2020.03.25

UNAI MEMBER ACTIVITY REPORT 2018/2019

During the 2018/2019 reporting period, Kobe City University of Foreign Studies undertook a number of activities that underscore its commitment to UNAI and its principles. The following examples stand out as particularly noteworthy:

1. Sustainability/Global Citizenship

1) Model United Nations

In addition, Kobe City University of Foreign Studies offered three Model United Nations courses where students participated in 5 Model United Nations Conferences led by Associate Professor Lori Zenuk-Nishide and Professor Donna Tatsuki. 

The first conference was the National Model United Nations (NMUN) New York where the Kobe City University of Foreign Studies delegation represented the Republic of South Africa with Westfälische Hochschule. Six students were representatives of  the General Assembly Second Committee, International Organization for Migration and HRC  Human Rights Council. The delegations also visited the United Nations. Saeko Yoshimatsu and Nanako Ueda (International Relations Department) were chosen a as Assistant Directors for UNESCO https://www.nmun.org/assets/documents/conference-archives/new-york/2018/ny18b-res-unesco.pdf
and CSW https://www.nmun.org/assets/documents/conference-archives/new-york/2018/ny18a-res-csw.pdf in March 2018 and Akiko Teramoto was chosen as a Security Council Chair https://www.nmun.org/assets/documents/conference-archives/new-york/2018/ny18a-res-sc.pdf. Two student delegates Yuka Kimura & Hikari Kobayashi won a Distinguished Position Paper Award and the delegation received an Honorable Mention Award. The Delegation met with H.E. Ambassador Toshiya Hoshino at the  Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations of Japan.

Secondly, Kobe City University of Foreign Studies delegation of 24 students and faculty attended the 9th Annual JUEMUN (Japan University English Model United Nations Conference) June 22-24th at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, juemin.org.  The conference theme was  United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 – Zero Hunger and Malnutrition by 2030, simulating UNESCO Asia-Pacific organized by Professor Craig Smith and Professor Jay Klaphake (Kyoto University of Foreign Studies), and  Associate Professor Lori Zenuk-Nishide and Professor Donna Tatsuki (Kobe City University of Foreign Studies). There were 252 participants, 42% international from 13 universities in Japan and 9 universities abroad. The conference mentor and guest speaker was Ambassador Dr. Koichiro Matsuura, UNESCO Director 1999-2009. Director, Mbuli Charles Boliko from The FAO Liaison Office in Japan gave the keynote address on food and nutrition security around the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVD_pXohosk&feature=youtu.be.

Thirdly, a delegation from Kobe City University of Foreign Studies  attended the first Malaysia University English Model United Nations (MUEMUN) hosted by Universiti Sains Malaysia  in Penang, Malaysia on October 10-11, 2018. The conference theme adopted Sustainable Development Goal 3, “Promoting a Future for Sustainable Well Being” would leverage on the five most critical contemporary global challenges: health care; heritage conservation; gender equality; future of work (employment) and conflict & peace.

Fourth, a student delegation of 8 members representing Norway and Sweden participated in the National Model United Nations (NMUN) in Xi’an, China in the General Assembly Plenary, Security Council, Economic and Social Council and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, November 18-24, 2018. At NMUN China, the cultural tours visited world heritage sites including the Terracotta Army, Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, Drum and Bell Towers, and the ancient Xi'an City Wall.  We also visited the Muslim Quarter. Security Council Delegation members, Miu Kabayama and Christine Keiko Terrillon won a distinguished position paper award https://www.nmun.org/about-nmun/conference-archives/china-2018.html.

Fifth, student delegates representing Syria and Spain attended the 8th Annual Tsukuba English Model United Nations (TEMUN) December 7-9, 2018, sponsored by Tsukuba University. TEMUN’s agenda was on Sustainable Development Goal 16, “Promoting Inclusive and Sustainable Communities for a Peaceful World”. Presentations by Kobe City University of Foreign Studies faculty were made at the GEIC (Research Forum on Global Education and International Communication) on Learner Profiles. Professor, Donna Tatsuki presented on “Problematizing native speaker-ELF user interactions” and  Associate Professor, Lori Zenuk-Nishide presented on “Model United Nations: Development of Self Through Community Practice”.

2) Global Negotiation Symposium

The Second Annual Global Negotiation Symposium June 23-25, 2018 was led by Professor Donna Tatsuki  (Kobe City University of Foreign Studies)  and Professor Jay Klaphake (Kyoto University of Foreign Studies) and  was held at Kyoto  University of Foreign Studies during JUEMUN as an opportunity for UN experts, NGOs, researchers, negotiation practitioners and language teachers to share theory, research, insights and best practices to significantly enrich the pedagogic environment. The ability to negotiate constructive resolutions in the face of conflicts of interest is one of the most important 21st century skills.  

 3) Model United Nations Support for Universities

Professor Donna Tatsuki (Kobe City University of Foreign Studies) collaborating with Professor Marina Morbiducci and her class did a Model United Nations Security Council simulation at La Sapienza University, Rome (March 2018) fostering peace and security,  in March 2018.

4) Guest Speakers

a. Peace and Conflict Resolution

Professor Emeritus Helena Meyer-Knapp (Evergreen State College), an  American professor on peace studies spoke on “Difficult apologies: Good strategies for improving international relations-peace must be dared, peace is inevitable, all wars will end”, on May 11, 2018.
Professor Kunihiko Nagatani (Kyoto University of Foreign Studies) spoke about the importance of collecting testimonies of Atomic Bomb Survivors  and ensuring that they are translated into as many languages as possible. He spoke on turning hate into forgiveness and what he learned through his journey around the world; and the memory of atomic bomb victim Mr. Yasuhiko Takeda. These efforts may contribute to the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction, on November 20, 2018.

 b.  SDGs

Katsuhito Okubo (Japan Youth Platform for Sustainability) outlined the responsibility and opportunity that youth have in seeing that the SDGs are realized by 2030, on  November 9, 2018.
He reported on his participation in the UN  High Level Political Forum on  Sustainable Development; Ensuring Intergenerational Dialogues for Achieving SDGs.