Head Chair
Sadhika Kapoor
Honorable chairs, esteemed delegates and respected guests,
I am Sadhika Kapoor, a Year 10 student from the Reigate Grammar School Vietnam and I am very honored to be the Head Chair of UNMC. In my 1.5 years of MUN experience, I have attended 13 MUN conferences and debates from around the world. I have always admired MUN as a simulation of what our generation will be expected to do in the future: lead the world in a better direction.
This year's theme, 'What can we do to bring balance to the growing asymmetries of power?' encourages delegates to think about how power is exploited and how it can be used as a tool to help the disadvantaged. Although the United Nations Membership Council is not yet a UN-recognised body, it can still be very thought-provoking to consider the application of aspiring UN member states. In such cases, delegates should evaluate whether these regions need UN recognition and its consequences. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Are these unofficial states capable of managing this self-reliance?
Puerto Rico's independence is a highly debated topic in the U.S especially because the residents cannot access certain federal benefits. Scotland merged with England to form Great Britain in 1707 however, in 2014, 44.7% of voters in a referendum wanted Scotland to become independent. Another region, Ambazonia, is the site of the Anglophone Crisis. The topic of Somaliland will discuss how the region self-declared its independence in 1991 and finally, the issue of Balochistan will consider the Baloch people's claim of how they achieved independence from the British and Pakistan's occupation that followed.
With such decisive topics waiting to be debated, I advise the delegates to stay open-minded but also to think from the perspectives of their countries. See you in March!
Deputy Chair
Josephine (Josie) Radcliffe
Greetings fellow chairs, distinguished delegates, and honorable guests!
I am delighted to be serving as Deputy Chair for the United Nations Membership Council (UNMC) of UNISMUN. My name is Josie Radcliffe, and I am a junior at the ACS Amman. While this is my first time chairing, I have attended eleven prior conferences. MUN has taught me many valuable life skills like public speaking, problem solving, as well as educating myself on global issues.
Bringing balance to the growing asymmetries of power is highly prevalent in our society today. With the rise of social media, there is a lot that can be done to aid those impacted by power imbalances and to learn more about the world around us.
The UNMC is a non-official UN body, which focuses on the membership of contested regions and unofficial states. In this conference, the membership of several territories will be debated.
First will be the membership of Puerto Rico, as it is neither a US state nor an independent country. Another is that of Scotland, who are currently attempting to gain independence from the UK. Next will be Ambazonia, an unrecognized state independent from Cameroon. The membership of Somaliland, formerly of Somalia, is another that is to be debated is Somaliland, an autonomous region that is still considered internationally to be a part of Northern Somalia. The last to be debated will be Balochistan, one of the four provinces of Pakistan that declared independence in 2009.
I look forward to the discussions this committee will have on these topics during the conference, and I hope to encourage all delegates to contribute to a fruitful debate, have fun, and see the importance of debating global issues. See you all in March!
Procedural Chair
Hugo Lee
Greeting honorable chairs, esteemed guests, and fellow delegates.
My name is Hugo Lee, a sophomore at the United Nations International School of Hanoi, and this is my first year as chair. Pertaining to my experience, I have attended the 2022 MUN November Conference, and, for 2 years, I have debated and attended 7 international debating competitions. Combining my experience in debate and MUN, I have honed many skills along the way.
Now, this year’s theme: "What can we do to bring balance to the growing asymmetries of power?" As the world is rapidly changing with remarkable technological developments, unrecognized nations are struggling to keep up. The UNMC, a non-official body of the UN, tackles such discrepancies as it encounters neglected nations who desire membership. Foreign powers do not consider these nations independent, denying access to international markets and vital resources, spawning numerous issues. Hence, our committee will acknowledge such problems while debating for the membership of Puerto Rico, Scotland, Ambazonia, Somaliland, and Balochistan.
Puerto Rico is a territory of the US and is not represented as a legitimate state or country. However, Puerto Rico has expressed its ideals to distance from American society. Secondly, due to Scotland being part of the UK, it has had issues regarding its little say in Brexit and its inability to pass independence referendums. Moreover, Ambazonia is struggling for complete autonomy as it is currently partaking in the Anglophone Crisis. As well, Somaliland has been independent since 1991, but its sovereignty has not yet been recognized. Ultimately, for our final issue, Balochistan, it has held its independence since 2009. Nevertheless, as it is split between Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, it is not completely its own nation.
All these issues will spark constructive debates and I hope to see every delegate shine in this conference.