1992 School Magazine

tI. N. CAMP While most Gi'ainmar girls took part in the mass exodus on Friday, 18th September which mai'ked the end of term, three students exchanged the fil'51 weekend foi' the United Nations You111 Confei'ence at Coolum. Jane Kennedy, ionanna Sing and lessica Conoplia, repi. esenting China. Cuba and Denmark respectively, participated in over 111ree days of lectures, workshops and conferences concerning maioi' world issues.

. . ^ ... ;- , .-\.: , ~^\\,* *.* , , '*,*:**t****:;J^**:\ ;,,*

* },

.,

*

**

:,

I

* ,

J *

*

*

*?

<1

a

,. 4,

~-~~ I~

*

", ?

10 Sing At 8.30 p. in. everything fell silent. This was the Red Faces Talent Quest foi' all ambassadors. With oui' friendly super visors fl'om the United Nations You 111 Association installed as judges, one as coinpere and 10haiina Sing as pianist, we wei'e 11'Galed to individual and gi'oup pel'formances bursting with creativity. Of 111e Grammar girls lessica Conoplia achieved a coin trick record while she and Jane Kennedy also joined with two supervisoi's to piesent "Expert Double Finures: Jaila We ridt in tel'views Saddam HUSsein". Latei' they joinec! a group of o1hers in singing "I'm a little teapot". 10hanna Sing and a gi'oup of six others ended the concert singing "We are the Woi'Id" The last day of 111e cainp was devoted 10 the mock Genei'al Assembly. WillI all members seated alpliabeiically and speaking sillctly to tile President only, notes conveyed by supei'visoi's wei'e the only means of coinmLinication. Even these were limited 10 UN mattei's Owing to the lentilli of time taken to debate and vote o11 resolutions, only foul' were proposed on the day, three of whicli were callied. lessica Conop!Ia, delegate foi' Deninai'k, ensured 11Tat "all foreign debt in the Thii'd Woi'Id be abolislied by the yeai' 2000". Two o111ei' 1110/10ns wei'e, "that the testing of all nucleai' missiles be banned by 1998" and "that all 111ember nations reduce thell' 111ilit ai'y spend- ing by 30% and completely PITase out ballistic weaponi'y by the yeai' 2000". Unforiunaiely, the laitei' was tillsLiccess- ful. The final resolution, ploposed by 1011anna Sing. Cuban representative, was "that the USA cease the blockade on Cuba by 1997". This was cal'Tied due to a I'ecord 11uinbei' abstaining fi. om the vote Our General Assembly niay nave restoi'ed a little laith ill the peace pi'ocess and oui' 101e in world hal'moily btit there is CGI'lainly a difficult pain 10 follow. However, the United Nations Youth Confei'ence is taking the fii'SI step: iaising the awai'eness of young people of the issues which ale shaping the future

Jane Kennedy (Li and lessica Curioplia

On Friday evening the group of ovei' a nundred students from Queensland and northei'11 New South Wales was inti'oduced to "the caucus group". These small groups of National representatives wei'e linked by a cause, a geo- graphical, political or cultui'al similarity. The developing world, the Communist nations and the NATO POWei's all negotiated on matters of mutual interest. Our aim was 10 formulate resolutions to be put to the mock Genei. al Assembly o11 Monday. These resolutions 11ad to be I'Gallstic and of importance to the countl'ies proposing them. One of the niost impol'tant challenges of the Ginip was to base our attitudes on "our" country's government's and not on our Australian social consciousness. Nevertheless, this was the last opportunity for fomial discussions. Theleaftei' we wei'e confined to lobbying in fi'ee time and at meals. Satui'day was almost entirely occupied by structured antivi- ties. With speakers froni the United Nations Association of Australia we discussed the UN bodies of the Security Council, Ihe Intel'national Labour Organisation and UNESCO. Following this was a series of workshops cov- ei'Ing changes in the IwentietlT century, assets foi' PI'ogi'ess, stumbling blocks to peace and prosperity, changes to the UN and our pel'sonal contribution. During the afternoon, PIOf. Ken Wiltshire explained 111e role of UNESCO and the Woi'ld He I'it age Council. Representatives from tlie Human Rinhts Commission and Amnesty Intel'nation al also addi'CSSed us TITe expedition to the be acli on Saturday night niarked the end of flee time foi' the weekend. On Sunday, ill addition 10 the speakeis on 111e environment, poverty and children's I'ignis. any spare minutes were occupied by frantic lobby- is is I'unnino up and down the dining 11all calling, "Where's Chile?", "Who repi'esents the USA?" or "Call I please speak to Finland?" 1101 to mention, "Where's the other half of France?". Throughout the aftei'noon nations wei'e pi'GPai'ing I'esolutions, finding suppol'I and opposition for the forthcoming debate.

10 Sing

54