Hi everyone,

One would think that after a very successful New Zealand Model United Nations in July, UNYANZ would be taking a break. However, we are still as busy as ever, with a diverse range of regional and national events taking place in the common months. It is a testament to all of those involved in UNYANZ that they continue to plan and roll out events for your enjoyment. And so I encourage you all to make sure you take part!

In the previous edition of Communique, Immediate Past President, Matt McGrath, challenged our new generation of leaders to take up the mantle within UNYANZ. In the coming weeks there are some amazing opportunities to do just that - from running NZ Model United Nations, to taking part in the NZ Model Security Council – so please grab hold of them.

Perhaps one of the most disappointing things is when people let amazing opportunities slip past. Don’t let that be you! Be an idealist, make your voice heard, and be counted. Whether it is applying to be on the New Zealand Model United Nations Committee for 2010, to taking part in the Canterbury Historical Model United Nations, to collecting for a local charity, they all contribute to adding another valued voice to the mix. So make sure you take part in life – after all, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Hei konei ra.

Gina Manning
UNYANZ President
president@unyanz.co.nz

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---- EVENTS ----

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Delegate registrations close TODAY (Friday 14 August) for NZ Model Security Council 2009. To register, just put together a team of four delegates, and email Chloe at nzmsc.registrations@unyanz.co.nz with your team's details. If you're struggling to find team members, just email Chloe, and she will help to put you in touch with other potential delegates.

For potential delegates from outside Auckland, we have big news: The Asia:NZ Young Leaders' Foundation has kindly agreed to subsidise the flights for one delegation, to represent China. So, the successful applicants will, as well as representing a veto power, get $200 each towards their travel costs.

Selection will be based on:

1) Financial hardship and/or difficulty in travelling to the competition, particularly in light of distance and likely flight costs;
2) Model UN, debating, and other relevant experience; and
3) Demonstrated interest in or appreciation for the relationship between Asia and New Zealand.

To apply, the leader of the delegation – which may or may not be already registered – should write a letter of no more than two pages, responding to the selection criteria above.

David Tong
NZMSC09 Co-ordinator
nzmsc@unyanz.co.nz

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New Zealand Model UN is over, and I hope the all the delegates and conference assitants enjoyed themselves. On behalf of the committee I'd like to thank you all again for attending and making the conference fantastic.

The conference may be over but we hope your interactions and interest in the organisation hasn't!

First of all, the post-conference packs are currently in production and we hope to get these distributed in a few weeks. These will have contact details of other delegates, a magazine summarising every committee with lots of photos, and a disk with a copy of final documents of the conference and all the photos that conference assistants took.

We're ecstatic that a large number of you have joined the Facebook group. The UNYANZ Facebook group, which can be found at http://www.facebook.com/unyanz

Not only is the Facebook group (and also the New Zealand Model UN 2009 Facebook group) a great way of catching up with other delegates from the conference, but recently uploaded were about 500 photos from the conference, and the videos played during the conference as well. We'd be hugely appreciative if you could upload any photos that you took yourselves so we get the chance to see them!

Finally, we set aside a small amount of money for some post-conference events in each of the UNYANZ regions. Expect to hear from your Regional Presidents about these soon.

I hope you all had a great time, I'm hopeful that you're all interested in attending as a delegate next year or as a conference assistant. You'll notice elsewhere in this newsletter that positions on the committee for NZMUN2010 are open for application.

Nigel Smith
NZMUN09 Co-ordinator
nzmun@unyanz.co.nz

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UNYC 2009 accommodated the biggest New Zealand delegation ever. So impressed were the Australians that they have invited an even bigger delegation for next year. UNYC invites delegations from every state and territory (as well as New Zealand and South Korea) to participate in a week-long, residential conference which includes model UN, key speakers, discussion groups, the making of a youth declaration, and the making of a lot of new friends. This often produces a lack of sleep as delegates are too excited to hang out with one another to go to sleep!

UNYC this year was held in Brisbane, Queensland. UNYC began early this year, with participation in the first day of NZMUN in Wellington. This started a week of late nights and early mornings. Upon arriving in Brisbane, delegates were allowed to relax and make friends for the rest of the evening. The first full day of the conference was ‘Human Rights’ day and there were several key speakers on the theme. This was followed by discussion groups and Youth Declaration session. The evening was mostly free time, where the Kiwis held their weight in the quiz night despite being half the size of the rest of the delegations. Our delegation impressed with wit, charm, and the performance of the Haka.

Day two was themed ‘Climate Change, Industry and Development’. This was held at Griffiths University and the surrounding South Bank area of Brisbane. We caught the CityCat back to the St Leo’s College (hall of residence) and the afternoon was taken up with an interactive problem solving activity. The evening again was time to relax, and get to know one another.

Day three was committees day, where delegates got broken up into committee groups and debated various topics in model UN depending on their group. These debates were held in various places around Brisbane including the Old Government House and Parliament House which gave the day a formal atmosphere. This day was ended with Bloc dinners, where delegates were split into country area groups, and ate food at restaurants that had food of the region.

The next day was themed ‘Peace and Security’. Speakers included Jason Ward who had participated in various UN peace keeping initiatives, and Alex Bellamy who spoke on the Responsibility to Protect. The afternoon was a lot of fun with a cultural festival that included an African drummer and much dancing. In the evening there was a talk from the UN youth representative from Australia, Chris Varney. He was an inspirational and motivational influence to the conference.

Day five was General Assembly day. All delegates were assembled in one large room each representing a different country. Here they debated four resolutions in a high intensity situation. In the evening there was the closing ceremony. Here the Treasurer Wanye Swan received the Youth Declaration on behalf of the Australian Government. We next walked to the gala dinner which was in a very beautiful setting, in a restaurant overlooking the river. After dinner there were speeches and the awards ceremony. Again New Zealand did very well with two of the delegates receiving awards. Meaghan won the ‘legend’ award and Caleb the ‘smart-arse’ award. This was followed by a lot of very good (or bad depending on how you look at it) dancing!

Day six consisted of free time. In the annual facilitators vs delegates soccer match, the facilitators achieved a close victory. This was followed by excursions in various areas around the city. The evening consisted of a talent show.

We departed having had an experience to remember, many new friends and many new perspectives.


"By the end of the trip, it was unanimous that UNYC had been the best week that many of the delegates had ever experienced. The lively and welcoming atmosphere was unforgettable, the discussion and debate was of a level of social depth and intellect that we'd never before witnessed, and the sheep-shagging jokes were mediocre and numerous. UNYC was a week full of inspiration, engagement, and wonderful people who will undoubtedly be lifelong friends. Thank you to UNYANZ and our facilitators for offering us this wonderful opportunity!"

- Meaghan Li, Delegate, UNYC 2009

Abbie Selinkoff
UNYC09 Co-ordinator
unyc@unyanz.co.nz

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UNYANZ is happy to announce the selection of the 2010 New Zealand Secondary Schools' Delegation to The Hague International Model United Nations.

Every year, at the National Model United Nations Conference, UNYANZ selects a delegation of top secondary schools students with a keen interest in international relations. This year, the application process was particularly competitive, and the delegates all did exceptionally well to be selected.

14 delegates were selected from around New Zealand. The Head of the 2010 Delegation is Matt Dobbs from Auckland and the Deputy Head of Delegation is Meaghan Li, also from Auckland. Congratulations to those students, and to the whole Delegation.

This year, the THIMUN staff are busy planning an exciting new itinerary. The Delegation will depart from New Zealand on January 14, 2010 and travel to Europe. In Europe, the Delegation will travel on a diplomatic study tour through Paris, Berlin and Rome, before travelling to The Hague to take part in the THIMUN Conference. After THIMUN, the Delegation will stopover in Bangkok for a contrasting cultural experience and to visit further sites of UN importance.

The Delegation will return to New Zealand in early February 2010, just in time for the new school year.

Hannah Stallard
THIMUN10 Co-ordinator
thimun@unyanz.co.nz

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---- OPPORTUNITIES ----

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Every year in June/July, UNYANZ runs the New Zealand Model United Nations in Wellington. This is our premier high school student event, and in 2009 involved almost 300 people. It takes place over four days in the capital, and encompasses debating, dinners, and even a bit of dancing!

This fantastic event gets the support of a countless number of government departments and ministries, grants, non-governmental organisations, universities, embassies, and private companies. It is recognisable to thousands of people in New Zealand, and has an incredible amount of credibility among a vast range of professionals.

To run such a unique event, we obviously need a committed team to put their hand up and apply to be on the Organising Committee of the Conference. Everyone has the potential to be on the Committee. But at the end of the day, it is up to you. Do you want to let this opportunity pass you by without even trying to be part of something bigger than yourself?

We thoroughly encourage all of you to apply, after all – nothing ventured, nothing gained! For application forms go here. If you have any questions, email Gina Manning, at president@unyanz.co.nz

Applications close TOMORROW, Friday the 14th August!

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For those of you who are not aware, the UNYANZ website went under a massive transformation of February 2008. But we still have many things that we want to do to make the website more fun and interactive for everyone! And so we need someone enthusiastic and reliable to apply to become the UNYANZ Webmaster for 2009-2010.

Being UNYANZ Webmaster entitles you to become a member of our National Council, which is the governing body of the organisation. You get to play with lots of toys, do lots of fun things, and generally have a ball. If you like being even the slightest bit technical, then apply! For application forms go here. If you have any questions, email Gina Manning, at president@unyanz.co.nz

Applications close TOMORROW, Friday the 14th August!

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---- REGIONS ----

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Auckland region has had a very active international month. UNYANZ Auckland organised and participated in sending a delegation of 15 students to the Asia Pacific Model United Nations Conference (AMUNC) in Brisbane, Australia. These students had an amazing time, making up the delegations of France, Iran, and a dedicated team of Directors. Suffice to say, several members of the organising and delegate welfare committee were thoroughly impressed with not only the standard of debate “the kiwis” brought to the conference, but also the impeccable manner in which they conducted themselves. Having been a director myself, and at my third AMUNC, I definitely have to say to this time around was the highly enjoyable because of the strong New Zealand contingent; a must visit for all UNYANZ regions in the future.

On the domestic front, UNYANZ Auckland is forging ahead with events for both High School and University Students. Auckland High School’s Regional Security Council will be held on the 8th of August as Diocesan Schools for Girls, with delegates keeping their international minds tuned to the situation in South Ossetia and UNSC responses to Global Pandemics. Coming up in September and October will be a new event that ensures every nation and delegate participating has an opinion and a voice: The UNYANZ Regional Forum. UNYANZ Auckland is also planning a University Students (18+) only event - A UN Pub Quiz, kindly sponsered by Fordes Bar; keep your eyes posted members...

On a final note, if you are a High School Student and are interested in having a say on how Auckland Region engages with its members, please email your details to our High Schools Representative, Jennifer Donnelly at auckland.hs@unyanz.co.nz Jennifer will be holding High Schools Committee’s throughout the year to hear your feedback on how we can better accommodate your participation in UNYANZ Auckland.

Stay Peaceful and Free,

Nick Masters
Auckland President
auckland@unyanz.co.nz

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It was a pleasure to have delegates and CAs from all regions come to visit for the NZ Model UN, and what a great event it was! Wellington UNYANZ is now busy preparing for the next wave of Model UN events to hit in September. First up will be the famed Porirua Model UN in early September for all students in the Porirua area. Those in Porirua will hear the full details in no time. Then later in September will be back to back Model Security Council events. On Tuesday the 22nd of September will be the Wellington Universities Model Security Council, then on the 23rd of September it is the turn of the high school students with Wellington High Schools Model Security Council. All three events are shaping up to be fantastic, so keep an eye out for registrations opening in the coming weeks. Delegates should get in fast for Model SC events, as these will be at capacity!

On the social front, a DVD and pizza night will be held on Thursday 20 August from 6pm for high schools members. Come along and share some pizza and popcorn over a great movie and even better company! Its a chance to catch up with all of the other Wellington delegates at NZ Model UN and Wellington Model UN before the Wellington High Schools Model Security Council. The event will be held in the Common Room of the Student Union Building at Vic (its on the same floor as where NZMUN training and WMUN were). All are welcome, but bring along $5 for pizza and popcorn and make sure you rsvp to wellington@unyanz.co.nz. The movie showing is Home (2009), which is taking the world by storm!

For university students, another D&A session will be coming up soon too!

Wellington UNYANZ is delighted to have the Cutfield Gavel back at its spiritual home and are determined not to see it leave any time soon!

Mark Mulholland
Wellington President
wellington@unyanz.co.nz

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The Regional Council in Canterbury has been energized by the careful planning of a number of new initiatives, and we hope to pass that energy on to our constituents as soon as possible! We have begun working intensively to plan these new initiatives, with a focus on providing more Model UN events in the Region to challenge our students. Canterbury has a reservoir of talent and fervour that we hope to tap into over the next year, and such a vista can only provide us with more motivation.

In late September we will be holding the first ever Historical MUN in Canterbury, and registration forms will soon be forwarded to high schools. This event will certainly be a special one – we want to see the best and brightest students apply, and we hope to witness a presentation of knowledge of, and passion for, both historical and humanitarian ideas. This event will be coordinated by Alexander Baird, a first year student at the University of Canterbury and a member of the Regional Council.

A small delegation from the Regional Council also attended Rangiora High School’s annual Model UN event for years 9 and 10 – RHSMUN. We were truly impressed by this totally student arranged and run conference, and as a result, we are even more enthused than ever about creating a comprehensive full year programme to educate more young people about the United Nations.

Finally, the rest of this year will be used fully by our Council to network with teachers in Christchurch and the wider Region. If you’re lucky, you may well see some of us walking around your school very soon!
Anton Smith
Canterbury President
canterbury@unyanz.co.nz

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The second half of the year got off to a good start when, in July, some Otago members acted as Conference Assistants and Delegates at the annual New Zealand Model United Nations Assembly, which was a great success and a lot of fun for everyone. In particular, it was great to see the two scholarship winners from Otago develop their debating and negotiating skills.

In the last couple of months the Otago regional council has been planning events to be held in the second half of the year. Events planned include: an Otago Model Security Council, a High-school speech competition, a UN-themed quiz night and a movie night with a humanitarian theme. If you live in Otago and any of these events sound interesting, don’t hesitate to email me or check the unyanz website for details on dates, venues, etc.

Also, in September, Otago plans to send a delegation to the university level New Zealand Model Security Council. This is only the second time the event will have been held, but already it looks like it will be a fantastic event.

Janet Fraser
Otago President
otago@unyanz.co.nz

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---- FEATURES ----

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UNYANZ now has a great presence on Facebook, with over 750 fans on our Facebook Page.

If you haven't already become a fan of UNYANZ on Facebook, you can find our page here: http://www.facebook.com/unyanz

If you're already a fan but haven't visited our page in a while, take a look - we've recently uploaded all the photos and videos from NZMUN09!

Become a fan of UNYANZ today!

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Enjoying a summer break in the middle of the winter holidays, Elizabeth Chan, (UNYANZ VP for Model UN) has recently returned from Singapore after attending the 4th APRU Undergraduate Summer Programme. Based around the theme, “Rising to the Challenge – Leadership in the 21st Century”, conference delegates were addressed by distinguished professors from the National University of Singapore, industry experts, businessmen, outstanding young entrepreneurs and politicians.

The conference brought together 50 aspiring young leaders from around the Pacific Rim, with delegates hailing from Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Australia, the United States and New Zealand. Elizabeth thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially the interdisciplinary dimension of the conference and was excited to learn about leadership in relation to health, social entrepreneurship, ethical leadership, the financial crisis, religion and sustainable development among other interesting topics.

But it wasn’t all work and no play. Conference delegates visited the Night Safari in Singapore, went shopping in Little India and China Town, partied in Clarke Quay – the night hub and went cycling at Pulau Ubin, an island off the coast of Singapore. Elizabeth was one of two New Zealand delegates, representing the University of Auckland, at this conference.

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The Global Poverty Project would like to invite you to the New Zealand launch of the Global Poverty Project. The Global Poverty Project aims to catalyse the movement to end extreme poverty through a 90 minute presentation '1.4billion reasons' which creatively and deeply communicates the issues surrounding poverty. Compelling and challenging, the presentation moves audiences to take action and shows how by making simple changes everyone can be a part of the solution.

The public events are:

Wednesday 26th August: Dunedin 7pm, Town Hall.
Thursday 27th August: Christchurch 7pm, Majestic Theatre, Cnr Manchester & Lichfield St.
Friday 28th August: Wellington 7pm Rutherford House Pipitea Campus, Victoria University.
Saturday 29th August: Auckland 7pm, Beaumont Centre, 98 Beaumont St, Downtown.
Sunday 30th August: Tauranga 7pm, Holy Trinity Church.
Monday 31st August: Hamilton 7pm Price Waterhouse Coopers Lecture Theater, Waikato University.

Please RSVP with the location of the event by Tuesday 25th August at newzealand@globalpovertyproject.com

For futher information please check out http://www.globalpovertyproject.com

Divya Dhar
UNYANZ Member