STATESMUN 2016 THE AUSTRALIAN DELEGATION TO THE MCGILL MODEL UNITED NATIONS ASSEMBLY 2016

Transcription

1 STATESMUN 2016 THE AUSTRALIAN DELEGATION TO THE MCGILL MODEL UNITED NATIONS ASSEMBLY 2016

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3 Contents About StatesMUN About the McGill University Model UN Conference Your Leadership Team Travel, Visas & Accomodation Planned Itinerary City Highlights Cost and Payment Schedules Delegate Welfare Policies How do I apply?

4 About the Tour About UN Youth Australia UN Youth Australia is a not for profit organisation, which runs educational workshops, competitions, conferences and tours for high school and tertiary students. We are focused on educating young people about domestic and international issues, giving voice to young people s opinions, as well as the opportunity to make a difference in their communities. Through its eight divisions in each state and territory, UN Youth Australia provides an impressive array of events each year for secondary and tertiary students centred on global affairs. We believe in the value of peer to peer education, and we have been inspiring students for decades. UN Youth Australia is run entirely by volunteers under the age of 25. Our members are united by a passion for educating, empowering and inspiring young people to engage with the world around them in a meaningful way. For more information about UN Youth Australia, visit StatesMUN Twenty-one students from around Australia will be selected to attend StatesMUN From January 12th - February 2nd, we will travel through the United States of America and Canada, hitting up San Francisco, Washington D.C, New York City, with the new additions of Toronto and Montreal in this year s tour. The tour encompasses consultations with organisations from the NGO and public sector, from bodies of the United Nations, and policymakers and government officials abroad. There will also be plenty of time for sightseeing, with trips planned to the US and Canada s most famous cities and landmarks, including Alcatraz, the White House, the Capitol Building, the UN Headquarters, the Canadian National Tower, and the Old City of Montreal. The tour culminates in our attendance at the McGill University Model UN conference (McMUN) in Montreal, one of the biggest UN simulations in North America. Also, fun is to be had! You will be spending three weeks with some of the most engaged and interesting university students from around the country and there will be plenty of time for delegation bonding whilst exploring the history and culture of the USA and Canada.

5 McGill University Model UN Conference McGill Model UN (McMUN) is one of the largest and most well-regarded MUNs in North America, heading into its 27th year. Run by a student-led secretariat, it attracts around 1500 delegates from around the world, with 23 committees and crises councils. In 2016, the conference will run from the 28th to the 31st of January. As with any MUN simulation, the conferences provides delegates with an interactive look at the functions and responsibilities of the United Nations, as well as decision-making processes of different international bodies. Each committee addresses two topic areas of international significant, with topics that will appeal to a wide range of interests. There will also be a range of socials, providing delegates with the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals from many different countries. Even if you have limited MUN experience, the conference will prove to be a great educational and social experience we will be running through procedures of debate and the logistics of the conference on tour, so you will be ready to make the most of McMUN!

6 Your Leadership Team Karen Chau, Convenor Karen is studying Honours in Government and International Relations (what a surprise) at the University of Sydney. When she s not reading or writing thousands of words for her thesis, she enjoys American things like watching the West Wing, eating fried chicken and playing basketball. She is definitely a nerd at heart she owns many different pieces of UN memorabilia, and will look to add to her collection in New York City. Previously, she has attended Harvard MUN and AMUNC as a delegate, and has directed at SydMUN. Oliver Mills, Deputy Convenor Oli lives in Perth and studies Law at the University of WA. Since getting involved in UN Youth in school, his lifelong love affair with the country and closet boganism has seen him serve as Regional Director, before recently spending his time as President of UN Youth Western Australia. When not obsessing over the footy each weekend, you will find Oli crossing off limbs on his pursuit of breaking every bone in his body, complaining about the milk texturing at the local coffee house or out of reception in another miscellanous rural WA location. Nicola Moore, Deputy Convenor Nicola lives in Adelaide and studies International Relations and Arts at the University of Adelaide. After serving as Membership Director and Social Director of the Evatt National Finals 2014, her enthusiasm for human resources, fun times and the UN Youth Federal Welfare Policy has led her to become President of UN Youth South Australia. In her spare time, you will find Nicola in one of the two dingy hipster cafes in Adelaide, re-watching the West Wing on Netflix. Nicola could not live without vanilla soy lattes, imessage or Meryl Streep gifs.

7 Travel, Visas & Accomodation International Travel You will need to organise your own flights to and from North America. The meeting point for the delegation will be San Francisco on the 12th January 2016, and the departure point will be Montreal on the 2nd February You are free to make your own travel plans around these dates. All other internal travel within North America will be organised by the tour. Visa Requirements If you have an Australian passport, travelling to the United States for the purposes of tourism is permitted without a visa, provided you register on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) ahead of time. The system will also account for travel in between the USA and Canada. Your passport must have a date that will render it valid for six months after you return home. Domestic and City Travel Tickets and cards for train systems in each city will be purchased beforehand and will be included in your delegate fee. As mentioned before, any travel between the itinerised cities of the tour will be covered under your delegate fee, which will include a West to East Coast flight, a flight between New York and Toronto, and buses between Washington D.C. and New York, and Toronto and Montreal. Accommodation All accommodation we are staying in will be shared accommodation. We will be staying mostly in high quality Hostelling International hostels and that may include mixed gender dorms. During our time at McMUN, we ll be staying at the Marriott Hotel Montreal, which is the sponsored hotel of the conference.

8 Planned Itinerary Our itinerary will be subject to minor changes to accommodate consultations and other events outside of our control, but the below schedule is a rough outline of the tour s dates and destinations. JANUARY MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN FEBRUARY San Franciso Washinton D.C. New York City Toronto Montreal 12th January: Arrival into San Francisco 15th January: San Francisco to Washington D.C. 19th January: Washington D.C. to New York City 24th January: New York City to Toronto 27th January: Toronto to Montreal 2nd February: Departure from Montreal We will be spending 3 nights in San Francisco, 4 nights in Washington D.C., 5 nights in New York City, 3 nights in Toronto, 4 nights at McMUN in Montreal, with a further 2 nights in Montreal for delegation debriefing and goodbyes.

9 City Highlights San Francisco, California The birthplace of the United Nations, San Francisco is one of the world s most diverse and dynamic cities. The focus of our time in this city will be delegation bonding, getting settled into travelling, and freaking out about the fact that we will be spending the next 3 weeks in the USA and Canada. We will also be visiting Alcatraz, but other things you can do include visiting the UN Plaza, checking out the markets on the Embarcadero, grabbing a bite on Fishermans Wharf, and trekking it to the Golden Gate Bridge. Washington, District of Columbia Get ready to live out your West Wing/ House of Cards dreams! In D.C., we ll be visiting the Australian Embassy as well as Congress and the White House, depending upon availability. We will also be making the most out of the number of public sector organisations and NGOs based in the city with our consultations. There will also be plenty of free time to check out the hundreds of museums and attractions, including the Smithsonian Museums, the National Mall, the Lincoln and Washington memorials, the National Archives and Georgetown University. New York City, New York If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere! We will be spending plenty of time in New York City to make the most of the cultural attractions on offer in this gigantic city. We will hopefully make a trip to the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Centre memorial, as well as setting up visits to the Australian mission to the UN, a tour of the United Nations Headquarters, and meetings with UN bodies. Things you can do include checking out Manhattan and Brooklyn, Central Park, the MOMA, the Met, going to a Broadway musical, and perhaps spending way too much money on Fifth Avenue. Toronto, Ontario Apart from being famous for once having a mayor with a drug problem, Toronto is the most populous city in Canada, with tourist attractions such as the Canadian National Tower, the Royal Ontario Museum, and a whole host of theatres, cinemas and shopping districts. Toronto is also the spiritual home of ice hockey, so hopefully we can take in a game as part of our overall cultural experience. There are also a myriad of NGOs and international organisations with offices in Toronto, including UNESCO and the UNHCR some of which we will hopefully have the chance to visit. Montreal, Quebec Undoubtedly, its history makes Montreal one of the most unique cities in the world. It offers a blend of the European and the North American in the heart of the province of Quebec. Time permitting, we will try and arrange some visits to the many NGOs and international agencies based in this city, including the International Political Sciences Association (established under the directive of UNESCO), or learn more about the French language of diplomacy through the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie. Most of our time here will be spent at McMUN but we will definitely have time for delegation debriefing and goodbyes at the conclusion of the tour.

10 Cost and Payment Schedules The tour cost is guaranteed to be no higher than AU$2300. This will be paid according to the following payment plan. Should you foresee any problems you have in adhering to this plan, please be in contact with the facilitation team and we can discuss alternative options. June Deposit $500 August 1 Installment 1 $450 September Installment 2 $ October 30 Installment 3 $450 December 1 Installment 4 Remainder their tour fees. In the past, delegates have been able to secure sponsorship grants from universities, government and community organisations to significantly reduce their personal costs. At UN Youth Australia we strive to keep costs low and to help make our tours as accessible as possible for students. If this cost presents a barrier to your future participation, please contact the Convenor, Karen Chau, through karen. chau@unyouth.org.au. Please note that the initial deposit is nonrefundable. This will include: All internal travel on the tour, including two flights and bus travel At least three group dinners All accommodation Scheduled whole-delegation activities Registration fee to McMUN We recommend bringing personal spending money to cover personal items and food that is not covered by the fee. Not all food is included in the delegate fee so as to allow you the flexibility to choose your own food to suit your preferences, dietary requirements, and budget. We will also provide a detailed sponsorship guide to aid delegates in seeking individual financial support for

11 Delegate Welfare Policies UN Youth Australia and your StatesMUN Leadership Team take welfare very seriously. All three members of the Leadership Team will have current First Aid qualifications and one will possess Mental Health First Aid qualifications at the time of the tour. UN Youth Australia has comprehensive welfare policies, and are committed to making StatesMUN a fun, inclusive and safe environment. It is a requirement that all delegates agree to and complete the delegate code of conduct and first aid consent form after their selection. Also included in the code of conduct are the Welfare Arbitration Procedures that we use in the event of a breach of the Welfare Policy. The welfare policies are there to ensure that both convenors and delegates have the best greatest possible time, and that we all stay healthy and are able to enjoy ourselves to the greatest possible extent. It is crucially important that you understand your rights and responsibilities as per the Welfare Policy if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Karen Chau, the StatesMUN Convenor, at karen.chau@ unyouth.org.au. The full UN Youth Australia Welfare policies are available on the UN Youth Australia website, and it is a requirement that you read them upon selection. We have summarised the important content here. Discrimination and Harassment UN Youth has a non-discrimination and anti-harassment policy. Delegates are expected to treat each other with respect and dignity, in the knowledge that any form of discrimination or harassment (sexual or otherwise) will not be tolerated. Directions of the Leadership Team It is expected that all reasonable directions of the Leadership Team (and any sanctions imposed under the welfare arbitration procedures) will be followed by delegates. Participation Delegates must be on time for all activities and participate as a member of the delegation. Alcohol, tobacco and other substances Delegates (and the Leadership Team) are permitted to drink and smoke on the tour, if they are over 21 years of age, as per local law. Drugs and other substances not legal in Australia are not to be consumed, regardless of local laws.

12 Delegate Welfare Policies (cont) Medication If delegates are on any regular or prescription medicine, this needs to be brought to the attention of the Leadership Team. Delegates are advised to discuss taking medications out of the country with their doctor prior to departure if they plan to do so. Be aware that it may be difficult to obtain prescription medications after leaving Australia. Consent for medical treatment As part of the registration process, you will need to consent to the Leadership Team performing first aid or seeking further medical treatment as required. Delegates should take out travel insurance to ensure this does not result in out-of pocket expenses, which are especially high within the United States. Breaking the Rules Delegates who breach the welfare policy and/or delegate agreement, including the Code of Conduct, will be subject to arbitration under the Welfare Policy. In short, this process has three stages: 1. The Leadership Team takes action to ensure/restore the health and safety of all delegates. 2. An inquiry into the nature of the welfare policy breach is conducted by the Leadership Team, and brought to the attention of an external Welfare Arbitrator appointed by UN Youth Australia. 3. Sanctions are considered if the breach is considered serious enough. The following list is not exhaustive but indicates the progression of severity: ONE: warning, asked to apologise, conflict away from other delegate/s TWO: removed from group or activities for a period of time THREE: delegate sent home (at own expense) The system is designed such that the higher tiers are subject to review by UN Youth Australia prior to being enacted. The Welfare Policy requires records of any issues be kept confidentially for a period of ten years.

13 How do I apply? If you re as excited as we are to go on StatesMUN, head over to our webite at to apply. Aspiring delegates will submit an online application, which may be followed by an interview (by telephone or in-person, at the selection panel s discretion). Students must hold valid passports to travel. If you have any questions about any aspect of the tour or the application process, please the Convenor, Karen Chau, at karen.chau@unyouth.org.au.

14 OPENING YOUNG EYES TO THE WORLD