The Westphalian DiplomatTuesday, 27th March, 2012

It is quite difficult to describe the famous MUIMUN spirit by using words. However, there is one particular moment at every conference when the MUIMUN spirit is present in every corner. When the hammer falls down and declares the conference

for open, when your identity changes from being a student to being a country’s represen-tative to the United Nations, then the MUIMUN spirit is noticeable in every single face. For the organization team, the hammer means the end of months of preparation; for the delegates it means the beginning of a week that will make a difference in their lives.

The opening ceremony of the sixth MUIMUN conference impressed with many instructive and entertaining speakers – among them Prof. Dr. Ursula Nelles, Rector of the Münster University, and Dr. Otto Lampe, Directorate-General of the United Nations and Global Issues of the German Federal Foreign Office. Each of them praised the en-thusiasm of the numerous delegates attending the conference, the performance of the organization team and the role of the United Nations in a world shaped by ‘Societies in Transition – Shifts in the Balance of Power’.

The maybe most unusual remark made Secretary-General Jule Möllmann in her opening speech, when she stated that the solution for many pressing global problems the UN are facing today might simply be to ‘drink a cup of coffee together’. Even if in their opening statements, several delegates made clear that the solution might not be that easy, they may consider the second advice Jule Möllmann gave them: that words have the power to change the way things are. Surely, the next four days will show that MUNs are ‘a praiseworthy example to be copied’, as Ban Ki-moon once said and that people who are raising their voices against the injustice in this world can indeed ‘change today and shape tomorrow’.

By Katja PhilippsOne step closer to making a difference

‘You can make dreams become reality!‘ Secretary-General Jule Möllmann

The Opening, P.2 Close-Up, P.2-5 WeDi Column, P.6 Panorama, P.8

2‘Work hard, play hard!‘

The sun is shining on the Arbeitsstelle For-schungstransfer on a quiet Saturday morning, and you‘d think anybody sit-ting inside voluntarily to discuss the difference bet-ween substantial and pro-cedural votes must have lost their minds.

However, before MUIMUN 2012 has even started, fourteen people are already present and voting at the MUIMUN head-quarters. Gathered around Secretary-General Jule Möllmann and her Depu-ty Carl-Philipp Sassenrath, the future MUIMUN Com-mittee Directors take notes about majorities, time li-mits and the ‘Good Chair – Bad Chair‘-theory: ‘Start practicing your evil look‘,

advises Calle, with Jule quickly adding, ‘Sometimes it helps if you just smile at them.‘

In the mock debate, it still takes some ‘Free-ze!‘ to conquer the trickier parts of the Rules of Pro-cedure. But thanks to the all-knowing Secretariat (and its power to change the rules if necessary), the Chair-wannabes get closer every minute to the degree of perfection required to hold a gavel at MUIMUN.

‘The UN are playing a decisive role‘Dr. W. Otto Lampe

The Westphalian Diplomat spoke with yesterdays keyno-te speaker Dr. Otto Lampe, Deputy Director of the United Nations and Global Issues Unit of the German Federal Fo-reign Office. He answered our questions about the MUIMUN conference and some of the world‘s most pressing conflicts.

What are your experiences with MUN conferences? How would you assess the impact of MUIMUN?

Well, I have no previous MUN experiences at all, but I am extremely impressed. It is something that seems to be well organized. I hope it does have an impact. And when I look at all the motivated participants, I am sure that the conference will have wonderful results.

MUIMUN´s this years topic is ‚Societies in Transition – Shifts in the Balance of Power‘. Do you think this is a true statement?

Yes. It is very topical. Powers are shifting and societies are in transit. A reform of the international institutions and organizations is urgently needed. Also our decision making processes must be reconsidered, multilaterally and bilaterally .

You have a lot of experiences in solving problems diplo-matically. Do you think the current political problems in Sy-ria can be solved the diplomatic way or do you see a need for military action ?

Tuesday, 27th March, 2012Close-up

By Isabel Lischewski

‘It‘s great to learn about the other side of the

conference.‘Lisa van Hoof, former delegate

‘The UN are playing a decisive role‘Dr. W. Otto Lampe

3Westphalian Diplomats

go to New York

Münster‘s students can-not only organize MUNs, they are also pretty good at rocking them as delegates.

2011 was the first time a Münster delegation took part in the National Model United Nations (NMUN) in New York City, one of the world‘s biggest MUNs. Their great work was ho-noured with an award right away. Next week the pressure is on eight other eager students, many of them MUN first-timers, to continue the success.

After more than eight months of intense prepa-ration and fund-raising, the team is fit and ready to represent the Republic of Burkina Faso in committees such as the Human Rights Council, UNESCO, the Af-rican Union or the Council on the Arms Trade Treaty. To be able to write their position papers in accor-dance with their country’s

stances, they researched UN databases and vario-us other sources, took part in a mock simulation and even contacted the embassy of Burkina Faso in Berlin.

Only one week before leaving for the Big Apple, expectations and antici-pation as well as nervous-ness about delivering a good performance have reached their highest peak.

‘I am particularly loo-king forward to learning about international politics hands on, meeting the dele-gations of other countries, and getting to know their opinions on today‘s politi-cal problems’, says Johannes Block, 21, of the delegation.

So if you happen to be in New York City next week, watch out for the di-plomats from Münster!

Tuesday, 27th March, 2012

There is certainly a need for military action because it seems that the diplomatic channels are not working the way we like them to work. But I do not see anybody investing into military action, because it is extremely dangerous. So, we are all working for a diplomatic solution.

What role can the UN play in this conflict?

The UN is already playing a very decisive role by the nomination of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is currently in Moscow and will visit China in order to try to convince these two member states to be helpful in the solution of the problem.

In February, the UN resolution concerning the violence in Syria failed because Russia and China used their veto right. What can be done to improve the operational power of the UN?

The UN does not have any problems with it‘s operati-onal power. The problems concern the decision-making processes in the Security Council because of the veto po-wer exercised by the permanent five members according to their political priorities. So we do need to convince these partners to overcome their restrictions and participate in the common decision-making.

By Fabian Brauch By Isabel Lischewski

Close-up

4There and back again

Another year of MUIMUN madness

If you imagine the MUI-MUN-team had a real-life hipster Timeline and one could scroll down to its very own organizational re-birth in the middle of the past year, it would appear as a rather smooth jour-ney there and back again.

One might stumble upon some rather pe-culiar memories about weekly wins and losses alongside very interesting historic documentation of social happenings and tho-se good ol’ group ‘dynamics’.

Tracing back the es-sence of these past slee-pless months, just like in these famous last seconds of ultimate reminiscence in the face of death (yet without the nasty down-side of dying) - how could one sum up this story?

Once upon a time when the 5th conference was all but forgotten, a new fel-lowship had to convene its powers to make giant ends, not hairy Orks, meet.

In this never-ending journey steep sloping sum-mits, cliffy gorges and strong counter-currents had to be conquered, po-werful (and very likea-ble) alliances to be forged

The complete content assumes truly gigantic pro-portions, forcing the author to skim back in time with a peppy 80’s style mon-tage (just imagine an up-beat disco song playing in the background), as these are the parts of our sto-ry that shall never perish in our shared memories:

Sagas about the logistic torments of space and time losing vital venues of the

Tuesday, 27th March, 2012

By Max Rößler

Close-Up

Münster Castle through higher powers, yet cou-rageously (and peaceful-ly) the lost MUIMUN fortress was regained.

. Narratives about fi-

nancial rollercoaster rides and PR‘s crafty wea-pons of mass promotion.

Fairytales about a lo-vely general secretari-at coining contents and catchphrases to tune up the moods of the fellowship.

Dramas about the rec-ruitment of scholars from around the globe and bu-reacratic odyssees among seemingly evil embassies.

Epics of a deep-digging alliance of fundraising gold miners and a truly tour-de-force of coordination.

Eventually, the work of 6 MUIMUN Generations has

been rewardedgenerous-ly by the students prize of the University of Münster, pushing this years confe-rence beyond boundaries.

I guess it’s the expe-

rience of this neverending storywith heaps of mi-schievous Trolls and infi-nite jest along our way that counts at the end of the day.

Each and every one of us had to carry burdens that exceed the average-sized Hobbit pocket, but with the kind help and smart advice of a borderline workaholic team of Sams, we could share the prrre-cioouussss parts the most.

And always remember:

one does not simply get a visa into Mordor.

Close-Up 5KONY 2012

A neo-colonist view of the world?

Never has there been a web video who has rea-ched so much coverage in so little time: Kony 2012 reached a global audience of over 85 million people in just about 3 weeks.

The campaign video produced by the US NGO Invisible Children targets to raise public awareness about the war crimes and atrocities Joseph Kony, a Ugandan rebel army lea-der, has committed over the course of the last 25 years. For all of this time Joseph Kony has been abducting children from local villages, turning them into child sol-diers.

There is no doubt that Joseph Kony is a war crimi-nal who should be brought to justice and should be known around the world for its atrocities. There is also no doubt that the vi-deo helped to spread global awareness of his crimes.

However, there has also been a great amount of criticism being published, mainly by the African blo-gosphere, due to the neo-colonist way in which the movie depicts the Africans. ‘The simplicity of the ‘good versus evil’, where good is inevitably white/western and bad is black or African, is also reminiscent of some of the worst excesses of the colonial era interventions’, writes Angelo Izama, an Af-rican blogger.

The movie asks Ame-ricans to address major western policymakers and celebrities in order to create the type of pressure on the international community which is deemed necessary to offer the required sup-port and pressure to be able to capture Kony. However, in a 30 minute video, it ne-ver even mentions Yoweri Museveni, the Ugandan president, who came into office around the same time Joseph Kony started his re-bel army.

Invisible children appa-rently have not been pre-pared for all the attention and criticism the video gained. Jason Russel, the director, has been hospi-talized after running half-naked through the streets of Washington, apparently due to a breakdown he suf-fered as a result of the milli-on views his video attracted.

8:57 am. Run over by bikes twice. Skirt ruined, one shoe lost. Might be the wrong direction. Do I have to cross that lake? Damn heels.

9:25 am.Passer-by took pity and gave di-rections to registration point. Now have name-tag and lots of new ball-pens.

11:03 am. Workshop. Neighbour gave dis-approving glance at skirt and missing shoe. Seems we‘re supposed to get on the floor and yield to a chair. Or other way round? Did not pay attention as was drawing funny picture of neighbour with new pens. Think he noticed.

5:59 pm. Long important speeches. Might sneak out and get something to eat. Suggested that to neighbour. Turned out to be guy from work-shop. No sense of humour. Any-way, there‘s going to be snacks and champagne afterwards.

Might yet stay.

Tuesday, 27th March, 2012

Diary of a

Delegate

By Felix BayerPictures by reutersmedia.net By Anonymous

6 The WeDi-Column

PRetentious Elites!?

Check these highly scientific points:

#1 You own at least one Apple product.

#2 If you are asked to dress casually, you‘ll wear your favourite polo shirt with a cashmere sweater wrapped loosely around your neck.

#3 You study law (or maybe business) at an expensive private university.

Doesn‘t apply to you?

Wait, you‘re in AdStaff, right?

According to many people, the sole purpose of MUNs is to pimp your CV and create networks for your ca-reer as a lawyer for evil international companies or head of an evil interna-tional company.

Okay, MUNs also help overcome national and cultural prejudices and and open up your horizon. But these people obviously don‘t need that. See, they don‘t have any stereotypes.

By Isabel Lischewski

Global (Real) News Flash

Congratulations! By reading this article you have al-ready proven to be a member of a distinguished and rather exclusive elite. Why? Because you are atten-ding a MUN conference.

People who say they understand the concept of Model United Na-tions (but would never attend one) will tell you that every delegate at a MUN conference comes from a back-ground of over-average income and education. Or in other words: you are a preppy kid with too much time to waste and parent‘s money to spend. Don‘t you recognize yourself in that description?

Kofi Annan: ‘Syrian crisis can‘t drag on‘. At least 35 people were killed as a government forces shelled buildings and snipers fired on civilians in Syria Monday, opposition activists said.

Amnesty International: Only 10% of countries carried out executions last year, but those employing the death penalty aredoing so at an alarming rate.

North Korea refuses to halt launch plan North Korea said Tuesday that it would not abandon its plan to carry out a satellite launch next month despite recent warnings from President Barack Obama over the move.

US-President Barack Obama voiced dou-bt on Tuesday on the prospects for progress with Moscow on missile defense until after the November U.S. election as he staunchly defen-

ded remarks caught on camera the day before with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Three foreign soldiers were shot dead by Afghan security forces personnel on Monday in the so-called insider killings which have raised deep concerns about the reliability of NATO‘s local allies and their ability to keep the peace.

Weather Forecast Münster:Today: Sunny 19C°, Wed.: Cloudy 18°!

Tuesday, 27th March, 2012

7This is PRobably us!

We take great pleasure in introducing you to the team that will make your lives bright and shiny for the next five days, that will entertain you, ask you, film you, quote you, observe you, write for you, stay up at night for you and give its very best for you!

Isabel, Max, Fabian and Katja are at the core of this year’s Public Relations Team, having already spent se-veral months of making MUIMUN the most popular

Close-Up

Adding to the conference: The Ad-Staff

conference in the world (you are here, we take this as a good sign).

During the next days, we will be supported by a gorgeous team of external journalists, namely Wiebke, Svenja, Inga, Melissa and Jan. When you see one of us, don’t be shy, answer our questions and smile for the camera so we can capture every single moment of YOUR conference!

No committee would run smoothly without someone standing in the back, passing around your notes, refil-ling your glasses, correcting and printing your resolutions.

For making sure that everything is at the right place at the right time and for taking over tasks that may be not recognizable at first sight, we would like to thank our Administrative Staff:

Tobias Farwer, Natalie Wenkers, Ioana Suciu, Kristin Dunsche, Olivian Bazavan, Raluca Marc, Christina Dienhart and Kira Hänsel!

Tuesday, 27th March, 2012

Editorial

Established 2007Münster University

International Model

United Nations

Editorial StaffKatja Philipps

Isabel LischewskiFabian Brauch

Max Rößler

LayoutMax Rößler

ContributorsJan Lassen

Melissa FaustInga Vosseler

Wiebke NowackSvenja Krings

Felix BayerHoroscope Pictures:

Great Thanks to Melanie Schippling

V.i.S.d.P.Katja Philipps

UniPrint: 300 copies

DISCLAIMERThe Westphalian

Diplomatis an independent

newspaper. Thecontent of the articles does not necessarily

represent the opinion of the “Arbeitstelle

Forschungstransfer”.

Panorama8Today‘s

ScheduleHoroscope

VIRGO This day has got great potenti-al, but don’t shoot your wad right away. Sometimes it is good to shut it and li-sten. There might be a surprise in store for you…?others the chance to appreciate your effort.

Tuesday, 27th March

09:00-13:00 Committee Session I

13:00-14:00 Lunch

14:00-17:45 Committee II

21:00 - Global Village@Clubschiene

Sudoku

Evening Announcement:Global Village

Lonely Hearts AdsLonely Monarch looking for Plutonic relati-onships with no strings attached...Busy do-gooder seeks secretary to keep track of protest marches timetable....Tropical landlocked paradise looking for Beach Boys....Shy alpine banking beauty looking for friends with benefits....Communicative president seeks substitute for hourly tweets....

AQUARIUS Keep your mind on your goals. Things are in flux but you can’t press them. Be firm in your plans but have respect for the strategy of others. If you don’t insist on your idea the day may have a surprise in store for you.

Tuesday, 27th March, 2012

Tonight‘s the night to practice your inter-cultural competence by snacking Greek, drin-king German and dancing Pakistani-style!

At the Clubschiene in Münster‘s har-bour area, we celebrate MUIMUN‘s diversity.

Feel free to bring a sample of your country‘s culinary specialties (no drinks please) and put on national dress! Doors open 9 p.m.