2020.03.31

UNAI MEMBER ACTIVITY REPORT 2019/2020

During the 2019/2020 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

 Model United Nations
Kobe City University of Foreign Studies offered four Model United Nations (MUN) courses where students participated in three Model United Nations Conferences led by Associate Professor Lori Zenuk-Nishide, Professor Donna Tatsuki and Professor Michael Hollenback.

1.1 The first conference was the National Model United Nations (NMUN)
March 24-28, 2019 in New York where the delegation represented
the Republic of Iran co-partnering with Westfälische Hochschule in Germany in UNESCO, CCPCJ, GA3, UNICEF. Our UNICEF Delegates Yui Nakade and Yui Nishibe,  received a Position Paper Award and we received a Distinguished Delegation Award. The CCPCJ delegates Funo Heims and  Naoki Harada received an Outstanding Delegates in Committee award. One of our students, Akiko Teramoto was an Assistant Director for the CPD committee and spoke at the ECOSOC Plenary. In New York, as part of the preparation, the delegates met with the Iranian Permanent Mission to the United Nations for a briefing and to ask questions from their committees.  The delegation also went on a tour of the United Nations.

1.2 The second conference was the 10th Annual Japan University English Model United Nations (JUEMUN) hosted by Kobe University of Foreign Studies June 21-23 for 200 students to mark the 100th Anniversary of the ILO,  juemun.org. There were 22 Faculty Advisors and students from 22  universities and 17 nationalities. The JUEMUN 2019 conference theme– Promoting Jobs and Protecting People Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8  JUEMUN aims to follow the principles and practices of the UN4MUN organization juemun.org. We remembered one of the JUEMUN founders Prof. Craig Smith of Kyoto University of Foreign Studies who passed way in January, 2019 for his vision, passion and impact he made on global education and citizenship, and peace studies of many students and faculty. The Guest speaker was Akiko Taguchi, Director ILO Office Japan.  The 2019 Japan University English Model United Nations (JUEMUN) simulated the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The JUEMUN 2019 Secretary General was Kaori Matsuda and Assistant Secretary General is Haruka Jifuku. The topics under discussion for the three ECOSOC meetings were:

Meeting 1: Ending Child Labour in all its Forms

Committee A: Ending Child Labour in all its Forms in Agriculture
Committee B: Ending Child Labour in all its Forms in Domestic Work
Committee C: Ending Child Labour in all its Forms in Armed Conflict
Committee D: Ending Child Labour in all its Forms in Commercial Sexual Exploitation Meeting 2: To Realize Equality of Opportunity and Treatment

Committee A: To Realize Equality of Opportunity and Treatment for Persons with Disabilities Committee B: To Realize Equality of Opportunity and Treatment for Indigenous peoples Committee C: To Realize Equality of Opportunity and Treatment for Women
Committee D: To Realize Equality of Opportunity and Treatment for Youth

Meeting 3: To Protect Labour Rights and Promote Safe and Secure Working Environments

Committee A: Access to Social Protection
Committee B: Ending Violence and Harassment in the Work Place

Committee C: Ensuring a Healthy Work Life Balance
Committee D: Increasing Aid for Trade Support for Developing Countries

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1.3 The third conference was NMUN Germany  in Erfurt from November 24-December 1 where the Kobe City University of Foreign Studies represented Poland and Italy in SC, IAEA, GA and HRC. Thirteen students participated. The delegation from Poland received an Outstanding Delegation Award, and the delegation from Italy an Honorable Mention. Students and faculty visited Buchenwald concentration camp; Point Alpha (a Cold War  US observation post on the East German border, next to a portion of the Iron Curtain);  and Wartburg Castle a world heritage site where Luther translated the Bible in to German. The Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier addressed the delegates and attended committee sessions. Miu Kabayama the Secretary General for NMUN Japan 2020 at the closing ceremony invited everyone to the conference Kobe City University of Foreign Studies will co-host November 22-29, 2020 (nmun.org)

2. Promoting Intercultural Dialog
 2.1  On June 19, 2019,  Prof. Thomas Weiler (Bonn University, University of Applied Sciences of the State of North-Rhine Westphalia at Cologne & Vice-President of the UN Association of Germany) spoke on Germany in the UN with a Focus on the Security Council to Kobe City University of Foreign Studies International Relations students and faculty.

2.2 Ten students, two Cologne government officials and faculty from University of Applied Sciences of the State of North-Rhine Westphalia at Cologne held a joint class with students from Kobe City University of Foreign Studies to present and discuss on their education systems and share lunch together. Then the group from University of Applied Sciences of the State of North-Rhine Westphalia at Cologne visited city hall officials in Kobe to discuss education of city officials.

2.3 At the 3rd Global Negotiation Conference  (June 21-23, 2019) organized  by Prof. Donna Tatsuki. The theme was  “Best Practices in MUN Simulations. There were three featured speakers who presented on diplomacy and skill building. Presenters were Prof. Michiko Kuroda (Mercy College, New York), Andreas Mueglich (Westfalian University of Applied Sciences);  and Prof. Thomas Weiler (Bonn University, University of Applied Sciences of the State of North-Rhine Westphalia at Cologne & Vice-President of the UN Association of Germany).