MUNITY East 2019 Issue 1: Two Sides of The Same Soil

MUNITY EAST
THIMUN XV
Issue 01 Nov. 19th 2019
Two Sides
Of The
Same Soil

Hidden Figures:
The HCI
Admins
of THIMUN
Written by: Hyoree Kim
Edited by: Priyanka Krishna
Photographs by: Zara Yap
Layout by: Jessie Liao
THIMUN Singapore was first established in 2004
as a sister conference to The Hague International
Model United Nations (THIMUN) at the prestigious
Hwa Chong Institution (HCI). Across its 72 acres,
the campus boasts beautiful architecture and lush
fauna. This conference is highly anticipated by all
participants, which was felt on Tuesday morning
as delegates arrived at the Student Activities &
Leadership Centre (SALT). The admin staff were
quick to direct the participants to their respective
committees to start the conference on time.
As delegates debated, the admins passed notes;
during breaks, they aided delegates with direction;
most importantly, they organized lunch.
What delegates did not see was the hard work that
the admins have put in from months prior to the
conference to ensure the best possible experience.
The admin team is run by Joel Tan, and his
role at this conference is to secure the smooth
running of THIMUN by providing further logistical
support. He split the crew into different committees
in order to provide support all across the conference.
The General Assembly (GA) team focuses
mainly on note-passing, and they can be found in
every committee. They are at rapt attention, ready
to pass on notes as fast as possible to ensure a
smooth debate. As Joel mentioned, he believes that
they have “reacted well according to the situation”
and “did not compromise the experience of the
delegates” despite certain sudden changes. The
lunch team, on the other hand, provides support
services in terms of delivering food but also providing
logistical support in any area they deem to be
lacking. Lastly, the public relations team ensures
a smooth registration, as they are stationed at the
SALT center foyer to provide any additional help.
Their excitement can be seen through Yu Han,
Head of Support Services, who expressed that he
“is delighted to see so many participants.”All admins
can be seen roaming the halls or in committees,
searching for delegates to help or aspects to
further improve.
Thanks to the hard work of the Admins, all committees
are well-equipped to support the intense debates
and keep members from getting lost amidst
the extensive campus. Do not forget to thank the
admins and treat them with kindness!
1

Where
Does it Go?
Single-use Plastic at
THIMUN Lunch
Written by: Priyanka Krishna
Edited by: Aastha Gokani
Layout by: Jessie Liao
Photographs by: Dorian Chen
When delegates arrive at lunch
at Hwa Chong Institution they
will find several food options to
help them refuel. Many delegates
also noticed that there is a lot of
plastic involved in lunch preparation
which begs the question,
“is anyone thinking about plastic
pollution?” and “where does all
the plastic go after the meal is
served?”. With 950 participants at
THIMUN Singapore eating during
the four day conference, that adds
up to a lot of plastic! How has the
THIMUN Foundation and Hwa
Chong Institute responded to their
large use of single-use plastic?
According to Admins Ryan Tew
and Baey Zo-Ren, who help organize
lunch, all of the plastic containers
are thrown away because
“It’s a bit hard to recycle as there
is food residue inside,’’ said Baey.
Due to this, disposing plastic con
tainers is more convenient for
the admins, rather than recycling
them. Co-chair of the THIMUN
Foundation, Ms. Frances Laughlin,
agrees with Tew and Baey,
stating, “It’s a difficult one with
food” concerning recycling.
Despite this, both Tew and Baey
believe that there are potential
methods for reducing the use of
single-use plastic in future conferences.
This includes investing
in other caterers who use biodegradable
materials instead of
plastic. However, there are many
“reasons for not going to the extra
step,” furthered Baey, as changing
caterers would ultimately “incur a
high cost, and… [he is] not sure if
the THIMUN Foundation and the
school would be willing to pay the
extra price”. Similarly, Ms. Laughlin
stated that it is unsure whether
the THIMUN board would be
willing to invest extra money. One
possible solution, as suggested by
Ms. Laughlin, is to “simply use less
plastic”, however, implementing
a solution is exceedingly difficult
as it involves communication between
three separate bodies: The
THIMUN Foundation, Hwa Chong
Institution, and the caterers: Stamford
Catering and CJS Catering.
Whilst there remains no action to
currently recycle the plastic containers
used at lunch, Ms. Laughlin
has seen changes in sustainable
practice in the past 15 years
of THIMUN Singapore. The conference
has progressively used
less paper. However, Ms. Laughlin
emphasized, that most significantly
the introduction of THIMUN water
bottles “was a big change… it
made a big difference,’’ as it largely
reduced single-use plastic water
bottles. Hwa Chong Institution
ensures to “try their best in every
way to reduce waste”, and such
a change is hoped to occur with
single-use lunch containers in the
future.
2

“The People Are Suffering”
Intense Session in SC
Written by: Joey Lin
Layout by: Ryan Hsiao
Edited by: Aastha Gokani
Photographs by: Zara Yap
On Tuesday morning, although
the Security Council’s (SC)
official agenda was lobbying,
debate has already begun.
“The people are suffering,”
Nir Mathur (Delegate of
Kuwait, United World College
Dilijan) stated as he argued
with Sophie Zhang (Delegate
of USA, Beijing World Youth
Academy) regarding subsidies
in Venezuela. This quote also
efficiently summarizes the
issues in SC this year. On
divisive and controversial
issues addressing the
situations in countries like
Syria and Yemen and their
people’s livelihoods, different
delegations’ stances collide
with intensity.
Newer delegates in the
bloc discussing the Eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC) have discovered to their
confusion that the delegate of
the DRC is not actually present.
While most committees strive
to represent all member states
of the United Nations (UN),
it’s vastly different in the SC.
According to UN rules, the
countries that are involved
with the issues being debated
upon are not represented.
Despite the bloc’s confusion,
Christina Chang (Deputy
President, Pacific American
School) remarked that all
SC delegates have been
exceptional at lobbying.
“Instantly, the room was filled
with opposing perspectives,
contradicting solutions, and
robust debate,” Alexander
Kam (Deputy President,
Australian International
School Malaysia) added.
However, he also noticed that
some delegates may have
spent a little too much time on
individual issues, and warned,
“with barely a couple hours
of lobbying left,” delegates
are recommended to pick up
their pace and pull something
together.
Regarding the performance
of the delegates, Kam is
thoroughly pleased. The
chairs rarely had to assist the
delegates, as they formed
blocs quickly and consistently
stayed active after lobbying
commenced. “Security
Council is truly number
one,” he said proudly and
enthusiastically.
3

The Fish vs.
The Cat in the Hat
Dry Run in ICC
As of the first day of the
conference, the International
Criminal Court (ICC) has
commenced on the case of The
Fish vs. The Cat in the Hat. “I’m
just a cat with a really cool hat,”
Dr. Erika Soublet, the director of
the ICC, responded as she was
questioned about kidnapping
the fish from the Dr. Seuss book.
This might seem starkly out of
place in a serious committee
like the ICC, but it was the wellreasoned
choice of Dr. Soublet.
Since the ICC only has one
case to debate for the five-day
conference, Dr. Soublet decided
to take some time to host a mock
run of ICC procedures before
the witnesses arrive tomorrow.
She was not only impressed by
the delegates’ trenchant and
penetrating questions, but also
was delighted that the practice
was successful, as supported
by most delegates’ enjoyment
of the exercise and their
willingness to engage with one
another. Anna Metz (Judge, Yew
Chung Int. School of Shanghai)
especially enjoyed the mock
session because it gave her
the chance to bond with other
judges, which is significant
when ruling on objections as
they require coordination.
One of the other reasons ICC
had a mock run is because the
procedures can be perplexing
at times, said Sophia Roehr
(President, Yew Chung Int.
School of Shanghai). She added
that the best way to remember
the procedures is to experience
them oneself.
Josh Rong (Judge, Beijing World
Youth Academy), a first time ICC
participant, agrees with Roehr,
citing familiarity. Similarly, Kyle
Hu (Advocate Defense, Pacific
American School) stated that
“hands on activities are … best
… [for] learning and gaining
[experience].”
Although the mock run ended
before it reached a verdict,
it would certainly benefit
participants when working
on the upcoming case—
concerning Ahmad al-Faqi al-
Mahdi, a Malian rebel who was
accused of destroying religious
and historical sites in Mali— as
evidenced by Rong and Hu’s
opinions.
The first impression of the
small ICC can be that it is quiet
and reserved. Still, due to the
rapid nature of the courtroom
and the highly selective pool of
participants, the ICC rarely falls
silent even during an unexpected
mock run.
Written by: Joey Lin
Edited by: Hyoree Kim
Layout by: Ryan Hsiao
Artwork by: Jessica Hsu
4

Protests in Hong Kong:
Daily Life of HK
Citizens
Throughout the protests, a list of 5 demands had
formed and become a staple point of what they were
Written by: Josh Tang
Edited by: Priyanka Krishna
Photograph by: Josh Tang
Artwork by: Ishwarya Krishna
Layout by: Jessie Liao
fighting for. Theses five demands were:
1. Full amnesty for arrested protesters
2. Full withdrawal of the extradition bill
3. Commission of inquiry in alleged police brutality
4. Retracting the classification of protesters as rioters
Over the years, the tension in Hong Kong has slowly
begun to build up, as evidenced by the Umbrella
movement in 2014. The build-up of tension and anger
finally erupted in 2019 and led to the vicious protests
in Hong Kong that we see today.
The demonstrations first began on the 28th of April
2019, when the extradition law was introduced. This
law, proposed by the Secretary for Security John Lee,
would allow fugitives to be extradited and detained by
local authorities of which Hong Kong has extradition
agreements with. This enraged the civilians of Hong
Kong as they thought that it would threaten their
civil liberties. The protests first began as a peaceful
movement, where protesters would march in unison,
through streets like Causeway Bay and Central. On
the 9th of June over 1 million people showed up at
the rally, but despite that, the bill proceeded to its
second reading on the 12th of June. This enraged the
protesters and led to them using more violent methods.
The violent methods then forced the police to
use weapons like rubber bullets and tear gas causing
violent interactions between the police and protesters.
The suspension of the bill was carried out just 3
days later. Although the Bill was suspended, protests
continued, more violent methods were brought in to
play by both sides and the anger raged on.
5. Dual universal suffrage, for both the legislative
6. council and the chief executive
The first goal was reached when the extradition bill
was pronounced dead on the 9th of July and withdrawn
on the 23rd of October, although it was a step
forward, it wasn’t enough. Protesters continued to fill
the streets, setting the streets on fire, attacking policemen,
breaking public transport; rendering them
useless. Chaos filled the smoky air of Hong Kong.
Many people who were initially for the protests were
now against it, disapproving of the violent nature it
produced, what was once seen as patriotic and brave,
now seemed disgusting and destructive. For example,
Ryan Kong, the delegate of Venezuela of the GA4
committee (Harrow International School Hong Kong)
stated that “when they started off, it grabbed a lot of
international attention, due to 2 million out of the 7
million Hong Kong citizens participating in peaceful
marches, but as it got more violent, it became less
effective due to many people condemning violence”.
5

This reflects the public’s change in mindset over the
chain of events that occurred during the protests.
The feeling of disapproval has recently been amplified
due to the increasingly threatening actions,
protesters have done. For instance, chemicals had
recently been declared missing from the Polytechnic
University, it is suspected that during rallies at the
institution, protesters stole some chemicals to create
more dangerous and long-lasting bombs. Another
example is the use of bows and arrows, where a
police officer was struck with an arrow through the
knee. These instances of extreme violence caused
many inconveniences to the public. This can be
shown in Daniel Sun, the deputy chairman of the
GA4 Committee (Harrow International School Hong
Kong), he states that the protests have affected him
extensively, saying “Of course the protests have inconvenienced
me! I commute from China to Hong
Kong every weekend, and the protests cause many
traffic jams. I also filmed some protesters in Tuen
Mun, and I think one of the protesters saw me and
pickpocketed my phone.” A similar statement was
made by Kong, where he stated “our most popular
mode of transportation the Mass Transit Railway
(MTR) has been disabled for a long time, most stations
like Mong Kok have been completely shut
down, I’ve lost the freedom to wear black, I’m not
even able to go to school due to the protesters blocking
the roads and highways”.
Kong and Sun are average Hong Kong citizens and
seem to speak for most people they say that the extent
that the protesters are going to are too harsh and
that although what they are fighting for is respectable,
their way of doing it is unacceptable. In the end,
the protests have become a norm in the city, and the
only thing most “Hong Kongers” can do is wait and
see what comes next.
6

POST WAR
Is the Bloodshed Really Over?
Written by: Ella Hirmasto
Edited by: Hyoree Kim
Artwork by: Ishwarya Krishna
Layout by: Ishwarya Krishna
7
There are an estimated 82 countries
and 10 territories affected
by explosive remnants of war.
Some countries, like Poland,
have been able to progress in
clearing over 1 million war remnants.
But this only accounts
for a minority of areas. Syria is
still drowning in leftover war
remnants, ones that won’t be
cleared until 2050. Laos is still
littered with reminders of the Indochina
War. There is so much
more that needs to be done.
According to the Vietnam Veterans
of America Foundation
(VVAF), a person is killed or injured
every 22 minutes as a result
of unexploded explosive
remnants of war left behind in a
post-conflict area. Every 22 minutes
somebody suffers when
they believe they are safe. While
accidents regarding explosive
remnants is a humanitarian issue,
it is also important to note
that these tragic occurrences
also have a serious environmental
effect in these post-conflict
areas. Unexploded landmines
underground can degrade
soil, pollute water and even kill
wildlife. For example, an estimated
10 million landmines
have been scattered throughout
Afghanistan, threatening
the endangered snow leopard.
This is an on-going issue and
the environmental consequences
have significant effects on
the recovery of the areas and
the reintegration of the people.
Daniel Hsuan (Deputy President
of GA4, Kaohsiung American
School, Tai Wan), highlighted
the impact that these
environmental consequences
have on civilians of post-conflict
areas. An example is that
“the degradation of the soil has
a major agricultural impact on
those who depend on farming”.
To expand, the toxins in the explosives
may cause a downgrade in
the nutrition levels of soil having
a knock-on effect on crop production
as the increase in chemicals
hampers with plant growth.
These areas are often heavily reliant
on farming for consumption
and this may cause malnutrition
and eventually starvation. With
little to no plants growing, the
post-conflict zone is left lifeless.
Hsuan also stressed that “next
to the areas where streams are
passing through, the quality of
water can also be damaged and
lowered, impacting both the
health and well-being of villagers.”
In most land-mine affected
countries, agriculture is a necessity
of life, so this issue not only
poses a physical threat towards
society, but will also change civilians’
everyday lives. The contamination
of water and soil also
hinders plants to perform their
natural sanitisation cycle- a vital
process that ensures safe consumption.
Consumption of pol

luted water can have a serious
effect on health that can result
in death. According to the Natural
Resources Defence Council
(NRDC), unsafe water kills more
every year than war and all other
forms of violence combined.
It is a prerequisite of life- this
is where the issue becomes
life-threatening and dangerous.
Not only is there an impact on
the physical environments but
also an impact on the social
atmosphere. There are often
landmines deliberately placed
between country borders that
are placed to deter refugees.
Hsuan suggests that “this can
impact the environment as refugees
are unable to set up tents
or shelters to get through the
night”. This prolongs the constant
battle between refugees
and authority, thus impeding
any possibilities of cooperation.
In December 2017, the United
Nations Environment Assembly
adopted a resolution urging
states to minimise and mitigate
the health and environmental
consequences of pollution
caused by armed conflict and
terrorism. It was the first time
that a UN decision has recognised
the diverse means
through which conflicts can
generate or facilitate pollution.
using rats to detect landmines
because of their speed and size.
Taking a different approach,
Organizations such as the
Red Cross are also working
to reduce injuries and deaths
caused by landmines by teaching
those living in post-conflict
areas how to prevent stepping
on landmines accidentally. Additionally,
they are providing
rehabilitation centers for those
injured- allowing a safe and
clean environment to heal in.
The consequences of war and
ceaseless and indomitable but
the local community cannot be
held responsible to deal with
the problem. War has victimized
them and in order to tackle
the issue at hands global authority
has to step in. Change
is possible, but will these wartorn
countries ever be safe?
There are also organizations
exploring the use of different
animals to help detect mines.
In the past, dogs have been relied
on to detect mines but now
APOPO, a non-profit Belgian
organization, are looking into
8

THE “COLD”
Major Players In The Scramble
For The Arctic
The globe has dawned a new era
of the Cold War, although it doesn’t
involve spying on other nations
and the race for nuclear weapons.
Instead, things are heating up in
the Arctic, as the scramble for the
final unregulated region on Earth
is fully underway. This is thanks
to the threat of climate change
melting the polar caps. The Arctic
has long been a region that has remained
largely untouched, initially
being viewed as a desolate land
of ice. However, the Arctic had
been holding a long-kept secret:
underneath layers of ice lies a vast
range of coveted resources such
as oil, gas and zinc. Since this
discovery, a few powerful nations
have turned their attention to the
Arctic. These nations are looking
into what territories they can use
to extract these resources vital
for daily aspects of civilian life. Although,
this has largely increased
tensions between these nations.
There are three major nations
involved with the scramble of
the Arctic: The United States of
America, the Russian Federation
and Denmark. The Russian Federation
is seen to be taking a lead
in the scramble, being one of the
first nations in the race to install a
natural gas plant in the Prirzalomnoye
field in the Russian sector of
the Arctic. Additionally, the nation
gets an advantage due to parts
of their territory being in the Arctic:
giving them first pick on arctic
locations containing resources.
A nation that is directly competing
with the Russian Federation
is the United States of America,
also wanting to take advantage of
the arctic and what opportunities
it holds. This global superpower
has raised its interests in creating
new shipping routes through
the Arctic, potentially decreasing
travel time in shipments across
the North Atlantic Ocean. It is due
to this, that, the United States has
made the controversial announcement:
they’re considering to buy
Greenland.
Greenland is a self-governed territory
of Denmark. With a population
of merely 58,000 people, Greenland
is home to 80% of Arctic land
resulting in their large number of
resources. The President of the
United States of America, Donald
Trump has offered to purchase
the large territory for $553 billion
USD, although the prime minister
of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen,
has called the claims “absurd”.
The issue of the scramble of the
Arctic is being examined by General
Assembly 1, the disarmament
committee at THIMUN Singapore.
Ali Sherif (Denmark GA1, American
International School Egypt)
agrees with their nation’s prime
9

WAR
Written by: Isabella Wood
Edited by: Priyanka Krishna
Artwork by: Jessica hsu
Layout by: Jessica Hsu
Photographs by: Jerry Lin
minister on their stance on letting
another nation buy their territory,
as “Greenland is owned by
Denmark and... it is not supposed
to be up for sale for any nation to
buy”. While they would like to take
a peaceful approach on the matter,
they aren’t afraid to get their
hands dirty if the United States
of America refuses to step down:
“The delegation would like to take
a more peaceful approach but
if necessary then the delegate
would have to take measures that
stop the United States from invading
and taking over”.
On the other hand, Ian Wan (United
States of America GA1, Beijing
World Youth Academy) isn’t the
keenest on Denmark refusing his
nation’s offer, “I am disappointed
that Denmark refused our offer of
$553 billion USD”, showing that
money sadly doesn’t always result
in power. Although the United
States will not heavily persist
on purchasing the territory “That
depends on our commander in
chief…”, elaborated Wan, “without
Demark’s approval, I don’t think
we can purchase Greenland”. Despite
all these efforts, both nations
are still willing to participate in
the scramble for the Arctic. The
delegation of the United States of
America is slightly concerned but
remains unthreatened by the other
global superpowers also competing
in the race for the Arctic, as
Wan stated “Russia is not a great
force… I am sort of concerned
about China but not really Russia”.
The delegation of Denmark chose
not to comment on the situation to
try and take a more peaceful approach
to the situation.
While the scramble for the Arctic
continues, climate change is highly
accelerating the race. The looming
threat of the ice caps melting by
2040 means that these resources
may not be accessible in the near
future. Some nations are using climate
change as a driving force to
pursue trying to capture territories
in the Arctic. Despite this, current-
ly, the scramble is at its peak, so
only time will tell what ultimately
happens in the end.
10

The
Perils
of
Illicit
Logging
Written by: Ping Tsai
Edited by: Hyoree Kim
Layout by: Angel Yang
Photographs by: Dorian Chen
Artwork by: Angel Yang
The destruction of forests, especially
due to the popularity of woodbased
products among the public,
is a problem in many countries.
According to National Geographic,
as evidenced by the rogue fires
in Brazil this summer, the lack of
enforcement on illicit logging has
increased risks of widespread forest
fires, which could be difficult
to extinguish. In fact, as suggested
by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF),
deforestation, a consequence of
illegal logging, is responsible for
fifteen percent of the world’s aggregate
greenhouse gas emission.
Besides, illegal logging has accelerated
the destruction of forests,
whether it be through stripping
wild animals of their natural habitats
or raising the possibility of
forest fires. Either way, the production
of illegal wood-based products
is recognized as a significant
impediment in the international
community’s effort to enforce sustainable
practices. Fully aware of
the adverse impacts of the illegal
practice, the delegates of General
Assembly 2 (GA2) are tasked with
the job of converging and devising
solutions to curtail the production
of illegal wood-based products.
11
Illegal forestry activities exist because
of a multitude of reasons,
but particularly paramount are the
economic problems both developing
and developed nations may be
facing. Ariel Chen (Chair of GA2,
Hsinchu American School) be-

lieved that the main factor that has
drawn countries into this environmental
predicament is “warfare,
poverty, or poor governance of a
country.” Adding on, Chen suggested
that corrupt governments are
particularly susceptible to business
frauds, which only made it harder to
reverse the status quo. When asked
what countries are the key stakeholders
on the issue, Chen posited
that the Republic of China and
the United States are “often caught
to be allowing illegal logging” and
hence should be facilitating and
encouraging fervent discussions
in the GA2 committee room by
voicing their countries’ objectives.
Likewise, the deputy chairs of GA2
also proposed some solutions to
cope with illicit logging, and both of
them accentuated the need for governments
to inhibit loggers from
continuing with their acts. Yijoo
Choi (Deputy Chair of GA2, Shekou
International School) suggested
that governments can proffer subsidies
to “prevent the harvesters”
from “doing more illegal things.”
On a similar note, Rehan Rosha
(Deputy Chair of GA2, Harrow International
Hong Kong) wished to
urge governments to “monitor the
lands that are commonly used by
the illegal foresters” and supply
“teams of military men” to “ward
off illegal logging” so that the illegal
loggers would be “less motivated”
to harvest wood in violation
of national laws. Sharing the GA2
deputy chairs’ belief in the necessity
for government actions, Romir
Williams (President of ECOSOC,
Yew Chung International School)
contended that to avert corruption,
the way of which governments select
their officials should be altered
“more regularly” to “ensure that the
government is not corrupt.” Moreover,
he believed that there should
be “a range of companies both
private or public” that could be supervised
by a board, which would
then assist companies to “deal
with things more sustainability.”
Representing China, a major player
on the question of illegal logging,
Vanessa Lin (Delegate of China, Pacific
American School) expressed
her country’s concerns over the expanding
industry of logging. In the
attempt to halt the buildup of the
logging industry, Lin maintained
that actions must be taken first
within her own country. “We are already
cutting down the number of
manufacturing companies that rely
on logging… and changing them
into the tourism business”, Lin commented.
Additionally, Lin also held
that spreading awareness about
the problematic nature of illegal
wood-based products is extremely
integral, considering citizens, continually
purchasing wood products,
may not be cognizant of the perils
of illicit logging. By encouraging
companies to promote ecotourism
and ensuring citizens’ awareness
of the issue, she believed that China
could set a “good example” to
the world by demonstrating that the
current situation can be reversed.
Beyond strolling through the green
campus with flora aside, delegates,
particularly the avid debaters in
GA2, fathom the urgency in tackling
the issue of illicit logging. Delegates
should treat debates during
committee sessions as a means to
combat the loss of forestry, and thus
foster a world-wide implementation
of environmental protection measures.
With solutions in mind, delegates
of GA2 should be proactive in
seeking to negotiate with delegates
who share a similar passion on the
issue, reflecting on how has illicit
logging exacerbated environmental
degradation Hopefully, the delegates
of GA2 will ideate action plans
that can effectively counter the
harvesting and manufacturing of
illegal wood-based products while
also taking note of the immediate
repercussions of such practices.
12

How We Can
Save the
Planet by
Changing
Diets
Written by: Jade Henry
Edited by: Aastha Gokani
Layout by: Angel Yang
Photographs by: Jerry Lin
Artwork by: Jessica Hsu
326 litres
419 litres
A climate scientist and a climate
change denier walk into a bar. The
denier says, nice to see you. The
climate scientist says, nice to CO2.
Jokes aside, the levels of CO2 have
peaked over recent years, worsening
the state of our planet. More
research was devoted to resolving
this issue, however, these solutions
need the collaboration of every individual.
One solution is to change
diets. Whole food veganism is a
diet based on a wide variety of
whole plant foods, rejecting any ailments
from animals and processed
food. This diet benefits not only
our planet but also our health— it
can reduce heart disease, cancer,
obesity, and diabetes, the leading
causes of death. More specifically,
switching to a plant-based
diet lowers the chances of heart
disease by lowering cholesterol,
breast cancer, prostate cancer,
diabetes. Hence, veganism is becoming
more and more common,
due to social media platforms rising
in 2012, and the health benefits
behind these posts. But does
veganism have such a wide audience
in THIMUN Singapore 2019?
It turned out that in General Assembly
1, which consists of 104
delegates, only one of them was
vegetarian and none were vegan.
After asking the delegate of
Japan in GA1, Dhirubhai Ambani
her opinion about being the only
vegetarian in the committee, her
first impression was “It’s actually
985 litres
13

kind of funny, because I’m a vegetarian
by choice.” Her upbringing
influenced her choice, as both her
parents were already vegetarian.
However, she also formed her own
opinions on veganism, commenting
that going vegan “Is a really
strong choice and a brave thing to
do… but a really cool thing, because
you care about the environment.”
Ambani’s thoughts on veganism
are rooted in facts. The production
and consumption of meat results in
high CO2 emissions. For example,
to cultivate, transport, and package
1kg of tomatoes, 1.1kg of carbon
is released into the atmosphere.
On the other hand, the production
of 1kg of meat releases 39.2kg of
carbon. Completely reducing meat
consumption in society would almost
half the traces left by food
production in the atmosphere.
If the current trend of meat consumption
continues, the greenhouse
gases trapped in our atmosphere
may overheat the Earth
and melt the ice caps, raising sea
levels and flooding multiple cities.
Furthermore, consumption of meat
products risks other environmental
ramifications such as water pollution
and overconsumption of certain
animals, which eventually destabilize
the ecosystem and its diversity.
Despite these facts, there remains a
large number of meat-eaters at the
conference due to concerns about
protein intake. Cara Hobson (Delegate
of Germany of GA2,
Australian International
School Malaysia), practiced
the vegetarian diet for a few
months but decided to reintegrate
animal products into her
diet. Her reason was that “It wasn’t
[her] way of life and [she] really
[does] enjoy eating meat and [does]
think the proteins is important.”
However, most animal products
could be replaced by plant-based
products. Soy products like edamame
beans and tofu are full of
proteins. The only downside is
the sacrifice of minerals. For instance,
substituting foods like
red meat and egg yolk could
lead to a decrease in iron intake.
Other meat-eaters stray from veganism
due to their personal preferences.
After asking Jeongha Kim
(Delegate of Saudi Arabia of GA2,
UNIS) why he wouldn’t consider a
vegan or vegetarian diet, he replied
that “There are two things, the first
has a large part to do with culture
and scientific reasons.” Still, Kim
conceded that there is a need for
a reduction of the environmental
impact of meat consumption.
Regardless, the vegan and vegetarian
lifestyles and diets are slowly
but surely taking over and becoming
more popular due to the plethora
of benefits of becoming vegan.
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EDITORS IN CHIEF
Xuan Lin Tan
Ray Chen
TEXT EDITORS
Priyanka Krishna
Hyoree Kim
Aastha Gokani
LAYOUT & ARTISTS
Ryan Hsiao
Angel Yang
Jessica Hsu
Jessie Liao
Ishwarya Krishna
REPORTERS
Ella Hirmato
Isabella Wood
Jade Henry
Joey Lin
Ping Tsai
Joshua Tang
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Dorian Chen
Zara Yap
Jerry Lin
Joshua Tang
VIDEOGRAPHERS
Jerry Lin
Nicolas Paccaud
Tijn Van Der Dikkenberg