📍 The Hague, The Netherlands
🕰 January 23rd - 26th, 2023
🧁 = When I start talking about the picture exhibited above and my resolution
Background Information
Last January, I had the opportunity to attend my first in-person THIMUN (The Hague International Model United Nations) conference hosted by the THIMUN foundation, which is closely associated with the United Nations. The conference is hosted in The Hague (known as the international city of Peace and Justice).
The conference hosts approximately 2,500 students from all over the world, and if you aren't already impressed, let me inform you that the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres spoke to all of us during the opening ceremony. (The picture I have taken of him when giving his speech is displayed below).
This was the conference my MUN director described as "the big deal" because all resolutions that passed would be stored in the United Nation's official and permanent records. It is extremely difficult to fathom the idea that your resolution will be read by the United Nations that you spent so long simulating!
Group picture of my co-submitters and I 🤗
🧁 My Resolution
The picture inserted at the top of this article showcases an achievement that I am immensely proud, elated, and ecstatic about.
I represented the delegation of Nepal 🇳🇵 and I was the main submitter of a resolution that passed in the 1st Environmental Comittee! To be more exact, it was the only resolution that passed unanimously, seeing as all amendments submitted failed.
Due to an overwhelming majority, my resolution passed and is now located in the United Nation's permanent records!
My resolution pursued the question of "Combatting the impacts of more frequent forest fires", a deplorable phenomenon that lots of nations have been subject to, and comprehend its significance. This allowed other nations to empathize with its eradication, which is what my resolution advocated for.
This experience was drastically different than my IMUN experience. I had to convince around 50 or more delegates that I deserved to be the main submitter of our resolution, and that I had the skills and capabilities to persuade our entire committee to vote in favor of it. At IMUN, I had the pleasure of working with around 10 - 15 other delegates, who were my co-submitters. Because my resolution at THIMUN had a noteworthy number of co-submitters, I had to take the role of a leader, and consistently encourage the delegates' participation, organization, and focus.
Doing the aforementioned allowed me to become acquainted with so many wonderful individuals, and lobbying became less stressful because we were able to stay productive whilst getting to know each other.
My lovely co-submitters prepared compelling and supportive speeches that captured the essence of our resolution. Thanks to our hard work and friendship we achieved our goal together!
Forest Fires - Why They Matter
National Geographic categorizes this phenomenon as a wildfire, which they define as: "an uncontrolled fire that burns in the wildland vegetation, often in rural areas."
Forest fires pose a threat as they can be deadly, destroy homes, and wildlife habitats, pollute the air with emissions harmful to human health, and also exacerbate the severity of the pre-established climate change affecting our planet. The main perpetrators of these fires are the ignorance, and illiteracy of smokers, and campers.
Ignoring this issue will cause mass devastation to our animal species, because megafauna can be killed in forest fires, not only causing instability in our ecosystems but also enabling the growth of invasive species.
The United Nations Environment Programme’s report projects a 14 percent increase in global extreme fires by 2030, 30 percent by the end of 2050, and 50 percent by the end of the century.
The economic implications of rebuilding the areas that were struck by wildfires can be beyond the means of low-income countries; the devastating impacts of forest fires on the environment, communities, and economies, disproportionately so as it comes to Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs) which derive a significant portion of their economic activity from the forestry sector such as Tanzania, Mozambique, or Myanmar.
It is important to understand the effect global warming has on creating fire-prone conditions such as higher frequency and intensity of winds, dry spells, heat waves, earlier snow melts, and droughts.
Individuals who are cornered by forest fires are subject to losing their lives, citizens can lose their homes and livelihoods which increases mass displacement and the need for other nations to host these individuals in need of shelter; The health of civilians is directly affected by inhaling wildfire smoke, causing respiratory and cardiovascular medical conditions and increased health effects for the most vulnerable.
Some believe that forest fires offer substantial benefits, such as the fact that: "wildfires are essential to the continued survival of some plant species. Some plants require fire every few years, while others require fire just a few times a century for the species to continue. Wildfires also help keep ecosystems healthy. They can kill insects and diseases that harm trees. By clearing scrub and underbrush, fires can make way for new grasses, herbs, and shrubs that provide food and habitat for animals and birds. At a low intensity, flames can clean up debris and underbrush on the forest floor, add nutrients to the soil, and open up space to let sunlight through to the ground. That sunlight can nourish smaller plants and give larger trees room to grow and flourish." (National Geographic)
However, these benefits arise as a result of managed fires, that can be put out efficiently, without spreading dangerously, and thus causing long-term havoc and detriments on animals, humans, and a nation's economy. The consequences of climate change are that more biomes are susceptible to wildfires, (including forests, and environments that do not benefit momentously from managed fires in the first place), and these wildfires manifest at a larger intensity, which is significantly problematic to extinguish in time.
This issue necessitates the involvement of local communities, private sectors, civil society organizations, and all levels of local government in planning specific tasks and functions with clear responsibilities to effectively manage critical situations. Furthermore, the severity and frequency of this issue globally emphasize the exigency for international cooperation in addressing this global problem, hence why we debated this issue at an esteemed MUN conference.
Visiting The Hague
As an individual who has family that resides in The Netherlands, I was thrilled to visit the proclaimed city of Peace and Justice. The last time I visited The Netherlands was when I was little, so the extent that I would remember anything from my last trip is very limited. 😆
Compared to Lisbon, The Hague is much chillier, but nonetheless pleasant on the eyes. The prominent regional architecture radiates serotonin, and The World Forum is especially enticing.
The only wish I would have had was to dedicate a day to exploring the city. Some of my friends from my committee had the pleasure of visiting Art Museums and other tourist attractions. Unfortunately, the only time we had a chance to see The Hague's beauty was when we would get back to our hotel after our THIMUN schedule had ended for the day.
If you or anyone you know participates in MUN conferences, then you would know how exhausted you feel once you finish for the day. Allocating time to visit only during the night when your only aspiration is to cure your grumbling stomach and hibernate, does not do the location in question justice.
Luckily, I surrounded myself with curious individuals and travel enthusiasts, which resulted in longer walks, and a larger distance of the city being appreciated and gushed about.
I hope you enjoyed this article, and if you did, I would love to see what feedback you have for me! Please leave me a comment at the end of this article to let me know what you think, and thank you to those of you who have already shared your thoughts with me via the comment feature or privately.
Sending virtual hugs and lots of happiness your way! 🧸 🌻 🤪
Wow! this experience sounds like so much fun! It makes me want to go to THIMUN next year!