BlankMUN 2017: First conference for the delegates while snowbound

On the 8th of December the delegates of the Economic and Social Council assembled at the castle of Blankenheim near to the city of Cologne. Snowbound and cut off from the environment they discussed in exhausting hours how to support the global South in its economical development and how to promote sustainable peace.

Basically,not the honourable diplomats discussed there, however, we, thestudents from the Westphalian University of Applied Sciences and our fellow students from the University of Trier, were definitely snowbound. And it was exhausting as well.

After our new delegation got behind the scenes of the Recklinghäuser Model United Nations in Classroom MUNiC a first impression of international conferences they made their first own steps on the international floor in Blankenheim with success.

Arrival and climbing to the castle in the beginning snow fall had similarities with class trips at school and when all changed their winter coats and walking boots to business attire the feeling was jittery as in the last week bevor the school holidays. But we were not going to a night walk but to present our countries position in front of other students. In English, as our country was not the Federal Republic of Germany but a casted lot from Armenia to Zimbabwe. We had to learn more about this countries before the conference. Not only facts and figures but even about the way people feel and think there as it is not common to be against peace and development aid. However, the State of Palestine discusses the way to that goal different than Israel and the selling of natural resources for a railway line in Africa is not for everybody development aid.

Conflict lines that were visible in the plenum and caused stormy discussions. In the long hours of the conference these trenches could be filled up. After two days the committee adopted three resolutions that asked the United Nations to build a Pan African water pipeline and to establish a new committee for the scientific analysis of the distribution of natural resources.

And after 48 hours of plenary debate, informal discussion and even international understanding with a beverage in the hours after the conference the diplomats went back to their universities. Not only with a lack of sleep but primarily with improved English skills und new self-confidence. We are very grateful to the German Society for the United Nations DGVN and the fellow students from the University of Trier for the organisation of this conference.

But after the conference is before the conference and even in the time before Christmas press releases of the United Nations were studied with cookies and mulled wine for the German Model United Nations in Weimar.

Text: L. Kunz

Photos: A. Müglich