WTO

Happy new year, delegates!  Hope you all had a good vacation and that your school year is starting off well.

From now until the conference, we will be updating this blog regularly, so please be sure to check back for news updates, topic insights, and other blabberings!

As you are getting your position papers ready, note that a few of the guidelines have changed from the past.  A few things to keep in mind:

1.  You paper should consist of four parts:

a. Topic description: this will illustrate your understanding of the topic, and should incorporate historical background, current issues, and more notably, key issues.  In other words, this should pertain to issues not only concerning your country, but from a more general point of view.

b. Past UN Actions: after identifying general themes and issues pertaining to the topic, you should talk about related past speeches, documents, and resolutions.  What has the UN’s role been on this issue?

c. Delegation policy: based on your country’s history and various factors, what is your country’s position?  Try to look at this from multiple standpoints—think about the political, economic, religious, cultural issues in your country and how they affect your country’s position.

d. Proposed solutions: this is the biggest part of your paper, and also the part that will make you stand out.  You do not necessarily need an extremely complex solution, but one that is clear and straightforward.  This should be in line with your delegation policy, and should include a discussion of arguments in favor and possible arguments against, as well as counterarguments to your anticipated opposition.

2.  Format: your paper should be about six pages long, or three pages for each topic (double spaced).  While papers that are a little longer or shorter will not be penalized, the more important thing is the content of your paper. 

3.  The paper deadlines are: postmarked by February 1st for Research Award eligibility, or postmarked by March 1st for General Award eligibility. If for any reason you can’t make these deadlines, email me before the deadlines, so that we can make other arrangements.

4.  Final things to check before you turn in your paper:

·  12 point font, Times New Roman, double-spaced, 1 inch margins.

·  Include your real name and your country’s name.  Please do not put down your school, just so that we remain fair in our grading.

·  Works cited: be sure to cite your sources!  Do not use only Wikipedia, but you should have at least two books in your references.  If you’re not sure how, this is a good guide.  Papers without a proper reference will be unlikely to receive a high score.

You can consult your delegate guide if you need your support.  If you have any questions, feel free to post comments or email me at cindychou AT Berkeley DOT edu.

Good luck on your paper, and have fun researching!  Remember to check back for more updates.

Dear Delegate,

Welcome to the WTO! I hope that you are all having a wonderful winter break celebrating with your loved ones. In the WTO committee, our two topics of debate will be the issue of 1) food safety and 2) intellectual property, particularly digital media rights. Please take a look at our topic synopses for a more in-depth discussion.

In this blog, you will find postings on the latest news and resources, as well as periodic questions to consider. Please check back periodically for updates. In addition, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at cindychou AT berkeley.edu.

On behalf of myself and my vice-chairs, Sohail and Stephanie, we would like to warmly welcome you to our committee.

Happy Holidays!

Cindy Chou