PMUN 2018: A STEP TOWARDS YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

 COMEBACK AS THE DELEGATE OF MALAWI

Publicity Shoots Up In No Time : Snap In the PMUN Newsletter

Hi Readers! The blogger is back with a newfangled blog for all of my dear cronies to enjoy. First of all, I'd like to say that I indeed missed my readers and  repent for taking too long to come to blogger. But anyways; it's better late than never.

This blog highlights my ever memorable and unforgivable exposure as the 'Delegate of Malawi' at United Nations Women (UNW) in PMUN. This was my second conference and a step ahead in my rangy voyage of Model United Nations. Earlier, I had represented Republic of Indonesia at the World Health Organization and this season, my aim was to be a far better delegate and explore a completely distinct world.

THE VOYAGE KICKS OFF

On 18th May 2018, commences this anecdote. Early in the morning, after stepping inside the campus and submitting the notebooks to the concerned subject teachers, I along with my amigo Shreejata, scampered down to the basement for something which we had been eagerly waiting for. It was the prelude to an upcoming and very astounding peregrination; none other than PMUN 2018.

Post a certain duration of lingering, there arrived our trainer who was Akaash Sir. Indeed a very adept trainer, he was who possessed vast knowledge and an extremely terrific vocabulary. In spite of having attended such a training session once heretofore, I'd say that it was indeed full of learning. A lot was taught to us by him, which I hadn't previously known such as the impacts of the World Wars on this planet, incredible history of UN, regions of the world according to the United Nations, legitimate sources of research and various forms of documentation such as communique, draft resolution, working paper, press release and presidential statement. About the Israel-Palestine issue, I learnt of in the training.

Posterior the closure of the training, we then received the allotments for the mock session which would determine our participation in August's simulation.Of representing the Republic of Fiji at United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in the mock session, I got a chance. After spending nearly a whole sennight researching about this wonderful country in the South Pacific, there arrived the day of the mock on 28th  May 2018.

Oh indeed! So big  a pleasure it was to meet the supportive trainers and schoolmates after so long a run. Till 6 hours lasted the mock. Though the session wasn't as fabulous as expected  due to their being a few naïve delegates who ended up repeating the lines from the background guide without any input of their own, there still were a few amazing delegates like those of Bangladesh, Israel, Chile, Azerbaijan and Djibouti who managed to make the conference satisfactory.

 I spoke for 4 times in the mock, though I myself wasn't that confident to be selected. I really couldn't imagine that I spoke for the topics against which I had voted. Well at the end of the session, we made two working papers in which I made significant contributions. Finally as the session got over, we received the feedback from our trainers and asked for suggestions so as to ameliorate our performance.

Indeed, this session would haven't been fruitful without the hard work of the secretariat, committee heads, delegates and not to forget the trainers. Thereupon for the results, we eagerly waited.

THERE COMMENCES PMUN 2018

Then passed one complete month of waiting. Soon, there entered a girl in grade 8-C who seemed to be a secretariat member and was looking for me. The results of the mock session, she had. Oh my-my! Unbelievable, they were. Who'd thought of me becoming a delegate for the second time in my life. I really hadn't imagined.

Now for such a pleasant surprise, the ones who shall be thanked are none other than my beloved dad and my dearest uncle. Literally, my dad was the one who kept sharing with me, brilliant links for research. My uncle was the one who spent days with me in the computer room, researching alongside and making me explore a totally different dimension. Just because of the support of these two adroit pillars; this mark of success, I was able to reach.

In no time, arrived the allotments for the awaited PMUN 2018. Astonished, I was to know of becoming the delegate of Malawi at UNW. UNW was something which I didn't mind being in but having already read about the puny condition of Malawi due to a mere coincidence; dismayed, I was to be aware of the fact.

Anyways moving on from the unchangeable authenticity, I then instigated my probing. About the  CEDAW and CRC conventions, gender policy environment in Malawi, environment of educational centres in the country, Development Assistance Group on Gender, UN joint gender policy and Malawi National Gender Policy; I researched. Now this indeed was superb. Have got to say, as my research progressed; I indeed began to fall in love with the country and started looking at it as a nation ready for action. Just as I started looking at Malawi with admiration, there came the first day of this peregrination on 10th August.

 Placard having messages from the Executive Board and fellow delegates

Indeed it was impossible to help being excited as in the same committee room with a few known pals, I sat. The then Delegate of New Zeeland was now the Delegate of Tanzania. Moreover, Arnab Sir who had previously been the chairperson at WHO was now the executive director at UNW along with the brilliant deputy executive director and substantive director who were Sahil Sir and Anoushka Ma'am.

Committee in session on Day1

We soon commenced with the committee session after the roll calls. We were off to a great start. It was nice to have delegates who were understanding and didn't show any interest of dominating the community during the unmoderated caucuses. It wasn't at all like the few previous incidents which I had witnessed. Have got to say that when of expressing the thoughts which arise in their mind, everyone gets a chance then there arrives a high probability of success. We tried to explore as many dimensions as possible of gender equality and tried to move forward with the committee. Indeed it was fabulous when I got to know the real scenario of gender related issue in Iran. After the day's discussions, we parted to meet again on the second day.

Delegate of Tanzania, my old pal sitting alongside me

Just at the end of the first day, I got to know so much and having made so many newfangled cronies was really an icing on top of the cake. I came on friendly terms with the Delegate of Bahrain, Delegate of Tunisia, Delegate of Namibia, Delegate of Spain, Delegate of Iran and Delegate of Niger. Indeed it was a good feeling of  not being a standoffish as I had expected earlier due to the fact that none of the members of the pentagon  were around me. Then we met again on the second  day after which the roll calls were conducted. Like the previous time, I answered my roll call in "Present". Then we continued with our session.

Of discussing the issues of Gender Based Violence, education sector and the its influence on gender, women in economic sectors and ensuring gender equality through the fulfillment of SDGs, the committee reached to the consensus. It was the period when we tried to cover up the gaps in the discussion of day 1. Most of the delegates started speaking and of raising a motion, I got a chance. Great at managing the issues regarding recognition and completely balancing them, the Executive Board was. Indeed by the end of second day, no issues were faced by me. After a brief session of committee feedback and guidance from the Executive Board, the committee session improved a bit more and of making the performance standards better, we thought of. With all this, we met the conclusion of the second day as well.

Chit Passing In the Committee

Then finally we met for the final time on the last day of this conference and the end of the peregrination of this Delegate of Malawi. To see delegates preparing for the documentation process in which we as the committee were supposed to plot a recommendation report on the basis of the session, I'd expected. But guess what! How wrong I'd been. The only plan of the delegates was to table the debate after having one more discussion. Stunned, I was to know this. Then finally after reaching to the consensus  of discussing about the solutions of all the problems which had been presented in the committee, the session was adjourned. It was great to have a general discussion on this agenda as students of the real world. We then had a general feedback session and creation of new friendships. Eager to get our placards signed by the fellow delegates and the EB, we were. Oh! There was a gigantic crowd surrounding the front tables. Then after packing up, we set out for the Orana Hall, where the closing was supposed to happen. Before that, I received the Best Position Paper Award along with 4 other brilliant delegates.

Then we reached Orana Hall and attended the closing ceremony  which was instigated by dance and music performance. Russia was awarded the Best Delegate award in United Nations Women which was as expected due to his marvelous performance and excellent speeches throughout the committee's proceedings. At the end, I received the final feedback from the Executive Board and earned a life remembering lesson that only a good listener can make a good speaker. To be honest, I had forgotten the importance of listening and had missed points. It was something which shouldn't have happened but now I'll try to cover it up. 

The Closing Ceremony 

Finally the conference got concluded and to the normal school life, we arrived once again. Amazing, this session was due to the brilliant people who made it overwhelmingly outstanding. For all this, I thank my family, my teachers, my fellow delegates and the Executive Board who was ready to support us even after the conclusion of the conference.

Next Day at School

The following day, back to my normal school life, I returned. From the Delegate of Malawi at UNW, I became Devishi Aggarwal of Grade 8-C once again. My photograph in the PMUN 2018 Newsletter made my publicity shoot up as more than forty people, including my dear classmates came rushing to me to show the snap. It was the thing which I already knew and getting  to know about it again and again wasn't that pleasant. But anyways, this journey was LAME due to manifold reasons. But my dear readers, you're requested not to be bewildered due to the fact that LAME means nothing else than Literally Awesome Mega Excellent. Then once again, we dedicated ourselves to completing the syllabus for the upcoming Half-Yearly exams and preparing for the same so as to pass in flying colors. Really incredible, this anecdote was.

Now with the hopes of attending another conference like this one, I bid my readers farewell! Thanks for reading!