General Assembly Kaleidoscope

By Tiffany Sung and Joanne Lii
On the second day of debating, the delegates were ready to dive into more discussions and resolution passing than ever before. Some resolutions were left unconcluded from the first day of debating, so the delegates were quick to settle in their seats and ready their notes. Ambitious delegates seemed to speak out from every corner, goading the ones that hadn’t spoken yet to seize their last chance of presenting their points of view.While other conference forums go through solemnly intense debates, GA 2 knows how to be relaxed and effective. The many quick-witted delegates caused a wave of laughter every few minutes. One particularly poignant sentence made by the Delegate of France even caused the Delegate of USA to request an apology. However, they were still genuinely earnest enough to resolve their issue on the effects of international migration on development. The Delegate of Lebanon brought a resolution onto the debating floor with a passionate speech urging all delegates to support the proposals. The resolution requests a “universal definition for international migration” and suggests that governments and organizations further contribute in the settlement of refugees and immigrants. The resolution stirred up an exciting debate with many delegates wishing to take the floor.The abundance of placards raised each time there was an opportunity to speak reflected the chair’s opinion that “all delegates are VERY eager to contribute to the debate.” The delegates seemed bold and open, even if asked to repeat their questions several times. In fact, that’s how they keep their minds fresh in a long day of debatingThe GA 4 conference room underwent a heated debate from the very beginning of the day. The question of statehood for the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza has always been an extremely controversial issue. France, the main submitter of today’s first resolution, stated that the proposals pointed out “the importance of establishing a Palestinian state that directly solves the Palestinian problems currently.” Since Clause 4 of the resolution endorses the creation of a sovereign government for Palestine, France believed that the resolution allowed the main problem encountered in the Gaza Strip to come to an end. Despite the Delegate of Africa’s support, claiming that the resolution’s “Two State Solution” was the best way for peace to exist between Israel and Palestine, the resolution sill received vigorous attacks from other nations. Many opposing delegates pointed out that other than idealistic suggestions, the resolution offered no specific methods on how things could be achieved. The Delegate of Romania claimed that France’s resolution “has no substance” and “is nothing but a set of ideals”. Romania believed that with the vague proposals, the actions suggested would eventually “result in confusion and inefficient progress.” The resolution did not outline detailed techniques as to how the proposals could be put into action, which unfortunately resulted in the resolution failing.“The delegates are always on their best behavior.” “We don’t have any disruptive delegates and they all seem to have worked hard for this conference.”With praise like this from their chairs, Hyun Kyu Kim and Agathe Dumas, it’s not hard to see why the members of General Assembly 6 are always doing their best. This group, which is discussing the promotion of gender equality, has already successfully passed two resolutions and still possesses the spirit to debate four more. Many of the delegates are first-timers this year, which leads to a lot of un-parliamentary language and an innumerable amount of “ums”, but also proves to be a good incentive for them to participate more. It’s unquestionable that the delegates are sharp and quick to catch any contradictions in speeches, which is sure to keep them on their feet and their minds alert.The delegates are all eager to show how capable they are and make the best of this experience. One incredibly confident speaker even earned some rolling-eyes from delegates. The delegates’ responsiveness to one another is just what these conferences need to be successful. So what had GA 6 given to these enthusiastic delegates? “It’s really a good way of knowing the world through debating,” answered the Delegate of Algeria.This year’s participants have really impressed the chairs and each other with their lively performance and charisma. They have certainly made THIMUN-Singapore III a worthwhile experience with their competitive nature, bringing out the most creative juices within each individual.