My name is Sejal Shah, and I will be chairing the SOCHUM at Cogito Minds MUN 2015. Don’t let my size or age fool you; MUN has been a passion for me right from the start – all 17 of them – and I especially enjoy the challenge of working in a committee full of enthusiastic, dedicated and committed delegates. This year, I am confident the SOCHUM will prove all this and more, not least because of the intensity and depth of challenge our topic area provides.
Nowhere in the world today do we see a blatant and institutionalized segregation of ‘whites’ and ‘coloured’ individuals. In fact, globalization has brought the world closer than ever, and dark skinned leaders play politics on the same level as fair ones. Yet the spirit of the game, as it were, is not completely free of the taint of racism or xenophobia. Today’s world faces the same issue as in the past: intolerance of other cultures, peoples, religions and ethnicities. Yet the problems have adapted to fit the evolving nature of the world. The boon of globalization has its drawbacks, such as increased exclusion and inequality. The internet is used to spread propaganda urging segregation and promoting racial superiority.
World leaders face a huge challenge if they are to accept the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and guarantee all people – regardless of what they look like, where they come from or what god they worship – the same dignities and rights. In this committee, we will continue to take the first steps on an international level to reach a consensus on this issue. As delegates, you must tread the fine line between upholding your country’s foreign policy and supporting the foundational values on which the United Nations as an organization was built.
I look forward to stimulating and productive debate, as you grapple with the intricacies and nitty-gritties that serve to complicate the issue.
I can’t wait to see all of you in November!
Regards,
Sejal Shah
Illicit financial flows emerge from drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, corruption, tax evasion and other crimes. The threats to society emanating from these illicit financial flows are not just restricted to financing terrorism and spreading transnational organized crime. The magnitude and extent to which they are laundered through world’s financial systems have many implications on economies worldwide. Less than 1 percent of global illicit financial flows are currently seized and frozen. The problem and negative consequences of illicit financial flows have been high on the international agenda for the last decade, and the need to find workable solutions is increasing. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 16 includes the target to substantially reduce illicit financial flows by 2030. UNODC’s challenge is to work within the UN system and with Member States to help build the capacity to track and prevent money laundering, strengthen the rule of law and prevent these funds from creating further suffering.
Email the chair at sochum@cogitominds.com
HRC
Human Rights Council
Agenda:
Children and Armed Conflict
Message from the chair: Arnav Dasgupta
Greetings Delegates!
My name is Arnav Dasgupta, and I will be the chair of the United Nations Human Rights Council at Cogito
Minds Model United Nations 2015. This year, the HRC’s agenda will consist of one of the most pervasive
and destructive problems facing the world today: Human Trafficking.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime describes human trafficking as “the acquisition of people by improper means such as force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them.” In simple, but chilling terms, human trafficking is modern day slavery. There exists no greater affront to human dignity than to rob someone of their life and liberty, separate them from their home and family, and force them into a life of servitude which can take astonishingly inhumane forms. Unfortunately, these are the realities of human trafficking that approximately 2.4 million people around the world are forced to undergo. While our simulation of the Human Rights Council at Cogito Minds MUN will not eradicate human trafficking as a result of our decisions, it is impossible to overstate the importance of awareness and understanding of this issue in the fight against human trafficking, which is what we hope to achieve.
I look forward to the lively and intelligent debate and discussion that I will no doubt witness this
November, and know that we at the Human Rights Council, will be taking those first, tentative steps
towards ending human trafficking and making the world a better place.
Yours,
Arnav Dasgupta
In armed conflicts around the world, children and adolescents are subjected to grave violations, such as sexual violence, killing and maiming, abduction, and recruitment and use as child soldiers. The day-to-day lives of these children are further disrupted by attacks on their schools and hospitals, and by the denial of humanitarian assistance. Be it terrorist organizations like Boko Haram or ISIS, or State actors committing these atrocities, it is the children who face psychological and physical effects, often lifelong. Treaties have been signed, organizations worldwide condemn these activities, but progress yet needs to be made to protect the most vulnerable in war zones.
Email the chair at hrc@cogitominds.com
PRESS CORPS
The International Press
Message from the head: Anmol Narang
Hello delegates!
My name is Anmol Narang and it is my privilege to be the head of International Press for the Cogito Minds MUN 2015.
Let me introduce myself; I am a perpetual daydreamer who is passionate about all forms of the arts, including reading, writing, dramatics and painting. I'm a master of procrastination and love playing sports, but my allegiance lies with basketball. I strongly believe that the pen is the tongue of the mind, and have always contributed to school magazines as either an editor or writer.
If you feel that the idea of sitting in committee for hours at an end sounds incredibly boring, and enjoy writing and need a shelf to showcase your talents, the Press Corps is just the place for you.
Being a part of Cogito Minds MUN would be an enthralling experience, as it is a conference that will bring not only highly commendable quality of debate, but plenty of enriching experiences for the Press team as we keep the delegates on their toes and stand out as the life of the conference.
Yours,
Anmol Narang
Email the head of the Press Corps at presscorps@cogitominds.com
SECRETARY GENERAL
Manan Shah
Message from the Secretary General
Dear Delegates,
As your Secretary General, it is my honor to welcome you to Cogito Minds MUN 2015. Due to the unique exclusiveness of our conference, you can rest assured that Cogito Minds MUN will be the best MUN you have ever attended. We promise you a veritable treasure trove of memories, from Pune’s best MUNners to exceptional Chairs.
This will be my 17th MUN conference, and my third time taking up the hallowed mantle of Secretary General. I started MUNning when I was in 8th grade, and found the experience to be a level apart. Now, I have the unique opportunity to present it to you, right here in Pune. I have been part of the Cogito Minds MUN club since its inception, and through them I have been able to hone my MUN skills to great heights.
What I love best about MUN is not just the debate, but the Pandora’s Box of other things it brings with it. The awareness from the research; the new horizons representing different countries provides; the fine art of negotiation and diplomacy; and, of course, the heated arguments and hilarious proclamations delegates make all make MUN my favorite activity. The fact that I can now ensure that you experience the same at Cogito Minds MUN gives me immense satisfaction and pleasure.
However, it cannot be denied that an MUN requires a lot of work. I expect nothing less than 100% from every delegate. The key is to research, research and research; as Alexander Graham Bell says, "Preparation is the key to success."
So come, join us at Cogito Minds MUN, and experience international relations at its best!
Until November,
Manan Shah,
Secretary General, Cogito Minds MUN
Email the Secretary general at secgen@cogitominds.com
DIRECTOR GENERAL
Niqat Patel
Message from the Director General
Dear Delegates,
Cogito Minds MUN is a platform for high-school students to exhibit debating skills through the best levels of diplomacy and negotiations. This December, we are about to host two engrossing committees that are bound to be action-packed.
At Cogito Minds MUN, we promise every delegate a high standard of debate throughout the course of the two days. This conference will provide you a fruitful experience that you will remember always. I can assure you that this would be one of the best MUNs you have ever seen. As director-general, I will leave you all delighted with the way the conference functions. My aim is be to make this conference as pleasant and enjoyable as possible.
I expect every delegate to come well-prepared and give it their all. Hope to see you heat up one of the most captivating conferences of this winter.
Yours sincerely,
Niqat Patel
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