BERMUN

Saturday Edition

TIMES
November 23, 2013

the official newspaper of the berlin model united nations

BERMUN Remembers John F. Kennedy

Eleanor Kelly Maja Melchinger Reporter and Text Editor Lowered flags in the United States and honorary news coverage in Germany, all with regard to the late US President John F. Kennedy, marked the day of commemoration of his assassination on November 22, 1963. John Fitzgerald Kennedy served as president from 1961 until his death in 1963. After his short lived career in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Kennedy moved his focus to a career in politics. He won the presidential election, upon which he conducted operations of international governmental change, intervened in the Vietnam conflict, and introduced the Peace Corps. He emphasized the imperative of adequate funding for equal education, stating that education can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength. Kennedys legacy resonates in the streets of Berlin ever since his renowned

John F. Kennnedy giving a speech in Congress. speech on June 26, 1963 in his fight against versary, additionally interviewing BERthe Iron Curtain. Yet it is not only the Ber- MUN Student Officers. U.S. President liners who remember the young politician Barack Obama ordered that the flags be and his approach to achieve democratic lowered at American governmental buildgovernance. His famous words, Ich bin ings with ceremonies taking place to mark ein Berliner, are written on the Palestinian this special day. John F. Kennedys legacy afside of the West Bank Barrier, showing his firms the essence of both BERMUNs host lasting impact all over the world. His career ended abruptly on No- school and the conferences topic. As Kenvember 22, 1963 with his assassination nedy said, Our progress as a nation can be whilst traveling through Dallas, Texas in a no swifter than our progress in education. presidential motorcade. Reflecting the in- The human mind is our fundamental reternational challenges he faced, his death source. was mourned not only by those of his home country but also by the international community. The John F. Kennedy School, host of the BERMUN Conference, was renamed in memory of the late president. Yesterday, each committee viewed the commemorative video by the BERMUN Press Corps about Kennedy, with commentary from John C. Kornblum, former US Ambassador to Germany. German television also reported on the anniThe Kennedy Remembrance Video.

Unity through education Find out more on page 2 Gender equality and education? Manuela Schwarzs ideas on page 3

An educational travel in time Discover the past on pages 4 and 5 Photos of everyone for everyone Check out the Photo Inlay!

Committee Reports An Overview on Pages 6 and 7 The life of a Layout Editor An emotional journey on page 8

photo by Antony Roczek

photo coutesy of: http://upload.wikimedia.org

Rooting Change in Shopping Carts

Christina Lennartz Reporter
Marcel Starfinger, JFKS alumnus of 2011, held an informative presentation on sustainable development in the Youth Assembly (YA) on Thursday morning and explained how the consumerist lifestyle is not efficient enough to secure an ecological and sustainable future. The focus of Starfingers presentation lay in development. Starfinger pointed out that corporations define development as a cycle of mass production and mass consumption. Furthermore, he stated that the main goal is to change the mindset of the public. In order to succeed, however, the members have to explain to people that [they] are destroying [themselves] by disregarding the environment while pursuing their business matters. To induce change, the consumer has to start a revolution in their shopping cart to demonstrate the publics discontent with current consumer standards. Starfinger was able to enlighten the students with his unconventional viewpoints and increased their will and motivation to devise efficient action plans. Following Thursdays proactive session, the YA had a rather somber beginning on Friday, commemorating Kennedys assassination. YA members revealed that what [Kennedy] said had a lot of impact on them and that they had integrated a lot what he said in their action plans. Afterwards, the YA moved into the high schools student lounge to present each others action plans. Victor Passfall explained that a group of people are going to find a lot more problems than [the members themselves] will and encouraged the delegates to seek advice from their peers.

BERMUN PRESS STAFF

Editors-in-Chief:
Maximilian Larson Noah Lehrecke

Advisor/Editor: Mr. William Robertson Head of Photography: Julian McCarthy Text Editors: Maja Melchinger Leonard von Kleist Reporters:
Dorothea Douglas Maria Filipiak Clara Frick Leila Hassan Luisa Hemmerling Eleanor Kelly Simona Koch Christina Lennartz Emilia McGreal Rebekka Schoell Caroline Simpson David Strasiewsky Raphael Traczinski

photo by Alexander Schwan

Layout Artists:
Anton Begehr Isaac Dye Frederick Reid Pablo Smith

Chairs of the Youth Assembly: Victor Passfall and Melina Hardcastle.

Education as a Unifying Force

Leonard von Kleist Text Editor
Ever since the brutal conflicts that shook the Balkan region in the 1990s, the different ethnic groups of Serbia have been deeply divided. Recent polls reveal animosity between Serbs and Albanians, and discrimination against Roma still runs rampant. A significant cause of this problem is the fact that the three ethnic groups tend to settle in ethnically homogenous communities, decreasing the amount of interaction between the different ethnicities. In the southern Serbian town of Bujanovac, this problem is especially present in the school system. The Serbs and some Roma attend one school, while virtually all the Albanians attend the other school. To solve this problem, the humanitarian organization Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is implementing a project in which 200 youths from all three major ethnic groups are placed in ethnically mixed teams and participate in extracurricular activities such as chess, dance and journalism, in addition to attending classes that inform them about their peers ethnic groups. The program is led by qualified Serbian, Albanian and Roma teachers, and culminates in a group-trip to Saravejo. The CRS hopes that through interaction with other ethnic groups, the youths will learn to understand and accept their ethnically different peers. One student who participated in the project and saw it as a success subsequently stated that before the project, we did not know each other, but this has now changed. This is a step toward a better future.

Photographers:

Yasmin Majali Fritz Pukall Antony Roczek Alexander Schwan

Digital Production:
Nils Bernhardt Maxwell Burda Lynn Cunningham Dominik Haake

Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in the BERMUN TIMES Newspaper do not necessarily reflect the opinion of BERMUN or its advertisers. John F. Kennedy School Teltower Damm 87-93 14167 Berlin (Zehlendorf) Germany (+49) 030 90299 5785 e-mail: bermunpress@jfksberlin.org web: www.facebook.com/BermunPress

BERMUN TIMES

the official newspaper of the berlin model united nations

Emilia McGreal Reporter

Fighting for Gender Equality

The Special Conference had the honor of having two guest speakers in two consecutive days. Besides US Ambassador John C. Kornblum speaking on Thursday, Manuela Schwarz, who is currently studying at the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS) in London, spoke on Friday about gender equality in relation to the topic of education. In her speech she declares, The question is not if the countries can afford to educate women, but rather if they can afford not to educate them. She states that, With every boy you educate, you educate an individual. With every girl you educate, you educate a whole family. In an interview with the BERMUN Press Corps, she spoke of her future plans for when she receives her degree, stating, I think I need to take a year off just to sort my thoughts on what Ive learned, what I want to focus on. Although, when suggesting she enter into politics, she refrains by saying, Im not sure! Politics is such a dirty gamewell see. Furthermore, when asked why she is so passionate about gender equality, she responds, I think it stems from my fami-

ly history. My grandmother in Kenya was illiterate. In addition to this, she says her German grandmother inspired her especially since I never met herjust the fact that she has a very similar story from my Kenyan grandmother, although they grew up in two completely different countries and two completely different societies. She concludes by saying, the oppression of women is not unique to one country or the developing region, but something that women everywhere experience. Even in Germany, gender equality is not a given and I find it is something worth fighting for.

Manuela Schwarz.

Striving towards Radical Change

Yasmin Majali David Strasiewsky Reporters
Bill Gates once said, if [Saudi Arabia is] not fully utilizing half the talent in the country, [Saudi Arabia is] not going to get too close to the Top 10. In this statement, Gates is addressing a delegate of Saudi Arabia, who asked about his countrys growth and development. His argument is proved valid in the sense that women play a crucial role in Middle Eastern society. Queen Rania of Jordan plays a significant role in the improvement of Arab society, specifically in the aspect of education. However, Gates, according to worldpolicy.org, is incorrect in assuming that women in Saudi Arabia are uneducated and excluded from jobs. This is evident because 60% of university students in Saudi Arabia are female. In fact, it is common for many women in Middle Eastern countries to be educated and have jobs although they still only make up 17% of the workforce in Saudi. Furthermore, statistics vary from rural to urban areas. In general, more women in urban areas are educated and employed than in rural areas. For instance, Syria, Libya, and Iraq, being more urbanized show a climbing rate of enrollment for girls from 1960 to 1988, reaching 91%. However, countries dominated by rurality, such as Libya, Morocco, and Egypt, show low literacy rates for girls. Based on the evidence presented, the idea that women in Middle Eastern countries are uneducated and oppressed is a prevalently common misconception. In fact it is completely normal, as it is in any western nation for girls to go to schools and universities to eventually acquire jobs.

For the past few centuries, technological innovations have played a crucial role in securing access to information, dramatically changing the course of human history. Johann Gutenbergs invention of the printing press around 1450, for example, was a determining factor not only in facilitating the reformation, but also in paving the way for much of what we take for granted today. This process of modernization only accelerated with the advent of the 19th century and most recently the invention of the internet in the late 1980s, leaving the world with an almost never-ending stream of knowledge through the written word, digital or printed (see pages 4 and 5 for an extended look at innovations in education). We are in every way a product of our past, using the tools that we have received to further the legacy of our forefathers. The Press Corps is no exception, and todays edition seeks to illustrate the long way we have come ever since man first picked up a stick and drew a few lines into the sand. While these innovations have helped revolutionize the way we educate ourselves, they have also enabled advances in environmental protection. By restricting ourselves to using tablets and other mobile devices in the process of writing our articles, the Press Team has dramatically decreased the amount of paper it uses opposed to five years ago. By displaying the vast progress that has been made in education through technological innovation, we hope to remind you of the ever changing nature of education and the limitless potential that continued innovation has for the betterment of humanity.

Letter from the Editor

photo by Fritz Pukall

Saturday, November 23, 2013

First University Originally founded as a mosque in 859 A.D. in Fes (Morrocco), Al-Karaouine is the worlds first university, according to UNESCO. Created by Fatima Al-Fihri, the University of Al-Karaouine, as it was renamed in 1965, has grown to be the largest Muslim learning center in Africa. Over two centuries later, in 1088, the University of Bologna (Italy) was created by a group of historians led by Giosu Carducci as the first university of the Western World. Famous for its relationships with other academies across Europe, the school has led to the adoption of the university system we know today. by Caroline Simpson

T he Evolution of Education

photo courtesy of: hupload.wikimedia.org/

15th

16th Century: Luthers German Bible.

9th Century Printing Press The printing press appeared in the early 15th century, when German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg created an alloy which would be used for printing the letters without easily being worn down. Spreading across Europe, then Asia, Africa and the Americas, the use of this technique multiplied the number of copies made available for the public. Although many countries had not obtained it, and not everyone could read, printing made information accessible to those who sought it. The expansion of the audience led to works such as the Encyclopedia, which became a tool for educating people. by Leila Hassan

18th Century: First Encyclopedia.

BERMUN TIMES

photo courtesy of: zsr.wfu.edu/

Newspaper After the spread of the printing press in the 17th century, printed periodicals began to grow and replace the previously handwritten newssheets. Although other types of publications were present earlier, the newspaper as we know it today only appeared in the 1600s in Germany, and a century later in other countries. These newspapers have long been used in education, such as in the US where education historian Lawrence A. Cremin describes the press as educator of the populace during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. To this day it remains an important tool for spreading information. by Leila Hassan

Radio In the late 19th century, a way was finally found to transmit signals wirelessly, leading to the invention of the radio, which became an essential household item by the 1920s. Not only did the radio serve as a means of entertainment, but it also spread information and knowledge to the masses. During the Great Depression, the famous fireside chat broadcasts, in which US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed the US citizens directly while explaining the policies of the government, gave emotional support to the impoverished. For much of the 20th century, the radio was the main pathway which provided information to many people. by Mary Filipiak

photo courtesy of: thegospelcoalition.org/

21st Century

Century

19th Century: Co-eds at College.

Enlightened Absolutism The 18th century was marked by contrasting ideas, with Enlightenment thinkers emphasizing reason and individualism, and the absolutist rule putting the monarch in the position of total and ultimate power. The Prussian king Frederick the Great embodied both of these ideas, believing that, as he once said, an educated people could be easily governed. He developed this thought so far as to introducing compulsory education for all, being the first monarch to do so in European history. Through incorporating rationality into his practices, he promoted freedom of speech, sciences and religious tolerance and spread them among the masses. by Mary Filipiak

Internet Created thanks to the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), online education (E-learning) surpasses the traditional classroom learning method in the sense that it is a reliable solution to promote equal opportunities across the world. Although computer based classroom systems had already appeared in North America in the 1960s, the 1990s through the World Wide Web made education available globally. According to Rachel Wang in her reports on E-learning trends, between the fall of 2011 and 2012, overall student enrollment declined by 2.64%, whereas online education enrollments grew by 6.52%. Inventions like the webcam and instant messaging continue to make online education increasingly popular. by Caroline Simpson

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Committee Reports

Remembering a Fallen Leader

In U.S. President John F. Kennedys civil rights message in 1963, the late president stated, that Not every child has an equal talent, but they should have the equal right to develop their talent to make something of themselves. The Social and Economic Committee (ECOSOC) recognized this quote in todays conference session. In commemoration of the assassinated former head of state, the entire committee lapsed into a long moment of silence, demonstrating their respect for the deceased leader. Shabab Haiden, President of ECOSOC, stressed this by stating, We are attending BERMUN to work together and make that difference, one person can make a difference and everyone should try. The debate that followed addressed the unequal right to education, especially for children in refugee camps. In later discussion, the delegate of the United States commented on Kennedys legacy, believing that he set up a great example of how a leader should be for later presidents, especially with his speeches.

Simona Koch Reporter

Rebekka Schoell Reporter

An A+ for Participation

The delegates of Germany, the Russian Federation, and Thailand, who were particularly active in the Human Rights Committee (HRC) on Friday, were enthusiastically giving their input in the discussions on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. The debated topics in their resolutions ranged from indigenous people being integrated into society and school systems and obtaining psychological help, to targeting the right groups of people who qualify for coercive measures and sanctions. The delegate of Germany wanted to ensure that [they] carry out economic, social, and political measures to restore the rights to Delegate of Germany. those people. Lastly, guest speaker Jose-Manuel Barreto spoke about his extensive knowledge of the historical and theoretical backgrounds of human rights in relation to colonialism.
photo by Alexander Schwan

Uncovered Documents Reveal the Truth

Clara Frick Reporter
Eager to find a solution to the problems of whaling, judges in the International Court of Justice are now busy analyzing evidence. The applicants, representatives of Australia, were asked to leave the room after presenting judges with legal documents to make a case against Japan. The respondents, also known as the defendants, were then asked to do the same. For the majority of Thursday and Friday, the judges faced the resonating question of whether whaling is done on commercial or scientific basis. Participants continuously debate whether the environmental crimes against these large animals can be considered legal. The surfacing of hasty conclusions in the heat of the discussions brings President Clara Walther to remind participants, I would encourage judges to refrain from making a definitive decision as the deliberation process has yet to come. Suspension in the courtroom builds, as attorneys wait for judges to make their decision.

NGOs are no Money Bank

David Strasiewsky Reporter
The resolution addressing the social reintegration of child soldiers submitted by the Lebanese Republic at first seemed broad and comprehensive to most delegates. However, the delegate of Argentina pointed out multiple loopholes. Included in his critique of the seemingly extensive resolution was the fact that it does not concern the problem of how to prevent child abduction in the first place. Also, the resolution suggests that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like UNICEF provide psychological evaluations and treatment for former child soldiers. Many ideas propose solutions for the reintegration of child soldiers that require heavy funding that cannot be adopted merely by NGOs. The delegate of Argentina clarified that they are no source of infinite funding. With his speech, he caused many delegates to rethink their opinion on the resolution. Finally, the delegate of Hungary proposed the amendment of a clause concerning financial aid. His idea to further specify the funding of psychological and physical aid for former child soldiers was eventually passed. With this amendment, the delegates improved the clause and contributed their critique to a comprehensive resolution.

BERMUN TIMES

photo by Fritz Pukall

Raphael Traczinski Reporter

Cyberterrorism Potential Danger?

Israel introduced the idea of creating a new branch in the United Nations to specifically target cyberterrorism and its prevention. To aid less-developed countries, the delegate of Argentina suggests the need for governmental subsidies from first world countries to enable a secure surrounding for everyone.

Luisa Hemmerling Reporter

One Voice Among 83

Committee Reports

On Thursday morning, the Disarmament Committee was introduced to the idea that when one is not educated, one is isolated, as stated by former Ambassador John C. Kornblum. Tying Kornblums thoughts to the theme of cyberterrorism, a non-existent education about this computerized form of warfare subsequently leads to isolation and even inferiority to those of higher knowledge. Cyberterrorism, the contemporary style of warfare, has the ability to penetrate cities, countries and even nations, due to the fact that technology links everyone together. To embrace these issues and regulate cyberterrorism, the delegate of

With almost seven dozen delegates debating at the same time, it is hard for a single voice to be heard in the Environment Committee.

EC in debate.

Discussing Cyber-Bullying.

Promptly at eight oclock, after attendance was taken, the Czech Republics resolution from the day before was discussed. As amendments were made, a pattern soon reoccurred among

the countrys delegates, with only the U.S, Costa Rican, Israeli, Korean, and Columbian delegates being the only ones speaking. The same opinions were stated, and the same strong voices heard. Gradually, the other delegates got lost in the tumult of the affair. I dont think this is a problem, Chair Jacob Becker comments. The much bigger problem is those who come to BERMUN unmotivated. As Chairs, we try to give everyone an equal opportunity to express their point of view. At this, Becker presents an organized tally list marking the amount of amendments and comments each delegate has made. Jacob encourages the delegates in his committee. With this many delegates, it is important to speak up to be heard. Every voice counts.

Aiming to Make a Difference

Eleanor Kelly Reporter
The Security Council (SC) began the second day of debate in remembrance of President John F. Kennedys assassination in light of its 50 year anniversary. Chairs of the SC. After a commemorative video provided by the BERMUN Press Corps and a solemn minute of silence, Elias Lugani,
photo by Nils Bernhardt

photo by Antony Roczek

President of the SC, quoted Kennedys statement, One person can make a difference and everyone should try. In consideration of this quotation, the SC resumed its ongoing and controversial discussion on Syria, in which political as well as humanitarian solutions were deliberated at length. After extensive questioning, the SC called in the Syrian Ambassador of the General Assembly, whom they consulted about Syrias position on topics such as ceasefire and acceptance of international humanitarian aid. Delegates hope that constructive clauses will be passed on these disputed topics over the course of the remaining days.

Dorothea Douglas Reporter

To Have and to Hold

photo by Fritz Pukall

The Historical Security Council (HSC) continued their discussion of the 2003 Iraq crisis with great fervor. Discussion turned quickly toward military intervention, backed heavily by the United States and Spain, especially the possibility of taking out the authoritarian leader of the country with a U.S. Task Force. As the American delegation stated, Our goal is to provide stability to the country. Sanctions have proven inefficient, people are starving. We see no other way than going in and removing the regime. The

Spanish delegation added, We dont understand why other delegations dont seem to understand how futile negotiations with Sadam are.

Delegate of HSC in action.

This idea was, however, heavily critisized by other member states, who preferred diplomacy.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

photo by Fritz Pukall

the official newspaper of the berlin model united nations

Inclusion - The Best Solution?

David Strasiewsky Reporter Concerning the reintegration of former child soldiers in Africa, several methods to include them into society are on hand. An inclusive educational system that supports children with special educational needs seems to be an appropriate resolution. But how does the idea of including former soldiers differ from the idea of integrating them? Integration deals especially with the preparation of children with special educational needs for a mainstream education. Inclusion, on the other hand, abolishes any special educational institutions and provides an education together with non-disabled children. As Theresa S. Betancourt, Stephanie Simmons, and Marie de la Soudire state in their research article High Hopes,
Grim Reality: Reintegration and the Education of Former Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone, Long-term interventions should include maintaining a comfortable and inclusive school environment for the children that is responsive to psychosocial needs. The delegate of Albania believes that merely throwing internally displaced children into a school with normal children would be too rash and might even be counterproductive. Furthermore, the article asserts that in the immediate aftermath of a conflict such as Sierra Leones, educators can facilitate psychosocial recovery for all children, regardless of combatant status, by devoting adequate time during the school day to healing activities. Therefore inclusive education would appear to be an adequate solution that gives the children enough time and attention to properly reintegrate into society.

Simona Koch Reporter

Noah and the Press Team

This years BERMUN conference marks the conclusion of layout editor Noah Lehreckes time in the Press Team. Having been part of the team since eighth grade, Noah has contributed vast time and dedication to make each paper unique, advancing to the position of Head of Layout in the tenth grade. When asked how he joined, Noah joked at first I didnt know what it was, but Mr. Robertson just dragged me into it and I didnt say no. Although he may seem to have been forced to join, his endurance with the team remains remarkable. A lot of people drop out after one conference, but I saw a method to it which inspired me to keep going. Having played a part in multiple BERMUN confrences, Noah looks back, realizing Press has definitely taught me not only technical skills, but especially how to efficiently work in a group together. At this point, the Press Team would like to acknowledge his ever-present commitment to the team and thank him for five years of extensive work in layout.

November 23, 2013

November 24, 2013

photo by Antony Roczek

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Partly Cloudy 3 to 6 C 37 to 43 F

BERMUN Press personal meteorologist.

BERMUN TIMES

photo by Antony Roczek