Making the World a Better Place
By: Victoria Uwemedimo
By: Victoria Uwemedimo
A murmur of thrumming anticipation pervades the World Forum Theatre as hundreds of delegates wait for THIMUN XLII to officially commence, their impatience palpable and casting a veneer of solemn tension over the conference room. Can Soylu, President of the General Assembly, hushes the room with the words "Could the house please come to order!" and a few authoritative taps of his mallet. After one minute of meditative silenc e to remember those who have died through natural disasters or man-made causes, a resounding scatter of applause breaks and Mr. Frits Huffnagel, the Elderman of International Affairs of the Municipality of The Hague spoke to the delegates about his cosmopolitan city. Ms. Linda Dubock, Chair of the THIMUN Board of Directors, then took her place behind the microphone. She once again sets into motion the wheel of dynamism which spins the straw of young, raw ingenious minds into the gold that is that final resolution at the end of the week.
Ms. Dubock highlighted the significance of this year's topic, Good Governance, which in her opinion is "mostly about the implementation of human rights and the enforcement of human rights standards". She also stressed that Good Governance does not involve nor require solely the government itself, instead ensuring that "citizens, leaders and public institutions relate to each other in order to make change happen". This, of course, relates directly to our own conference and the role we play in the colossal mechanism that is THIMUN: we must "learn how to communicate [our] ideas to [our] peers and thus prepare to be communicative world citizens".
Perhaps the key note of Ms. Dubock's inspiring speech was the incredibly relevant correlation she drew between THIMUN and the recent disaster in Haiti. Our pride and near sense-self of importance gradually swelling in our chests throughout the speech was brought crashing down as Ms. Dubock recalled through repressed tears the "devastation and heartbreaking images" of the Haitian earthquake. Suddenly, we became aware of our extremely privileged situations and the way in which we take for granted what some have never had. Nonetheless, as Ms. Dubock announces that the proceeds of the collection for charity this year will be donated to the victims of the Haitian catastrophe, a concluding element of solidarity is brought to the atmosphere. Simultaneously, a sense of hope and determination can be detected as we realised that we can make a change, we can make a difference.
A passionate speech delivered by the keynote speaker and THIMUN patron, Her Royal Princess, Princess Mabel von Oranje-Nassau, compelled us to admire her perspicacity and undying quest to make the world "a better place". The princess underlined just how vital good governance is in the successful running and maintenance of a country, with the affirmation "the problems might be bad and deep-rooted, but they can be changed". After the ceremony, MUNITY reporter Patricia Kim asked Princess Mabel if she had any advice for THIMUN delegates, to which the Princess answered: "Problems can be seen as big at THIMUN; but every problem has a solution."
The Secretary G e n e r a l , Alessandro Guglielmi, made the final speech emphasising the massive impact that THIMUN makes and the magic that lies therein. He managed to embody THIMUN in a few simple lines: "But THIMUN is more than a mere conference. It is a place and time where people excel, it is a place and time where people experience great new things, it is a place and time where memories are created". Thus the opening ceremony ended on a highly positive note which reminded us all that we symbolise the youth of the world, we speak for those who do not have a voice, and, through "partnership and teamwork", we can achieve something brilliant.
Ms. Dubock highlighted the significance of this year's topic, Good Governance, which in her opinion is "mostly about the implementation of human rights and the enforcement of human rights standards". She also stressed that Good Governance does not involve nor require solely the government itself, instead ensuring that "citizens, leaders and public institutions relate to each other in order to make change happen". This, of course, relates directly to our own conference and the role we play in the colossal mechanism that is THIMUN: we must "learn how to communicate [our] ideas to [our] peers and thus prepare to be communicative world citizens".
Perhaps the key note of Ms. Dubock's inspiring speech was the incredibly relevant correlation she drew between THIMUN and the recent disaster in Haiti. Our pride and near sense-self of importance gradually swelling in our chests throughout the speech was brought crashing down as Ms. Dubock recalled through repressed tears the "devastation and heartbreaking images" of the Haitian earthquake. Suddenly, we became aware of our extremely privileged situations and the way in which we take for granted what some have never had. Nonetheless, as Ms. Dubock announces that the proceeds of the collection for charity this year will be donated to the victims of the Haitian catastrophe, a concluding element of solidarity is brought to the atmosphere. Simultaneously, a sense of hope and determination can be detected as we realised that we can make a change, we can make a difference.
A passionate speech delivered by the keynote speaker and THIMUN patron, Her Royal Princess, Princess Mabel von Oranje-Nassau, compelled us to admire her perspicacity and undying quest to make the world "a better place". The princess underlined just how vital good governance is in the successful running and maintenance of a country, with the affirmation "the problems might be bad and deep-rooted, but they can be changed". After the ceremony, MUNITY reporter Patricia Kim asked Princess Mabel if she had any advice for THIMUN delegates, to which the Princess answered: "Problems can be seen as big at THIMUN; but every problem has a solution."
The Secretary G e n e r a l , Alessandro Guglielmi, made the final speech emphasising the massive impact that THIMUN makes and the magic that lies therein. He managed to embody THIMUN in a few simple lines: "But THIMUN is more than a mere conference. It is a place and time where people excel, it is a place and time where people experience great new things, it is a place and time where memories are created". Thus the opening ceremony ended on a highly positive note which reminded us all that we symbolise the youth of the world, we speak for those who do not have a voice, and, through "partnership and teamwork", we can achieve something brilliant.
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