KUNA Chronicles "Leadership for a lifetime"@ "Travel the world in just three days!" The Kentucky United Nations Assembly is a place ad where teens from all over Kentucky can express their opinions, ideas, and solutions for global issues. As a model UN conference, participants spend three days immersing themselves in both the cultural and political aspects of the countries that they are representing This conference provides students with the opportunity to truly engage in global issues, as well 4 as encourage them to cultivate a positive and beneficial learning experience for all. It is for these reasons that KUNA will forever have a special place in the hearts of many.KUNA Kickoff On Sunday afternoon, as students began to rush through the doors of the Galt House, they were immediately immersed in a cultural experience unlike any other. From the vibrant native attire to the intriguing international stage performances, it was clear that delegations had been working hard to ensure this would be their best year yet. Nearly everyone it seemed, could feel the excitement buzzing in the air. KUNA 2017 had Officially begun! On day one, students were able to express their country's vibrant Culture, while simultaneously getting familiar with the resolutions that were going to be presented later in the conference. The media team worked tirelessly to capture it all, and they effectively kept up with all of the action! KUNA Chronicles pg. 2 Ambassador Profile Ambassador: Chloe Hall, DuPont Manual High School Q: What does the Y mean to you? A‘ I'd say that the Y means connections to people and establishing a community. To me what always enjoy about going to Y conferences is you're with people who are very passionate about knowing the truth, knowing things about their country for KUNA, and knowing things about Kentucky for KYA. Getting people who are passionate about having intelligent debate and discussions is always nice. You get to be in an informed community, with people who want to stay informed and have informed discussions.Country Profiles China “Russia poses a threat to both China and Mongolia.” - Jonah Thompson At this year’s Kentucky United Nations Assembly, duPont Manual took much influence from the geography and culture of China and its ally Mongolia in creating its booth at the Global Village. These students took several months to build traditional, nomadic Mongolian homes and to form their resolution for China, which highlights the disparities between workers and labor laws in said country where no compensation is provided for any injury or loss of a loved one in the workplace. duPont Manual High School also focused on the disputed land of Mongolia between Russia and China the first night at KUNA. The United Kingdom A \POow “It’s our choice to help.” - Clarke Sights Having previously portrayed the developing countries of Peru, Chile, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia, Henderson County felt it was appropriate to take on a larger role in the Kentucky United Nations Assembly, one as the United Kingdom. Capitalizing on their more creative pursuits, these students displayed the double-decker bus they constructed and a variety of posters and music, offering a more interactive touch with the option of drawing on the inside of the structure with Sharpie markers. In alliance with the many countries of this assembly, the United Kingdom is opening its borders to refugees and is encouraging private donors to support refugees in its resolution this year. KUNA Chronicles pg. 3Country Profiles Continued... Belize “Child labor is definitely an issue in Belize.” - Jordan McClendon Exhibiting Belize’s iconic cocoa tree in their Global Village Booth, Wayne County High School allowed other KUNA participants to pick the paper cocoa beans from their large tree as a souvenir. Inside each of individual bean was a single Hershey Kiss and a small fact about child labor, which provided their bystanders a background for Wayne County’s resolution. In Belize, child labor is not uncommon on cocoa farms and in many similar countries, so their resolution focused on partnering with global organizations to reduce child labor in developing countries here at High School KUNA 3. Canada “Canada has become a new frontier for refugees.” - Cameron Durham The abundant woodland wildlife and culture within the borders of the vast country of Canada inspired the school of Martha Layne Collins to represent them in this year’s High School KUNA 3. Lathered in flannels, facial hair, and wool hats, students actively sought out other delegates to participate in their booth decorated in fake moose heads and wooden tables, much like how they created a resolution opening their gates to refugees. Canada realized the chaos ensuing around them, and felt compelled to act as a safe haven for those seeking asylum as well as to encourage its fellow countries to do the same. KUNA Chronicles pg. 4Q: So I hear you're a new delegate. What is your name and what country and school do you represent? Q: How did your school start with KUNA? Q: What were some of the measures your school took to encourage people to join? Q: Has this conference been what you expected it to be so far? Q: What have you leamed from this that you were able to identify with or that changed your values? Q: Finally, if you were to give some advice to someone new to KUNA about your overall experience, what would you tell them? New Delegation Q&A A: My name is Zach Eichner, | go to STEAM Academy in Lexington, and | represent the country of Georgia A: So this is our first year at KUNA. We started it with very few weeks left, so we had to work very very hard on our resolution and everything else. A: There sadly wasn't much promotion for KUNA this year, but word did get around via friends telling other friends. A: In some ways it has actually exceeded my expectations in that | have been able to make a bunch of new friends so that's kinda cool. ‘A: [have found that there have been some regulations that | thought sounded great on the surface, but after going through the process, | changed my mind. A: It's a really great experience! You get to meet so many great people and interact with schools from other parts of Kentucky. It's fantastic! KUNA Chronicles pg. 5Diving into Debates Day two began with a surge of energy as sleepy students and y-staff alike gathered together for a general assembly setting the tone for the rest of the day. Then ambassadors split into their specialized programs or to debates where long awaited resolutions were finally presented. The day went on with continued meetings where ambassadors got to truly represent their countries and vote in a way that benefitted their nation. As evening approached it was clear that excitement was at an all time high Ambassadors couldn't wait to strut their stuff at free time! And as candidates wrapped up their campaigning, the final votes were casted KUNA Chronicles pg. 6 Ambassador Profile Ambassador: Forest Clevenger, DuPont Manual high school Q: What does the Y mean to you? A The Y means many different things to different people. In these conferences in particular, KUNA specifically, it's a chance to interact in international form between students. So for me, it’s a chance to have new issues shown to me, and to draw new points and new wonderful facets of debates in front of people. It's just a magical experience because of that. You have 1,100 students, all high schoolers, debating all sorts of issues that have huge international implications. What the Y means to me is a future. Every single one of us here is going to have a future in this world and a say in our ever- globalizing civilization.Security Council The Impending Crisis As the sun dawned upon the horizon of Louisville, it was unbeknownst to most Security Council members what Day 2 had in store for them. The delegation of countries convened in the early morning hours to address their formal docket, consisting of issues including maritime law, space exploration, and other various topics. But little did they expect a bombshell to be dropped on them after lunchtime. ~The U.S.hard at work to ensure peace among ans nations The council was thrown into a state of confusion when the countries of Iran, Syria, and Nigeria received notifications that their servers were used in an elaborate hacking scheme against the United States. With the elevated tensions between the U.S. and Russia over the recent alleged Russian hacking of the U.S. 2016 Presidential Election, this only escalated harsh feelings and prompted threats of war, especially since China misread her email about the supposed source of the hacks. It was common knowledge that both entities possessed nuclear weapons; the possibility of war was very frightening to the members of the Security Council. A large portion of time was spent negotiating amongst the U.S. and Russia; however, they were unwilling to reach a final compromise. Then, with the United States becoming highly inpatient, he stated that he will shove a declaration of war through Congress against Russia if the source of the hacks is not discovered within the quarter of the hour. Now in full panic mode, the Security Council was in a frenzy to prevent war at all costs. However, they failed to realize they couldn't rely on the U.S. and Russia to figure this quandary out alone. The very countries who had the answer overlooked it, and the only two countries who proposed the idea of third party involvement with regards to the hacks were cast aside. The Council was consumed with the looming threat of nuclear war between two superpowers. The back-and-forth bickering between the U.S. and Russia was merely a distraction form the issue at hand. The Pro-Ukrainian rebels had actually set up an elaborate scheme to destabilize Russia in war so that the area Donbass could be annexed into Ukraine. Unfortunately, due to the lack of attention to detail, the failure of the Security Council to solve this issue resulted in the demise of the globe lost in the remains of a devastating nuclear catastrophe ~ Despite numerous proposed solutions, Countries were unable to come to a final consensus. KUNA Chronicles pg. 7Working Towards a Fair Global Community: The International Court of Justice was a program created to simulate a global court system involving the United Nations. There are two different categories of cases the ICJ takes on during KUNA. The first requires two different countries with a conflict request UN supervision in their case. The other entails that the UN must involve themselves in the case. Both are represented in ICJ at KUNA, and both have separate justices for each case type. Justice Kayla Payne helped preside over the courts, and ensured everything ran smoothly One of the cases the ICJ specifically discussed and analyzed was whaling in Antarctica. Japan and Australia were the two representing countries in the case. Australia’s argument expressed that Japan did not supply adequate evidence, as well as utilize an improper use of funding for humpback whale research. Rather than killing only humpback whales, Japan slaughtered multiple types of whales not outlined in the original Tesearch plan. Many suspected that Japan killed these other types of whales for profit International Court of Justice Each point of view had their own spin on the case, and brought in different supporting facts to help further their side The opposing view brought up the fact that Japan’s original research plan did not go into enough depth and strayed from the scientific process. They also disputed that there was not substantial data to do any experiments. In rebuttal, Japan said that the scientific process was. open for debate and tried to define such process themselves in order to prove their actions were notin ill intent. They also argued that there was not insufficient data and that there was no need for argument. The ICJ process overall allows countries to bring cases into court, allowing for both sides to debate and analyze different arguments and factors, as well as declare a clear position on the contretemp or dispute at hand. ICJ members working hard on the cases KUNA Chronicles pg. 8S “yy KUNA Horoscopes & Ambassador: You will find yourself feeling more connected with the world around you. Seize the opportunity to speak when your voice will be heard. International Court of Justice: Many of your peers are recognizing your hard work. Don't be afraid to take a well-deserved break to relax and enjoy yourself! Security Council: Your feverish energy has served you well recently. However, sometimes you need to take a deep breath and refocus your efforts. Media Corps: You always pay impeccable attention to detail. Although this is important, make sure you take a moment to enjoy your surroundings Parliamentarian: You live your life in the shadows, however your efforts do not go unnoticed. Let those who doubt you see your true power within. Candidate: You often take charge of your life, and you are always striving to improve your community. try to create a space that allows you to add more creativity to your life. Resolution Author: You love to promote change, but often it is only in your best interest. Open your mind to the world around you, and ask for help when you feel stuck. Presiding officer: You have been a strong and dutiful leader and have served people well. It is now time to pass the torch to another who is capable of carrying your legacy. Supporting officer: You often find yourself overworked and under appreciated. Be patient, good things are coming your way soon. Y-staff: You are an extraordinary teacher and mentor to many, and your goofy personality helps keeps people awake after little to no sleep. Please don't ever stop being awesome! KUNA Chronicles pg. 9