- official balmun newspaper -
Issue 1/2010 • Friday, June 11th
The City
The World Cup
The Manager
Don‘t miss the home of BALMUN: the Hanseatic City of Rostock. What is it like? Get all relevant information on PAGE 3
BALMUN and FIFA World Cup. The big events at the same time. Don‘t miss the games. Use our World Cup Planner on PAGE 5
Claus Lucas Letsch is only 15 years old. But he organized BALMUN 2010. The Baltic Herald talked with him. PAGE 2
Save the Planet
(it‘s the only one with MUNs)
.com
PAGE 2 • ISSUE 1/2010
EDITOR‘S NOTE
The Herald is online now! Bigger, bigger, bigger. Every year we try new ideas. This year we not only print The Baltic Herald. We also built an awesome web page where you can read and comment all articles, get further information and material like photo galleries and see all issues from last year. We also made a facebook page. Hope you LIKE it and stay in touch with us. If you‘re using twitter follow us on twitter.com/ BALMUN. The Herald and BALMUN team tell their feelings and activities during this year‘s conference. See TheBalticHerald.com Johanna-Katharina & Matt
“MUNs give a bigger self esteem“ Conference Manager Claus Lucas Letsch in interview with The Baltic Herald
Web Specials PICTURE GALLERY See all our photos from last year on our facebook page. LAST YEAR‘S HERALDS All issues from 2009 now on our website. READ ONLINE Lost your Herald? Read all articles online.
.com IMPRINT Editor-in-chief Johanna-Katharina Möller Coordination, layout Matthias Bannert Editorial staff Luise Jacobs, Leonie Vetter, Franziska Van Heiden, Charlotte Schliebs, Antje Strafiel, Franziska Weigt, Tom Schwelps Online editor Matthias Bannert Executive Managers Matthias Bannert, Erik Muttersbach © 2010 Bannert Media All rights reserved.
He‘s young, motivated and single: Conference Manager Claus Lucas Letsch (15)
PHOTO MATTHIAS BANNERT
He‘s only 15 years old: Claus Lucias Letsch is this year‘s conference manager. With Matthias Bannert he talks about his job, the responsibility for 150 participants and the future of BALMUN. INTERVIEW BY MATTHIAS BANNERT
Mr Letsch, why do are you this year’s Conference Manager? I simply like to organize. It’s fun. A teacher of my school asked me if I want to do that job. So I said yes. On which MUN conferences did you take part till today? I was at BALMUN 2009,
BERMUN 2009 and BERMUN II. You are pretty young. Do you regret your decision to be BALMUN’s Conference Manager? No. Definitely not. It’s a lot of fun. I’m not that good in English language. But that’s why Annemarie Nack – she’s a student at University of Rostock – helps me organizing. She was Conference Manager in BALMUN’s first year 2008. So you are her trainee? Something like that. The concept was to put in a team a young and a mature person. Do you think BALMUN conference will be every year on your school?
Oh, I can say this. We try to enthuse the youngest on our school for this awesome project. The seventh grader can help us with housing the delegates or being a member of staff team. We try to keep BALMUN going as long as possible. How many people from your school take part on this year‘s BALMUN conference? Oh, I guess 25 in staff team, 20 at the so called Inner Circle and only five delegates. All in all around 50. And how many delegates? 120. Do you feel the big responsibility for all those people? I‘m not thinking that
they‘re here because of me. They join BALMUN because of this project. I just try to keep it alive. Is BALMUN 2010 bigger and better than last year‘s conference? Everyone likes to make it better than last time. What we do is to avoid mistakes from the last years. I guess we did this well. Are you afraid? Not now. But I guess I‘m afraid when the conference has start. I‘m afraid to forget anything. But in this case we have some people that organize things we missed for example cookies or water. Do you hold a speech on BALMUN? Hopefully not. Do you think one is growing with the issues? Yes. MUNs gave me a bigger self esteem. It‘s a funny thing when I remember how I was like a couple of years ago. What about the delegates? They also improve their self esteem. Because they have to talk and discuss about a current issue in a foreign language. In front of many people. Any problems during organizing BALMUN? We had some communication problem with a company. Some of the delegates asked me permanently any things. I answered every question politely. What about your team? We had a great communications in this year‘s Inner Circle. We discussed for hours weather we take glasses or bowls for drinking. So we were on some days at school till 8 PM. But that‘s okay with me. You‘re not only BALMUN‘s conference manager but also a member of the local Youth Bank. You are playing a role in your „High School Musical“ at Innerstädtisches Gymnasium. Why the hell are you doing so many things? I simply like it. I‘m open minded for any kind of projects. I can‘t do anything against it. Sorry.
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Welcome to the Home of BALMUN
A nordic Beauty: 200,500 people call the Hanseatic City of Rostock their homes.
Don‘t miss the home of "Baltic Model United Nations", called the Hanseatic City of Rostock. There is a lot to see and explore in the wonderful heart of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. BY JOHANNA-KATHARINA MÖLLER
As it was last year, the host of „Baltic Model United Nations“ is again the Hanseatic City of Rostock. For those of you, who don’t know the city yet, here a few aspects that Rostock is so unique:
First of all Rostock is with its 200,500 inhabitants and 181.4 square kilometres acreage the biggest city in the German federal state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It is located on the Warnow river and twelve kilometers away from downtown there is the beautiful coast of the Baltic Sea. Rostock is Germany’s largest Baltic port and also home to a large ferry port. It is a main base for ferry operators (Scandlines, AIDA, TT-Line), that connect Rostock with many places in the world. In addition Rostock
has signed partnership agreements with 13 cities from Europa, Asia and America and it is a member of the international network “New Hanse”. History and sports Last is based on the “Hanse” around year 1200: The rise of the city began with its membership in the “Hanseatic League”. In the 14th century it was a powerful seaport. In 1419 one of the oldest universities in Europe, the University of Rostock, was foun-
PHOTO THE BALTIC HERALD
ded. That’s why and because of many bars and discos a lot of young people study and live here. But also in cultural areas the city has much going for. Museums, a theater, exhibitions, countless sights and sports facilities offer a varied and intermingled program. Especially if you are interested in sports, you should keep an eye on the soccer team “FC Hansa Rostock”, the handball team “HC Empor Rostock” or the ice hockey team “Rostocker ECPiranhas”. Special arrangements like the like the “Hanse Sail” fes-
tival in August drawing more than 1,5 million visitors. All in all Rostock is a modern and beautiful city which offers a lot for young and old people. FACTS ROSTOCK State MecklenburgVorpommern Elevation 15 meters Mayor Roland Methling Area 181.44 km² Licence plate HRO Area code 0381 Postal codes 18001–18147 Website www.rostock.de ADVERSTISEMENT
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Language Guide BY WENCKE LUBOJANSKI
Basics Yes/ No Ja/ Nein Your welcome Bitte Thanks Danke Excuse me Entschuldigung I don‘t understand Ich verstehe nicht Could you please help me? Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen? What time is it? Wie spät ist es? Good morning! Guten Morgen! Good evening! Guten Abend! What‘s your name? Wie heißt du? My name is... For BALMUN or BALMUN In which commitee are you participating? An welche Komitee nimmst du teil? Which country are you representing? Welches Land vertrittst du? What do you think about BALMUN? Was denkst du über BALMUN? Who is the chair of this committee? Wer ist der Vorsitzende dieses Komitees? When is the next cookie break? Wann ist die nächste Kekspause? Free time Where is the next toilet? Wo ist die nächste Toilette? ...the next atm? ...der nächste Geldautomat? Where is the main station? Wo ist der Hauptbahnhof? Where is the beach? Wo ist der Strand? Call an ambulance/ the police! Rufen Sie einen Krankenwagen/ die Polizei! I need a doctor. Ich brauche einen Arzt! Where is the next pharmacy? Wo ist die nächste Apotheke? I‘m looking for restaurant. Ich suche ein Restaurant.
Schizophrenic or just Ingenious? About the delegate‘s transfiguration and its positive impacts BY LUISE JACOBS
A multicultural atmosphere will most likely welcome us this year as well – and this both figuratively and literally speaking: Russian Frenchwoman, German Mexican and Australian Uruguayan. Nowhere else young people are in such foreign shoes than during the three days of MUN. The design of an alter ego requires a lot of research and prearrangement – but it is definitely worth the trouble. The delegates have truthfully become quick-change artists and incorporate their fictitious nationality with heart and soul. Cultural shock A cultural shock during the preparation and in part apparently extraterrestrial customs are soon disappeared into oblivion. The adolescents have worked into their new roles, their citizenship and economic power in an in-depth way. Typical clothes, a characteristical phrasing or even peculiar eating habits are naturally part of the all-round package of a new ego. Especially in our today´s world which is characterized by globalization and cosmopolitans it is very important for the young generation to get in touch with other nationalities. But it is even more momentous to put oneself into someone else´s place and to get to know another point of view.
Glad to be a part of BALMUN 2010: Delegates representing different countries
PHOTO LUISE JACOBS
Truth telling slogan The financial and economic crisis, nuclear build-ups and the question whether environmental pollution could still be retarded concerns really everyone on earth. Learning through play - is a famous and truth telling slogan. In some cases really innovative and impressive resolutions are worked out which are surely acclaimed in equal measure according to the real resolutions of the
UNO. The students are truly worried about their environment and its further existence which constitutes in fact MUNs appealing character: Nobody has even momentarily doubts about that one might in truth achieve something real – because the declared intention of every single participant definitely exists. To comprehend world affairs and to form an own opi-
nion about it should actually be regarded as a necessity for today´s pupils. They have the right to pull the international strings and to create problem solving. Therefore it is a great deal for every student to be part of this unique event. Considering both opinions regarding the matter always contributes to the improvement of forming resolutions even as effective as possible.
INFO BALMUN 2010 The Innerstädtisches Gymnasium Rostock (ISG) has a very long MUN tradition. MUN director Mrs. Koch made young students experience the annual BERMUN Conference for more than 15 years. In January 2007 a very first “Pilot BALMUN” was held. In 2008 there was the first real BALMUN conference.
PAGE 5 • ISSUE 1/2010
Soccer World Cup n o i t i d E N Planner BALMU FRIDAY, June 11th 4 PM
South Africa vs. Mexico
__ : __
4 PM
Uruguay vs. France
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SATURDAY, June 12th 1.30 PM
South Korea vs. Greece
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4 PM
Argentinia vs. Nigeria
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8.30 PM Great Britain vs. USA
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SUNDAY, June 13th 1.30 PM Algeria vs. Slovenia
__ : __
4 PM
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Serbia vs. Ghana
8.30 PM Germany vs. Australia
ADVERSTISEMENT
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PAGE 6 • ISSUE 1/2010
Three BALMUNs Happy birthday BALMUN The MUN conference in Rostock takes part the third time this year. A reason for party. Another reason to be happy has one of BALMUN‘s mums Annemarie Nack, conference manager at BALMUN‘s fist time in 2008: She and her boyfried Kai Budde (photo) are a couple for three years - since yesterday, the day BALMUN started, Herald investigated. Best wishes! PHOTO MATTHIAS BANNERT
Where is the MUNster? BY MATTHIAS BANNERT
Is it dead? Herald investigated that there is no signs of life since months from MUNster, the mascot of BALMUN. We show on of the last photos of MUNster beeing alive. The last word from it on it‘s facebook page is written via Twitter - by the BALMUN team. No real sign of life. No everyone is afraid something happend to the cute monster. Sorry, MUNster.
If you see it send a photo to press@balmun.de. It looks like a ugly monster with purple skin, blue hat and a red mouth. Any hints to The Baltic Herald or conference manager Claus Lucas Letsch. press@balmun.de PS: Funny pics or videos? Send it via e-mail or mobile phone: +4917681120211 to Herald team.