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A mock UN session
In deep discussion.
ONCE, THE United Nations Organisation Assembly could assert its supremacy in world affairs.
The sitting of the Assembly on Sunday saw the US delegates defending their tough stand against Iraq. They were pilloried from all sides for attempting to introduce a second resolution on disarming Iraq. Only a few countries, particularly Bangladesh, struck a neutral posture. But India maintained a studied silence.
Delegates from Russia, China, France and Germany expressed their views firmly that a war against Iraq at this juncture was unwarranted in the wake of the UN weapons inspectors expressing satisfaction with Iraq's compliance. And there were many countries toeing the line of thinking. The Kuwaiti delegate expressed his view that Saddam Hussein should step down to avert a war.
But the only difference was that the UN's satisfaction over the happenings in the assembly was vicarious. For, this assembly had its sitting in the Temple City, several time zones away from its headquarters in New York. The venue was the auditorium of the Yadava Men's College and the 38 delegates were students of the V.M.J. Higher Secondary School. They were there to present a `Model UNO programme' organised by the Rotary Club of Madurai Mid-Town, in collaboration with the Rotaract Club of the Yadava College and the Vaigai TV.
In all, four agendas were taken up for discussion. The first was permanent membership for India in the Security Council. The second was the Iraqi crisis and the third was titled, `world fit for children', while the final agenda was to discuss the Earth summit. Considering the age of the students, who were all below Standard IX, their understanding of the world affairs was indeed impressive. The presentation was also flawless.
As expected, the poorer countries from Africa like Congo and Ethiopia were more concerned about the third agenda and wanted the US to earmark 2.5 billion dollars to combat AIDS. A remarkable aspect of the fourth agenda was the demand made by a few countries to ban single-hulled ships to prevent oil spills. It was accepted too.
The success of the event was the result of rigorous training for five days, says the English teacher, Pearl. At the outset, the issues were chosen in consultation with the teachers, by a team comprising G. Thiruvasagam, president of the Rotary Club of Madurai Mid-Town, G. Thiruvasagam, R. Selvaraj, correspondent of a residential school and P. Chelladurai, Dean of the Madurai Kamaraj University College Development Council.
Subsequently, the principal, Thirupurasundari, the vice-principal, Ameena, and the History teacher, Senthilnayagi, contributed their mite by sourcing inputs for the agenda from magazines and Internet.
By Krishnamoorthy R.
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Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
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Thiruvananthapuram
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