CONTENTS AND EDITORIAL
Highlights & Lowlights
Dress Jeremy
Jakob Morrissey
Partygate
Jamie McDowall
Strange World Records
Tarika Abad
Unusual Pets
Izan Meabe
Taiwan & China Relations
Ryo Otani
Endagered Animals
Elspeth Gardiner
Disco Photos
Emily Buckingham
Good News
Elena Buckingham & Elspeth Gardiner
Overview of MUN 2024
Jakob Morrissey & EMILY WALKER
Goodbye from the 2024 MUN press team
All of us :)
And of course how could we forget!
Mr Whiteley’s baby photo!
It’s been a great few days with your Press Team. What have I learned? 1) Their capacity to eat chocolate and snacks is limitless. 2) Emily’s taste in music is superb (she likes The Smiths and Cranberries). 3) Jakob has picked up the graphic design baton superbly from Katja. 4) Katja will not be beaten by software. If you are reading this, that is true. 5) Great writing from Elena and Jamie. 6) Elspeth has awesome diplomacy skills in pulling together talent from the UK, Japan and the Iberian Peninsula. Thank you, it’s been a blast. And we did actually once have a pigeon in our house but no conspiracy theories as our cat brought it in. Don’t worry, it was unharmed and we let it go.
- Mr Steve Whiteley
EMILY WALKER DOES NOT READ THE DELEGATE
“I skim it”
SHAME
SHAAAAAAAME
Speaking of EMILY WALKER, the conference has come to an end. I, personally, am quite sad about it, as it demarkates time ticking steadily on towards my inevitable doom (university).
I have really enjoyed toiling and sweating and crying and bleeding for you, the few that have bothered to get this far (on the contents page). Big shout out to EMILY WALKER’s playlist who despite her dissapointing treachery has provided only the most jammiest of jams and bestest of beats. For me, time ticks on to the inevitable doom of losing Kat, who will be gone and incredibly missed.
If there are any mistakes in this one we apologise, but will not do anything to fix it. :)
- Katja & Elspeth
“IF you INCREASE the SPEED on a TREADmill, it becomes HARDER to AVOID RUNNING”
- Elena Buckingham
HIGHLIGHTS AND LOWLIGHTS
Elspeth’s interviews
Bayan:
EG: So, it’s the end of MUN. Did you find love in this hopeless place?
B: Maybe… potentially…
EG: There’s still one more day! How many?
B: Well,.. If I say two… the other one won’t like it, you know what I mean?
EG: That’s fine! That’s fine… but you did say two. ‘The other one won’t like it’ – who’s the other one?
[stammering ensues]
EG: Ok, another question. What was your role, and did you actually do it?
B: My role was to be the most controversial and to win the most joke awards.
EG: You definitely did the first bit, but I’m not sure about the awards.
B: I definitely did that; I won the whole first five joke awards in a row. I think I was the most controversial, I was definitely the most sigma.
EG: Has anyone actually said that? Did you win the most joke awards with that joke just then?
B: Yes. But that wasn’t the only joke I made.
EG: What’s an MUN scandal that you’ve heard?
B: The delegate of Venezuela has never actually been to North Korea, even though he used that in an argument. I asked him if he’s ever been, and he said yes he had but afterwards he told me he didn’t actually go.
Maggie and Hamish:
EG: State your names.
M: Maggie Cassidy.
H: Hamish Donaldson Sinclair.
EG: What were your roles, and did you actually do them?
M: My role? Uh, debating? Oh- DISEC.
EG: Strong start!
H: I was the ambassador for Sierra Leone, and committee member of DISEC.
EG: Did you guys actually read the Delegate?
M: Yes.
H: I read some of it and also looked at the fun pages.
EG: That’s good. Did you guys find love at MUN?
M: My best friend, in Ecuador. Shout out!
H: No, I’m lonely.
EG: One day left. Final question – can you think of an MUN scandal?
M: This guy right here needs to be cancelled on Twitter.
[Ooos from the crowd]
EG: Humble plug!
H: She told me to kill myself fourteen times today.
EG: How are you gonna fight the allegations, Maggie?
M: Hearsay!
Abraham and Ollie:
EG: What was your favourite part of MUN?
AK: Favourite part of MUN has to be…
EG: This interview?
AK: Yeah of course, cause it’s with you, isn’t it?
EG: Yeah totally, no but what was actually your favourite part?
AK: I’m gonna have to say, discos.
EG: Are you there this evening?
AK: Yeah of course, what about you?
EG: I’m going as a minion because it was all that EMILY WALKER could find for me.
AK: Are you gonna paint your face?
EG: I think I might have to. Yeah, yeah, cause I’ve got some guys in the works [Editor’s note: optimistic] and they love that kind of stuff.
EG: What was your favourite part of MUN?
OB: probably Rohan singing.
EG: Totally, can you give us a rendition?
[Dying fox sounds] [im joking it was atually really good]
EG: Did you actually read the Delegate?
AK: What does that mean? [Editor’s note: In press room, next to piles of The Delegate]
EG: Abraham, The Delegate
EG: Did you actually read the delegate Ollie?
OB: Yeah well it had a really good picture in it one day, it was my face, so obviously I had to.
EG: What was your role and did you actually do it?
AK: I’m actually a chair for SPECPOL 2, and I did do my role but it’s my first time so I made a couple of mistakes, but it’s okay because we are here to learn, aren’t we?
EG: I’m glad you said it.
OB: Yeah, I did some good stuff. I was an ambassador of Brazil, I forgot to hand my plaque cards out, so that was my only job and I failed to do it.
EG: Can you tell us an MUN scandal?
AK: So basically I’ve got a friend yeah, but I’m not gonna name names, he found true love yesterday, I even saw them linking arms, yesterday, and they were just walking around the school together for, like, two hours, but, BUT, we fast forward to today, and we find out that she is talking to TWO other boys IN... their committee, so imagine what’s going on outside of the committee!
[Shocked sounds of absolute disbelief from the crowd]
EG: Can we have a moment of silence please
[A few seconds go by]
EG: Okay that’s enough.
OB: We had beef from the start. Could you imagine beefing me?
AK: BUT WAIT there’s something else... he has a girlfriend.
OB: That’s... that’s outrageous
AK: [so blatantly and obviously lying] Oh, yeah of course!
EG: Abraham turn around and face the wall.
OB: Just go home mate.
[Further shock from the crowd]
PARTYGATE
After the first covid-19 lockdown in the UK it was revealed that the UK’s conservative government had been having secret parties both inside and in the gardens of Number 10 Downing Street.
On the 20th May 2020 reports of an email from downing street invited members of the cabinet and conservative party to a “Socially distanced drinks in the No. 10 garden.” In which Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson and his wife hosted 30 guests. Mr Johnson apologised to MPs for attending the event, saying he spent 25 minutes thanking staff, before returning to his office.
A police investigation found that the event did not breach rules at the time.
On the 19th June 2020, the PMs Birthday, members of the conservative party and Downing Street staff gathered in the cabinet room to “Wish the PM a happy birthday.” No 10 said staff had “gathered briefly” adding that he had been there “for less than 10 minutes”.
However, perhaps the most controversial of the parties occurred on the 17th April 2021, the eve of The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral. One of the parties was revealed to be a leaving party for James Slack, the former communications director for the party. The Duke’s funeral the next day was attended by few people and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II sat on her own. This disgraceful event resulted in Boris Johson issuing two letters of apologies to Buckingham Palace.
Sue Gray Report:
A senior civil servant, Sue Gray, was tasked with conducting an internal investigation into the alleged breaches. In her initial findings, released in early 2022, Gray described a culture of drinking and rule-breaking within Downing Street during the pandemic. Although her report was limited due to an ongoing police investigation, it painted a damning picture of government behaviour during the pandemic.
STRANGE WORLD RECORDS
The Cat Who Can Skip Rope
Imagine a playful tabby from Missouri, not just lounging around but actually skipping rope! This little feline managed to jump over a rope nine times in one minute.
The Burp That Roared
Meet Kimberly “Kimycola” Winter from Maryland, who turned a simple burp into a record-breaking event. With a burp that reached 107 decibels, she made a sound comparable to a motorcycle revving up.
The Fearless Firefighter
French firefighter Jonathan Vero took bravery to a whole new level when he ran 893 feet engulfed in flames, without oxygen.
Rocky the Boxer
Rocky, a 9-year-old boxer from Illinois, has a tongue that measures a whopping 5.46 inches.
Spoon Balancing Master
Abolfazl Saber Mokhtari from Iran has a unique talent: balancing 88 spoons on his body.
Blindfolded Potato Head Wizard
Can you assemble Mr. Potato Head in under 13 seconds while blindfolded? Andre Ortolf can! His impressive muscle memory and quick reflexes make this seemingly simple task a true feat.
The Moustache That Stole the Show
Paul Slosar from South Carolina sports a moustache that stretches over 2 feet long. His facial hair has garnered quite the following, proving that sometimes, style choices can become iconic!
Joy the Trick-Performing Pig
Joy Bleeker’s pig is no ordinary farm animal; it performs 13 tricks!
The Hula Hoop Champion
Getti Kehayova set a record with a 17-foot hula hoop, spinning it like a pro.
Chico the Scooter Parrot Chico, a cockatoo, zoomed on his tiny scooter, showcasing his impressive speed.
EXOTIC PETS
Ever wonder if there was a world of pets beyond dogs,cats and goldfish?
I bet you did, and that is why I will be showing you Unusual Pets from all over the world! From the rainforests of South America to the savannas of Africa, exotic animals have received a lot of attention from pet owners. In this article I will show you the enormous realm of unique pets.
Sugar Gliders: small, nocturnal marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea.
Capuchin Monkeys: intelligent, medium-sized primates found in the tropical forests of Central and South America.
Fennec Foxes: small, desert-dwelling foxes with distinctive oversized ears, native to North Africa and the Middle East.
Axolotls: a type of salamander that never undergoes metamorphosis, keeping its gills and remaining aquatic its entire life.
Hedgehogs: small, spiny mammals that roll into a ball for defence, found in various parts of the world, including Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Chinchillas: small, fluffy rodents native to the Andes mountains in South America.
Ferrets: domesticated members of the weasel family, often kept as pets.
Giant African land snails: are large, terrestrial snails native to the tropical regions of Africa.
Kinkajous: small, carnivorous mammals related to raccoons, found in the tropical forests of Central and South America.
Coati: a medium-sized, omnivorous mammal native to the Americas, characterised by its distinctive long, bushy tail and adaptable nature, often found in forests, mountains, and deserts.
But you must remember that having exotic pet animals means you have to be prepared for them, here are some things you have to prepare before deciding:
Laws Governing Exotic Pets
Understand local, national, and international laws governing the ownership and transportation of exotic pets.
Ethical Considerations and Conservation Efforts
Support conservation efforts and ethical practices to safeguard endangered species and their habitats.
Permits and Licences Required
Obtain necessary permits and licences to legally own and care for exotic pets, ensuring compliance with
Regulatory standards
Understanding Habitat Requirements-Create a suitable habitat that mimics the natural environment of exotic pets, promoting their health and well-being.
Specialised Diets and Nutrition-
Provide a balanced diet tailored to the nutritional needs of exotic pets, including supplements and fresh produce.
Behavioral Enrichment and Mental StimulationEnhance the lives of exotic pets with enrichment activities, puzzles, and interactive toys to prevent boredom and promote natural behaviours.
TAIWAN ISSUE
The Taiwan issue is between China and Taiwan.It is a very difficult issue. It is the dispute over whether Taiwan is an independent, sovereign state or a part of China.
Taiwan was part of the Qing dynasty until it ceded Japan. After Japan’s defeat in World War II in 1945, Taiwan was returned to China. However, a civil war broke out on the Chinese mainland between the Nationalist forces led by Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces led by Mao Zedong. In 1949, the Communists triumphed and took control of Beijing. Chiang Kai-shek and the remnants of the Kuomintang (KMT) fled to Taiwan, where they goverened for several decades
China claims that Taiwan has historically been an inseparable part of China. On the other hand, the Taiwanese argue that based on the same historical narrative, they were never an integral part of modern China, which was founded after the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, nor of the People’s Republic of China, established under Mao Zedong’s leadership in 1949.
Since then, the KMT has remained one of the most prominent political parties in Taiwan, and its rule extended over a significant portion of Taiwan’s history. Currently, only 13 countries and the Vatican officially recognise Taiwan as a sovereign state. China applies considerable diplomatic pressure on other nations to prevent them from recognising Taiwan’s sovereignty or even implying such recognition.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence has indicated that relations with China have reached a critical point, the most important in the last 40 years.
Regarding Taiwan’s ability to defend itself, China could pursue reunification through non-military means, such as promoting economic cooperation. However, in the event of military conflict, China’s military would significantly outmatch Taiwan’s. China allocates more to defence spending than any other country except the United States, with a wide range of capabilities, including naval power, missile technology, aircraft, and cyber warfare. Although a significant portion of China’s military is deployed elsewhere, a comparison of active forces reveals a notable disparity between China and Taiwan.
However, U.S. President Joe Biden has stated that if China attempts military reunification with Taiwan, the U.S. would respond in kind. European nations are also taking similar stances, indicating their willingness to defend Taiwan.
Why are so many countries taking such actions? The answer lies in semiconductors. Taiwan is home to semiconductor manufacturers, including the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which dominates the global market. Over half of the world’s semiconductor production is concentrated in Taiwan. If China were to control this industry, it would have significant influence over other nations’ industries.
What are semiconductors? They are essential components in electronic devices such as smartphones, computers, and cars. Protecting Taiwan’s independence is crucial for safeguarding these vital products, which are essential to everyday life.
HOW ENDANGERED SPECIES ARE BEING SAVED ACROSS THE WORLD
There are 45,300 species under threat, over 163,000 of which are believed to be endangered. One in one million species is lost every year. This is because of a myriad of reasons, the two largest being Climate change and illegal poaching. Whilst several countries have made poaching illegal, South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, and India still face huge poaching problems. South Africa, arguably, has taken the largest hit because of poaching with more than 1,000 rhinos killed each year between 2013 and 2017. However, most feel that Zimbabwe faces the greatest poaching issue – each year, over 100 rhinos are killed for their horns, Giraffes remain sought after for their hair, meat, and bones, and elephant tusks have been and remain one of the most popular ways of sourcing ivory. Cameroon poaching has killed over 450 elephants annually and roughly two dozen adult giraffes are killed each year.
So, what are we doing to tackle this problem? Some solutions include increased surveillance, stronger lar enforcement, community involvement, education and awareness campaigns. An all-female anti-poaching unit called the Black Mambas has been set up in South Africa. They patrol Balule Nature Reserve, a 154sq m wildness park next to Kruger National Park, an area renown for being the largest poaching target in Southern Africa. The Women keep watch of the park, walking over 13 miles a day in temperatures of up to 35 degrees, looking out for injured animals or any illegal activity. They have removed 231 snares, tracked down and destroyed three poachers’ camps and bush kitchens, stopped 14 attempted poaching raids and arrested six poachers. Furthermore, China also closed its ivory markets in 2017 – a plan that would successfully save thousands of elephants across Africa.
Climate change is an incredibly relevant and dramatic problem for today’s society. Climate change endangers animals by changing their habitats climate, causing other species that are better equipped in higher temperatures to drive out the species that can not survive the change in climate. It can also have more substantial changes that are directly harmful like wildfires or increase in weather hazards like hurricanes or tornados. A considerably number of animals die in wildfires from causes like starvation, dehydration, lack of shelter, or the inability in the moment to find a safe place. This can destroy ecosystems and food chains providing a myriad of issues and aiding the endangerment of species.
Spain have chosen to tackle wildfires with wild horses. Free-roaming horses seem like an incredibly unlikely solution to wildfires, but ecologists are certain that this is no last resort and are certain that our equine friends can help to reduce the future risk of wildfires. In May of 2023, Rewilding Spain, a conservation organization reintroduced a herd of 10 Przewalski’s horses to the Iberian Highlands, these horses used to roam the region 4,000 years ago. They make up some of the world’s last free roaming horses. They have been set free into 5,700 hectares of public forest. The horse’s diet of grass and leaves from shrubs and trees will reduce the amount of combustible vegetation in the landscape, reducing the amount of scope that wildfires have. The horses will increase biodiversity by providing half-open, half-wooded landscapes that will provide perfect conditions for other species such as vultures, and carnivores such as Liberian lynx.
Solutions like these are helping to restore animal species and save further animals from becoming extinct.
GOOD NEWS!
Pets Impacted by Hurricanes Get Rescued
As part of a partnership with a charity and an animal rescue, Southwest Airlines had the idea to take shelter animals to Milwaukee so they could then continue their goal of finding homes for them. The over 150 animals had previously been in the care of animal shelters in Tennessee and Florida prior to the hurricanes however, to secure the animals safety, the shelter pets were transferred to Lucky Dog Animal Rescue’s Rescue Campus in Florence. Southwest Airlines efforts should be commended for making this flight possible due to their role in easing pressure on shelters during a time in which an unprecedented number of animals are being displaced by the hurricanes.
‘‘Huge public enthusiasm’ for fixing revealed ahead of International Repair Day
The BBC TV programme The Repair Shop, has inspired a huge growth in public enthusiasm for repairs. Hugely encouraging figures show that around 190,000 electrical items have been saved from landfill by volunteers who have dedicated the past year to helping fix and restore electronics. Today there are 1,158 active groups, which is huge compared to just 246 groups in 2019. It is estimated that 55,000 out of 200,000 attempts were successful just this past year alone.
London’s new urban greening structure is a ‘garden for insects and people’
The Chelsea College of Art London is home to London’s first 10-metre ‘urban greening’ structure. A structure that is entirely built of natural materials that supports biodiversity. The purpose of Vert (the projects name) is to address challenges that are common to urban areas, some of which include, rising temperatures, loss of habitats and consequently biodiversity, and heatwaves. It has frames made from red oak timbre and is kitted out with fabric nets designed to house more than 20 species for climbing plants at once. The designers of the project say that it reintroduces nature back into the city and creates sheltered spaces to gather.
The Press:
OVERVIEW OF MUN
Throughout the past four days, we have experienced the trials and tribulations, the epic highs and lows of MUN press. A ragtag crew – six from Royal Russell, seven from Hitachi First, two from St George’s, Mr Whitely – who have become unlikely friends, sticking together through thick and thin. We’ve conversed, laughed, eaten snacks, been offended at Elspeth’s multiple horrendous drawing of Elena, eaten snacks, been harassed non-stop by media, had our snacks stolen by Finley Fowler, harassed Ollie, and
The Discos:
Over the past three nights, MUN has been non-stop partying – in their pyjamas, in the 80’s, and on Halloween. The discos have been going on from 21:00 to 23:00, yet party animal delegates have still been able to debate and speak in their committees. Our sources tell us that the dancing never stopped, going all night long. We even heard that some lucky few have found romance on the dance floor… but all names were redacted. Will next years discos be able to top this years?
The Crisis:
For this years Crisis, the committee had to discuss and deal with the situation of GTO (Global Treaty Organisation) forming – An organisation consisting of China, Russia, India, Iran, North Korea and others. This would see Iranian boarders extended and the country being given full nuclear power, along with Türkiye. China would return disputed land to India and support it in any land conflicts with Pakistan. Other NATO countries would be encouraged to join GTO. After days of back-and-forth debating, restless nights, overthrowing the chairs, pouring over resolutions, the resolution passed, and no wars were started. This being said, the UK and North Korea didn’t agree to the resolution.
The Crisis was overall handled very well from the delegates, as they came to an agreement to avoid conflicts, even if they didn’t get exactly what they wanted in the end.
The resolution didn’t benefit Iran, however it overall led to peace
GOODBYE FROM THE PRESS TEAM <3
We have really enjoyed entertaining you during the course of this conference, even if some among us remained obtuse (EMILY WALKER). Genuinely loved interviewing you guys, hanging out and running contests, so see you all next year! This is the remains of the press team, signing off.
JEREMY’S FAREWELL
