KAS SHANGHAI

Group photo of all participants and staff from KAS Shanghai office.

KAS SHANGHAI

Participants discussing contents of the proposed working papers during tea break.

KAS SHANGHAI

In a group discussion, the delegates seek to find to a joint draft resolution.

KAS SHANGHAI

Notes from the delegate of Nigeria during the meeting.

KAS SHANGHAI

The Draft Resolution sponsored by China, Columbia and USA, was successfully passed at the end of the conference.

KAS SHANGHAI

Mr. Soeren Gurock (Chair) and Mr. Edzard Stock (Co-Chair) hosted the MUN conference.

KAS SHANGHAI

During the Closing Ceremony, Dr. Peter Hefele, Director of KAS Shanghai Office, awarded outstanding delegates for their great performance.

In the final document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012 (RIO+20) entitled “The Future We Want”, the UN member states expressed their willingness to formulate a new set of sustainable development goals (SDG). With global population exceeding seven billion people in 2011 and more than 50% living in cities and towns, urbanization is not just about demography. The future development of urban centers is closely connected to many current and future global challenges.

28 Chinese and international students from all over China participated in this conference, representing delegations of 10 countries and 4 international organizations, like ILO.

In his welcoming remarks, Dr. Peter Hefele, Director of KAS Shanghai, emphasized the importance of the topic “sustainability” in the global work of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. At the first evening, the Director/Chair of the MUN, Soeren Gurock from London, introduced the rules and procedures, as the MUN follows the real procedure of UN meetings. The final goal was to pass a draft resolution on sustainable urbanization policy simulating the work of the United Nations Open Working Group (OWG)on Sustainable Development.

On Saturday, the delegates had the floor to discuss all kind of issues related to urbanization such as urban infrastructure, the use of new energy, environment protection, social equality and international cooperation. During moderated caucuses, the delegates stated their positions representing the interest of their delegations. While gathering in small groups and writing on draft working papers, heated discussions went on. Two major groups - led by Indonesia and USA - evolved and each tried to find the necessary majority for their working paper. As time passed, they faced risk to fail in polling two thirds of the votes required for passing a draft resolution. Therefore the two groups of delegates gathered in an in-official meeting in the conference room to review and improve their draft resolutions.

On Sunday the two Draft Resolutions were introduced into the plenum. After adding several amendments, the Draft Resolution sponsored by China, Columbia and USA, was successfully passed with the the proposal of a new sustainable urbanization pact consisting of the following three points:

- Public participation:

Suggesting greater participation from public and private sectors, as well as cooperation between governments and their citizens.

- Infrastructure:

Promoting infrastructure necessary for clean energy services, transportation especially multi-network transportation in the developed countries and necessary transportation between rural and urban area in the developing countries.

- Community well-being:

Advocating cooperation between international organizations and developing nations in restructuring high poverty areas in urban locations through programs aiming at redistributing disenfranchised populations while providing government support to help educate and secure occupations for them.

During the Closing Ceremony Dr. Peter Hefele awarded outstanding delegates for their great performance. The best position paper was written by the delegatation of China. Delegates of Indonesia, Nigeria and Columbia were awarded for their outstanding performances. Many delegates expressed their wish to participate again in KAS MUN conferences in the future.