For four days in early July, I was lucky
enough to receive a scholarship from the Embassy of Israel to attend New
Zealand Model United Nations, run by UN Youth NZ. This is an organisation I am
highly involved with, as I have been attending events for numerous years and
love every moment of it. I was ecstatic to receive the scholarship, as it
removed the financial burden of attending the conference, which is very
significant. However, I was also humbled by the opportunity to represent a
country that I am so interested in and want to learn more about.
Visiting the embassy was the main highlight
of my conference as it was an opportunity that could not be matched. To meet
with the Ambassador and the rest of the embassy staff was a truly amazing
experience, not only from the research aspect for the conference, but also to
hear about what the embassy does in New Zealand, their roles and much more. To
work in foreign diplomacy is a goal of mine, and Israel has always been a
country of extreme interest to me as well, so I loved having this opportunity
to hear about everything. I wish I had been able to stay for longer, but alas,
I only had a short break in my schedule for the conference.
The conference overall was mind-opening, as
we debated the Millennium Development Goals and what the UN should put in place
once the 2015 deadline has passed. As I represented Israel in a variety of
committees on slum dwellers, protecting biodiversity and ensuring maternal health,
I really appreciated the progress that Israel has made over time, being one of
the few countries which has either completely accomplished or has nearly met
the goals set in 2000. In all areas, Israel is a global leader when it comes to
achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and I felt extremely proud to be
representing a country which is doing so well. My research into MASHAV and the
helpful information provided to me from the embassy proved to be extremely
useful, as I constantly used examples of where Israel has helped less
economically developed countries to progress and move into the future. I was
actively involved in all committee sessions, making sure Israel's voice was
heard as well as coming up with solutions that would benefit the world as a
whole. Israel is such a unique country to represent, achieving so much in the
last 65 years. I found that my stance was often questioned by other countries
present, but I easily provided reasons why Israel held a certain position on
each topic and carried on. An interesting aspect of the conference was when
Security Council debated a resolution about Israel, Palestine and a two state
solution. As Israel is not a member of the Security Council, I was not present
at the committee for this resolution. However, I lobbied and discussed Israel's
stance with security council delegates, particularly the delegate for the
United States, in order for no resolution to be passed that would harm Israel
and its interests. Ultimately, the delegate for the US vetoed the resolution
due to their unhappiness with the resolution as it stood.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience
of NZ Model UN 2013. I made amazing friends at this conference and the wealth
of knowledge I gained was immense. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity
to represent Israel and be awarded the scholarship, as it was great to be the
delegate of Israel, let alone visit the embassy and have my costs covered! I
would highly recommend this opportunity again, as I felt it was a unique
experience which cannot be matched.