MODEL UNITED NATIONS TRYOUTS FALL 2015

Below please find a weblist of articles to help prepare you for the tryouts. This is not a complete
list of all articles or resources available on the topics; merely a list of good articles that you can
access. Other resources, including books or periodicals, are available and can be utilized. The
three topics are: Damage/Destruction of World Cultural Heritage Sites, Peacekeeping, LGBT
rights/protections.
You will need to prepare a 2 minute speech for each topic. Since these topics are fairly
involved, speeches that are shorter will inherently not be sufficient to address these topics
appropriately. A small leeway will be given, on either side of the time limit, before points will be
deducted. The judges will not stop you and the longer you go beyond 2 minutes, the lower
your score will go. Each speech should address a short history of the problem, why this issue is
a world problem and what possible solutions you would advocate that the UN undertake. Please
be aware that we are addressing these issues from a world perspective, not that of the US or any
other nation. Your analysis and support for your argument will be two of the key aspects of the
presentation as well as your ability to identify/craft potentially successful and appropriate
solutions for UN implementation. After your speech, you will have 4 minutes to answer
questions from the judges. During the questioning you cannot have any notes in front of you,
including your speech.
WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES
Destruction of Cultural Heritage-Global Policy Forum-articles, papers, etc
https://www.globalpolicy.org/humanitarian-issues-in-iraq/consequences-of-the-war-andoccupation-of-iraq/destruction-of-iraqs-cultural-heritage.html
UNESCO-World Heritage Committee 39th Session July 2015-this has lots of information from
video, reports etc. Click on the various links
http://whc.unesco.org/en/sessions/39COM/documents/
UNESCO-World Heritage Committee Report of Activities since 38th Session
http://whc.unesco.org/archive/2015/whc15-39com-5A-en.pdf
UNESCO-Reducing Disaster Risks at World Heritage Properties
http://whc.unesco.org/en/disaster-risk-reduction/
Ancient History Modern Destruction: Assessing the Current Status of Syrias World Heritage
Sites
http://www.aaas.org/page/ancient-history-modern-destruction-assessing-current-status-syria-sworld-heritage-sites-using
The Condemnation of Memory: Whats Behind the Destruction of World Heritage Sites
http://theconversation.com/the-condemnation-of-memory-whats-behind-the-destruction-ofworld-heritage-sites-36579

Global Heritage Fund: Principal Threats to Heritage

http://globalheritagefund.org/what_we_do/our_vanishing_heritage_principal_threats
Preserving Cultural Heritage in Times of Conflict-chapter from a book
http://www.culture-and-development.info/issues/conflict.htm
Antiquities Lost: Casualties of War-NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/05/arts/design/in-syria-and-iraq-trying-to-protect-a-heritage-atrisk.html?_r=0
Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/armed-conflict-and-heritage/the-hagueconvention/#c167451
PEACEKEEPING
United Nations Peacekeeping-Generic UN website on its peacekeeping duties-lots of links here
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/
UN Reports New Allegations of Sexual Misconduct by Peacekeepers in Central African Republic
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?
NewsID=51675&&Cr=Central+African+Republic&&Cr1=#.VdjzZPlVhBd
UN: Some Sexual Abuse Charges Against Peacekeepers Ignored
http://www.waow.com/story/29808687/un-some-sexual-abuse-charges-against-peacekeepersignored
UN Peacekeeping: Gender and Peacekeeping
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/issues/women/
Critical Reforms Required for UN Peacekeeping-Heritage Foundation
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/09/critical-reforms-required-for-un-peacekeeping
Contemporary Issues in UN Peacekeeping and International Law-legal focus
http://www.idcr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/02_11.pdf
Global Policy Forum-Analysis and Articles on Peacekeeping-part of an overall file on UN
Peacekeeping-see the whole article for more
https://www.globalpolicy.org/security-council/peacekeeping/analysis-and-articles-onpeacekeeping.html
The Future of UN Peacekeeping: A conversation with Herve Ladsous-Brookings-Audio and a
transcript
http://www.brookings.edu/events/2014/06/17-future-un-peacekeeping-herve-ladsous

Performance Peacekeeping: Final Report of the Expert Panel on Technology and Innovation in
UN Peacekeeping
http://www.performancepeacekeeping.org/offline/download.pdf
Towards More Effective Partnership Peacekeeping Efforts in Africa
http://forums.ssrc.org/kujenga-amani/2012/11/19/towards-more-effective-partnershippeacekeeping-in-africa/#.Vdj7NPlVhBc
LGBT DISCRIMINATION
There are few sources against these rights, but make sure that you think about sovereignty and
what the UN can/should do about this issue and in particular what its role should be in places
which do not recognize rights/protections for the LGBT community.
Global Discrimination Against LGBT persons: 2015 UN Report
http://journalistsresource.org/studies/international/human-rights/global-discrimination-againstlgbt-persons-2015-united-nations-report
UN Report addressed in prior source-click on first link in the article
http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/un-human-rights-office-releases-report-detailing-violence-anddiscrimi
UN Resolutions referencing Sexual Discrimination
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Discrimination/Pages/LGBTUNResolutions.aspx
Human Rights Watch-LGBT violence
https://www.hrw.org/topic/lgbt-rights
Huffington Post: Anti Gay Violence
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/anti-gay-violence/
Council For Global Equality: How to Protect LGBTI Persons Around the World From Violence
http://www.globalequality.org/storage/documents/pdf/hrf_lgbti_blueprint.pdf
79 Nations Where Homosexuality is illegal
http://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/
About LGBT Human Rights
http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/lgbt-rights/about-lgbt-human-rights