Model diplomats

tirsdag 15. mai 2012, kl. 23.39 · av Philipp Gerhardy for Snakker ikke norsk

“Why is it international politics so slow and complicated? Everybody knows what the problems are, so why don’t all those high-paid diplomats do something?” — that’s what the United Nations at times looks like from the outside. The members of the Norwegian Model United Nations society take these questions one step further when they meet to simulate everyday life of the United Nations, and international diplomacy, it seems, isn’t that simple after all.

We all know the scene from the movies: The world is in danger. The hero places one phone call to the president. The entire world unites to take action. In real life, international politics is far from that simple. Debates and meetings in the United Nations seem to take forever, committees are formed, reports are written, conferences held and yet, to the casual observer, the wheels of diplomacy grind far too slowly to make a difference.

Nancy Unklesbay and Helene Sigmond, respectively President and Vice President of International Conferences at the Norway Model United Nations society (NorMUN), have a different perspective on this. At the Norwegian Model United Nations society students meet to simulate small sections of the huge political structure that is the United Nations. A scenario is decided upon, each person or group is assigned a role, a country to represent – and the game begins. Real diplomacy, when many parties are involved, both Nancy and Helene agree, take a lot of time.

Nancy and Helene were guests at Snakker ikke Norsk on sunday the 13th of May. Listen to the interview here:

If you want to read more about the Norway Model United Nations society, find them on facebook or visit their blog at http://norwaymun.wordpress.com/.

Legg igjen kommentar:

Snakker ikke norsk

Model diplomats

Repriser