Special+Conference


 * SPECIAL CONFERENCE- Josh and Megan **
 * 1) Preserving World Heritage Sites from looting and environmental degradation.
 * 2) Measures to protect and preserve endangered native languages.
 * 3) Fostering peace between Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir.
 * 4) Protecting the culture of indigenous tribes from the pressures of tourism.



=Megan= The problem is that many indigenous (not native, as native means language to a whole country or large area) languages are disappearing from the world. Demographers predict that 3000 of the world's 7000 languages will be gone by 2010. Many are being replaced by dominant languages such as English or German. So far, Madagascar hasn't really done anything to combat the problem. They are focusing more on how to unite the people of this country. There are probably 3 sides on this debate (assuming that the person actually thinks about this topic). One "side" agrees that a person's mother language and a "popular" language are equally as important to learn so a person can both communicate with the world and show your heritage to the world. A second "side" believes that people should only focus on major languages because these languages will help you get accepted for a job and communicate with the rest of the world. A third side says that people should be free to keep their native languages so they can keep the heritage and culture going. Probably it is trying to unite the people by making them learn one common language. They want to do this to get rid of poverty. As of 2006, Madagascar was the 9th poorest country in the world. They might actually inadvertently be going against solving this problem... Madagascar's government could try to learn some of its indigenous languages that people native to Madagascar speak. It can also try to make sure that people pass their native languages down to their children while also learning the official language of Madagascar. I think they will want to try to bring some languages back, because the majority ethnic group in Madagascar (Malayo-Indonesian), or sometimes known as Merina was NOT the first ethnic group to settle there, and they may want to bring minorities back. Some might say that their language is more important than the native languages and will tie the world together if native people learn them. Others want to preserve heritage and culture. Madagascar is part of the African Union, so it may be greatly affected by more powerful African countries. They may also have to listen to other countries' viewpoints and decide if they have a point. Also, they may be influenced by powerful countries because these countries are more united than Madagascar itself. There are Comorans, which only have 20,000 people. Even though the Merina is the largest ethnic group in Madagascar, only 3 million out of the total 19.4 million people are Merina. Tensions are existing between the Merina and the second largest ethnic group, the Cotier. There are also traces of Chinese and Indo-Pakistanis, but they are immigrants of the 20th century. So the largest ethnic group is not the majority, and they may need to learn other minorities' languages to keep the country united.
 * What is the problem? How does it affect your country?**
 * What has your country done to combat the problem?**
 * What are the various "sides" on the debate?**
 * Which aspects of the issue are the most important to your country?**
 * If your country is not involved with the issue, how can it become involved?**
 * How will your country shape at the debat****e at the conference?**
 * What arguments will other countries make?**
 * How will positions of other countries affect your country?**
 * Is there evidence or statistics to back up your country's decision?**

=Draft Resolution=


 * Question of:** Measures to protect and preserve indigenous languages.
 * Committee:** Special Conference
 * Submitter:** Madagascar

//Reminding// the world that all native and indigenous languages are equally important, no matter how many people speak that language,

//Aware// that this issue is not addressed very often, leading to ignorance,

//Pointing out// that globalization has resulted in the disappearance of indigenous languages and that 2010, 3000 of the world's 7000 languages will become extinct,

//Disturbed// that political violence may result in ethnic minorities facing violence and discrimination, which may cause their languages to go extinct,

1) __Calls__ for a United Nations Indigenous Languages (UNIL) branch of UN to protect indigenous languages and help indigenous people pass on their language to their children;

2) __Suggests__ that each nation to post a list of indigenous languages within the boundaries of the nation, and allow them to be taught in schools in addition to the national language;

3) __Requests__ people to remember the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that: "Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.";

4) __Recommends__ people from wealthier countries to support the Indigenous Language Institute (ILI), located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA by donating online or filling out a form (for your information, go to http://www.ilinative.org/donate/).

=Protecting World Heritage Sites from Environmental Degradation and Looting=

World Heritage Sites, which are places recognized by the UN, are either being destroyed by erosion, looted, or pollution. Madagascar may have one or 2 World Heritage Sites, and they might be completely gone soon.
 * What is the problem? How does it affect your country?**

So far, Madagascar hasn't really done anything, yet.
 * What has Madagascar done to combat the problem?**

There are 2 "sides": one says that we should protect these sites, but another says there may be more important issues, like keeping world peace.
 * What are the various "sides" on this debate?**

Everything is equally important. This issue isn't that big of a concern to Madagascar right now.
 * What aspects of the issue are the most important to your country?**

My country can help slow global warming, and work together with other African nations.
 * If your country isn't involved with the issue, how can it be involved?**

Madagascar will probably be neutral on this one.
 * How will your country shape at the conference?**

They may say that their sites are being eroded...
 * What arguments will other countries make?**

In nearby African countries, there may be A LOT of world heritage sites, making me vote in favor of helping them.
 * How will the positions of other countries affect your country's position?**

Fostering Peace between Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir

Since 1947, Pakistan and India are both trying to claim Kashmir. This has caused problems with Hindus and Muslims, and it was once (in 2003) back in peace, but since 2005, following an earthquake, Pakistan and India have started fighting again.
 * What is the problem? How does it affect your country?**

Nothing. They don't really know about this issue.
 * What has Madagascar done to solve the problem?**

One side says that Kashmir should be Pakistan's because there are more Muslims in Kashmir than Hindus. Another side says that Kashmir should belong to India, and a third says Kashmir should stay independent.
 * What are the various "sides" on this debate?**

Everything is equally important. This issue isn't that big of a concern to Madagascar right now.
 * What aspects of the issue are the most important to your country?**

Madagascar can try to help divide the land in half.
 * If your country isn't involved with the issue, how can it be involved?**

Madagascar will probably be neutral on this one.
 * How will your country shape at the conference?**

They may say that Kashmir should go to Pakistan (if the countries are Muslim) because the majority of people there are Muslim.
 * What arguments will other countries make?**

Some countries might tell us their opinions on this issue, and if they really feel sorry for one of those countries, then I might want to vote for that country.
 * How will the positions of other countries affect your country's position?**

Protecting the Culture of Indigenous Tribes from Pressures of Tourism

Tourism has caused some indigenous people to lose their land so that land can be used for tourists to visit. They also lost their rights along with their land, and the governments aren't doing anything to help them.
 * What is the problem? How does it affect your country?**

Nothing. They don't really know about this issue.
 * What has Madagascar done to solve the problem?**

One may say that people need to have their rights, and not lose their lands to tourists, also having the right to consent to whether or not people can visit their land. Another may agree with this, but add that people need to develop relationships with indigenous people.
 * What are the various "sides" on this debate?**

Madagascar can pass some laws making sure that indigenous people first sign a contract for people to come and visit. If the indigenous people refuse to sign, then no tourism will take place.
 * If your country isn't involved with the issue, how can it be involved?**

My country will say that people should keep their rights and their property, because Madagascar has quite a lot indigenous people themselves.
 * How will your country shape at the conference?**

Other countries might say that their people want to visit our land, and may not want to see shabby houses...
 * What arguments will other countries make?**

African countries have a lot of indigenous groups, so they might argue that their people need protection.
 * How will the positions of other countries affect your country's position?**


 * OPENING SPEECH. IF YOU DON'T LISTEN, I WILL HIRE SOFIA (one of my friends) TO SHUN YOU.**

Question of: Measures to protect and preserve indigenous languages Delegation: Madagascar Delegate: Megan Chen School: SAS Pudong

Honorable chair and fellow delegates: The delegation of Madagascar realizes the importance of protecting indigenous languages. Three-sevenths of today's languages may be lost by the year 2010 CE. A few of Madagascar's languages may be included in these languages that will be lost. The problem of looting World Heritage Sites also affects the country of Madagascar and its people, as this country has 3 World Heritage Sites. The government of Madagascar is also concerned about the taking of indigenous people's land for tourism, and is seeking help on promoting tourism while still letting natives keep their land. We look forward to discussing and helping to solve these and other issues. Thank you. = Josh = =**Resolution**=

Committee**: Special Conference
 * Question of: Measures to protect and preserve indigenous languages
 * Submitter**: United States of America

//Recalling// previous General Assembly resolutions 61/266 and 47/135 (18 December 1992) which recognizes that the UN pursues multilingualism as means of promoting, protecting, and preserving diversity of languages and cultures globally. //Encouraged// by the existence of the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights, which was adopted by the United Nations Council on _, //Fully Alarmed// that about half of the 6,700 world languages are slowly vanishing. Noting with concern that almost half of the indigenous of countries around the world have been dying out at an alarming rate. Dying languages also leads to the vanishing of cultures. Language is the base and support of a culture and without, the culture could deplete. Stressing the fact that the indigenous languages that are disappearing, are happening at ridiculously high rate and something needs to be done about it.

1) __Encourages__ the United Nations to look more closely into this problem to try and solve it immediately.

2) __Seeks__ for the aid of other organizations and agencies who believe in this cause to come together and liberate this problem once and for all.

3) __Invites__ the support of other non profit organizations to collaborate and have the biggest impact on this issue.\

http://www.undemocracy.com/A-RES-61-266.pdf http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=11110&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html http://www.linguistic-declaration.org/index-gb.htm http://www.unesco.org/most/ln2pol6.htm http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?pg=00136 http://www.egt.ie/udhr/udlr-en.html

here are your tasks. 1. Read the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights and European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, as well as Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Can you read and understand them? that would be cool if you can xD. it's useful to know all you can inside out for your speech. 2. Look at the Endangered Language Fund, and study their motives and plans for the endangered languages. 3. Search for statistics. Anything, like how many languages are extinct. what's the rate. that kind of stuff. expect to take notes and then ultimately add it into your final resolution. 4. Groups like : Language Conservancy, General Ontology for Linguistic Description, anything. See what they've achieved and what they plan to in the future. 5. __Know__ why languages are extinct. Common usage, overseas influence (learning more important languages like english and mandarin and forgetting their native) 6. Watch some speeches about languages that came from the UN already, get some ideas off of it. 7. Find resolutions and put that as your first after the //Recalling//.

here are some more sites that can help you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_revival http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistic_rights Go to all of these, and research.
 * http://www.unesco.org/most/ln2lin.htm <- this one is super important (at least what i've seen), go to all the links provided to this page if you can.**

http://www.mymun.org/pdfs/spc2.pdf ^above is the PDF file for your special conference PPT. Shortcuts are useful. :)

This link is rather long to read, its a whole excerpt from a book but incredibly useful because its in detail http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Jo3NobRqFUQC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&sig=loCFbxgKmczzYJV36jMARJ11MJo&dq=linguistic+human+rights#PPA92,M1

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_policy  https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld- factbook/  http://whc.unesco.org  http://www.un.org

Honorable chair, fellow delegates, and distinguished guests. The delegate of the United States of America is a strong believer in the efforts to preserve and maintain indigenous languages around the world. Over the last twenty years, different minority languages have become extinct at an alarming rate. The United States firmly believes that if immediate action is not taken to combat this issue, many indigenous cultures will struggle to survive in the ongoing global industrialization of the world. In order to preserve these languages, The United States looks forward to solving this problem in the upcoming conference.