now, the Greek Ministry of Education will distribute among the students coupons for free lunches, with the increasing cases of malnutrition in some schools, specially in neighbourhoods hardest hit by the economic crisis and unemployment.

The first step of that plan, which will begin next week, will be sharing coupons in 18 schools in poor neighbourhoods in the region of Attica.

4)      Past solutions and consequences.

As it is explained in the Background, responses about Food crisis have varied by country according to the character of local organizations, but all are creating and strengthening alliances between the different social sectors that are negatively affected by the agrifood polices of the Common Agricultural Policy. Together, they are creating a host of alternative practices and polices for sustainable production, distribution, and consumption.

For example, in France solidarity networks are being forged between producers and consumers through Associations for the Maintenance of Smallholder Agriculture (AMAPs). Like Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), the AMAPs establish solidarity contracts between groups of consumers and local agroecological farmers. The group pays in advance for produce that the farmer provides weekly. The first AMAP was created in 2001 between a group of consumers between Aubagne  and a farm in the Olivades region of Provence. Today, there are 750 AMPs serving 30,000 families throughout France.

5)      Proposals.

Delegation of Greece proposes that:

College students do their social service going to grow food.

Prohibit the importation of food from abroad, for more food produced in Greece and people may have more job opportunity.

Promote research into food more nutritious food for less to satisfy their hunger.

Promote farms where fish are grown to have more food that is easy and quickly to obtain.

Information Resources:

No author, (nd), EU, Viewed April 1, 2012. Consult URL:  http://europa.eu/about-eu/basic-information/index_en.htm

No author, (nd), EU countries, Viewed April 1, 2012. Consult URL: http://europa.eu/about-eu/countries/index_en.htm

No author, February 2012, Food crisis in Europe, Viewed April 1, 2012. Consult URL: http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article1825

No author, (nd), Food crisis in Greece, Viewed April 1, 2012. Consult URL: http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/food-crisis-in-greece-people-blame-bloated-goverment--354472/1/20

No author, February 13 2012, Solution for Food crisis in Greece, Viewed April 1, 2012. Consult URL: http://www.elperiodico.com/es/noticias/politica/atenas-dara-vales-comida-las-escuelas-1370701