Pilibos Makes an Impact at UCLA during Model United Nations
Wednesday, January 16th, 2013
Some of the Pilibos participants in the Model UN event at UCLA
BY VIVIAN KASPARIAN
On November 17 and 18, Rose and Alex Pilibos students participated in
the 20th annual Bruin Model United Nations (MUN). The BruinMUN is an
extracurricular activity where high school students role-play as
delegates of nations represented at the United Nations. These
delegates act as representatives of specific committees where they
discuss topics concerning international politics, such as child
malnutrition in Haiti, government control on social media, and newborn
and child health in developing countries. MUN creates opportunities
for students to interact with other high school students, practice
diplomacy, enhance their knowledge of issues currently taking place in
the world, and attempts to find solutions to those problems, modeled
closely after the actions that take place at the United Nations.
BruinMUN is an annual competition held on the beautiful UCLA campus in
Westwood.
For the second year in a row, Pilibos students along with 900 other
high school students participated in the competition. Pilibos was
assigned the countries of Norway, Venezuela, and Tanzania,
representing them in the General Assembly, Social, Humanitarian and
Cultural Affairs Committee, Human Rights Committee, World Health
Organization, Economic and Social Council, United Nations Children’s
Fund, International Atomic Energy Agency, and African Union
committees. Four students, Khajag Bornazyan, Arek Kodjanian, Arpi
Beshlikyan and Lily Dermendjian won research awards for their position
papers. Khajag Bornazyan and Arek Kodjanian (11th grade) discussed
the issues of nuclear proliferation and nuclear safety representing
the country of Norway in the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA), and Arpi Beshlikyan and Lily Dermendjian (9th grade) discussed
genetically modified foods and child mortality representing the
country of Tanzania in the World Health Organization (WHO).
In addition to the excitement of the competition, this year’s
convention was no ordinary BruinMUN, especially for the Armenian
community. BruinMUN organizers had invited Tolga Arslan, the Vice
Consul of Turkey, to speak at the opening ceremonies of the BruinMUN.
Principal, Dr. Alina Dorian said, `The Bruin MUN organizing committee
sent us an email a week before the event alerting us to the fact that
the key note speaker would be the Vice Consul of Turkey. They wrote,
and we quote, `One of our chairs has notified us of the sensitivities
that may surround our guest speaker and the dilemma his presence may
create for you and your students’. Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian
School in partnership with our sister school, Holy Martyrs Ferrahian
Armenian High School and several other key sister organizations
drafted a letter to the organizing committee expressing our
disappointment with their decision to invite a representative of a
government whose policies are in direct contradiction with the United
Nations principles and all that we strive to teach our students.
Further, we stressed the importance that this dilemma should not just
be one for our schools or our community, but should be one that needs
to be considered by all, especially BruinMUN, who espouse principles
of justice and adherence to human rights as advocated by the United
Nations Charter and mission.’
`I met with our student delegation the next day and we decided that we
would walk out in quiet protest from the opening ceremonies should the
Vice Consul take the stage. The same decision was taken by Ferrahian.
When we arrived that Saturday morning into the foyer of the Grand
Ballroom, we were joined by the UCLA Armenian Students Association and
the Armenian Youth Federation who had started distributing postcards
to the participating students, parents and their representatives
stating Turkey’s record on human rights, civil-rights and
Genocide-denial. Our students were stern in their resolve and were
waiting to see the outcome of our efforts. As the program began, the
master of ceremonies announced that the key note speaker unfortunately
was not going to be able to be present due to `medical’ reasons.’
`At that moment, all of my students were wide-eyed and I know, for
them, the victory was palpable. A group of committed high school
students from two Armenian schools made a big difference in the
reality of our existence as Armenians. The strength of our unity was
catalyzed by the fact that we are part of an Armenian school system,
which not only teaches our students about their rich history and
heritage, but encourages them to act with grace and pride on its
behalf. With the collaborative efforts of the UCLA Armenian Students
Association, Armenian Youth Federation and the Armenian National
Committee of America Western-Region, the Armenian community was able
to have their voice heard.’
Participating students were very passionate in their resolve and very
proud of what they accomplished. Here is what some students had to
say about their experience:
Vivian Kasparian (11th grade)
`Non-Armenian students were fascinated by the language we spoke to one
another, and quickly began asking questions about where Armenia was
located, if we could teach them a few words, and how incredible it is
that there are entire schools based solely on our ethnicity. We even
helped students from Huntington Beach High School, who represented
Armenia in BruinMUN, learn about critical facts relating to the topic
of government control on social media in Armenia. As the delegates
of Armenia stated a direct fact aimed towards the delegates
representing Turkey in their speech, my partner and I felt a sense of
pride in our nation that we had not experienced before, which made our
experience at UCLA BruinMUN convention complete.’
Lily Dermendjian (9th grade)
`I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to participate in Model
UN this year. I was able to meet some very interesting people, learn
many things, and get lost with my friends on the UCLA campus. I was
not very happy that the representative from the Turkish embassy was
going to speak at the opening ceremonies. I was outraged to find out
that a representative of a country with such a terrible human rights
record was going to speak to us at a political conference. However, in
the end, I was happy that we were able to influence such a major
outcome that day.’
Khajag Bornazyan (11th grade)
`From the first moment I signed up for the BruinMUN, I was very
excited that I was going to be a part of an educational and
politically oriented event. But what I received was much more. More
than pretending to be a part of politics, we got to experience it
first hand as we influenced the events of the day and stopped a
political injustice from taking place.’
Aram Manoukian (10th grade)
`UCLA Model United Nations was not quite what I expected being a
rookie. It was a test of dedication and perseverance; a test well
accomplished. As a school, actively involved in the community, we
knew the responsibility to inform a conference simulating the largest
protector of human rights fell on our shoulders. We made our presence
known! Whether it was initiating dialogue at committee, or passing
out flyers at the opening ceremony, UCLA Model United Nations was
proof that a grassroots community with a just cause will not only
attempt but achieve anything and everything for its people.’
Arek Kodjanian (11th grade)
`This was a new experience for me, and I learned numerous things about
the United Nations and how it works. But more than that, we were able
to experience some nuances of politics first hand. When I first heard
about the opening speaker, I was very surprised. The choice made by
Bruin MUN completely contradicts the reason why students come to this
conference. Turkey has policies that directly violate UN laws. So
Pilibos and the Armenian community did everything possible to not let
this happen. And sure enough Arslan did not show up to give his
speech. I was not only proud but pleased that with such few people we
were able to accomplish such task with such an impact. Everything I
have learned in school about being Armenian and a united community
came to fruition right in front of my eyes. Together we really can do
so much more!’
From: A. Papazian
http://asbarez.com/107699/pilibos-makes-an-impact-at-ucla-during-model-united-nations/