引率教員のトニー・ウォルシュのコメントをどうぞ
The 2009 Kyoto Model United Nations
This year the YMCA IHS had ten students go to the International Conference Centre in Kyoto for a three day Model United Nations (MUN) conference. The item on the agenda this was the Impact of Climate Change on Poverty. This agenda was broken into two arduous topics addressing firstly, bio-fuels and food security. After spending a day and a half on this we then focused on the second vigorous topic, the reduction of CO2 emissions. 
Seven schools attended the MUN conference and over one hundred and sixty students worked in pairs acting as delegates of countries in a simulated UN General Assembly meeting. Our IHS students were representing the following countries, Yoshiteru and Ryo (Greece), Mai and Sho (Finland), Chihiro and Haruka (Sudan), Rika and Kimie (Denmark) as well as Daiki and Sakino (Mozambique).
Two days before the conference, the students were given draft resolutions with operative clauses that included regulating land use for bio-fuels, maintaining reasonable food prices, sharing renewable energy technologies and establishing guidelines for carbon sharing. Students then went to Kyoto with the intention to implement regulations and set target dates for these clauses, this was done while negotiating from developed countries and developing countries points of view. This challenge gave them an opportunity to open their perspectives and gain a broader view on important issue that we are all faced with. 
On a personal note, this is the fourth time I have attended the Kyoto MUN and it was pleasing that all students participated with more influence than in any previous year. Even though it was a new and difficult agenda topic, students gave speeches, asked and answered questions during informal debate, actively lead regional block meetings as well as made amendments to resolutions. I hope all of our MUNers can use this experience to catapult their future lives and become influential global citizens of the world.
Kindest regards,
Tony Walsh
今年の模擬国連の議題は「気候変動が貧困に及ぼす影響」でした。この議題は最初に２つの難しいテーマに分けられ、期間中の半分は「バイオ燃料と食料保障」、そしてそれ以降は「二酸化炭素排出量削減」について取り組みました。
この模擬国連には７校から160人以上の以上の生徒が参加し、各国の代表としてペアを組み、実際の国連会議とほぼ同じ形で進行します。IHSの生徒たちは、ギリシャ、フィンランド、スーダン、デンマーク、モザンビークの代表として活躍しました。
会議の2日前、生徒たちは、手頃な食物価格の維持、エネルギーの再生技術の共有、二酸化炭素排出量取引のためのガイドライン制定など、バイオ燃料を使用するうえでの規制を含んだ条項の草案を与えられました。そして、彼らは発展途上国と先進国両方の視点から規定を取り決めました。
このチャレンジは、彼らの視野をさらに広め、私たち皆が直面する重要な問題において、さまざまな見解で取り組める良い機会となりました。
個人的に4回目の模擬国連参加となりましたが、今までの年以上に生徒たちはよく頑張ったと思います。今回の議題は新しく難しいものでしたが、生徒たちはとても積極的に、いろいろな場面で活躍していました。
模擬国連に参加した生徒全員が、この経験を彼らの未来に生かし、世界へ大きく影響を与える地球市民となってもらいたいです。