• The question of neighboring countries and regional burden sharing for migrants and asylum seekers

• The question of undocumented populations

• The question of the safe third country principle for migrants and asylum seekers

Mr. Cesar Guedes (Peru/Canada) is a former Senior UN official with thirty years of experience working in four continents and a freelance international consultant based in Hanoi. His most recent position with the UN was as Afghanistan's UNODC Country Representative. He had previously worked in similar positions in Bolivia, Panama, Pakistan, and Mozambique. The persistent threats of transnational organized crime (drug trafficking, illegal mining, illicit exploitation of fauna & flora, etc.) on various country locations, including protected areas, were one of the main challenges he dealt with on the cited locations. These threats posed a national and regional risk to Indigenous communities, conservation zones, trade, and regular human movement.

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Prior to this, Mr. Guedes worked for the UNDP, UN Volunteers, and UNIDO in a variety of roles, supervising development initiatives for Latin America and the Caribbean from headquarters in Bonn and Vienna as well as field locations in Guyana, the Eastern Caribbean, China, North Korea, and Peru.

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In addition to his postgraduate degree in International Relations & Development from the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) / Erasmus University in The Hague, The Netherlands, he has a degree in Business Administration from the University of Lima (Peru). He graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, with a postgraduate diploma in international program development evaluation and the United Nations University's International Leadership Academy in Amman, Jordan, with a postgraduate diploma in international conflict resolution. 

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He received the Condor de los Andes Medal (Bolivia 2013), the Presidential Diploma for Anti-Corruption Work (Pakistan 2019), and a Special Commendation Diploma (2011) from the French Police - International Cooperation Service in appreciation of his devoted service.

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At Model UN events held in schools in Bolivia, Germany, Guyana, Pakistan, Peru, and Vietnam, Mr. Guedes has given guest speeches.

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He is fluent in English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese.

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His main hobbies are reading, listening to jazz and baroque music, stamp collection, and sports (squash, tennis, volleyball, gym training, cycling, boxing, and yoga).

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Thank you, Mr.Cesar for being our guest speaker!

Dr. MacArthur is a medical doctor specializing in public health and preventive medicine, with over two decades of experience in the field. For the past 20 years, he has dedicated 14 years to working extensively in Southeast Asia, gaining profound insights into the region's healthcare landscape. Currently assuming a leadership role, Dr.MacArthur plays a significant role in managing public health programs across Southeast Asia while simultaneously engaging in diplomatic endeavors on behalf of the U.S. government.

His expertise lies in managing public health initiatives and fostering diplomatic relationships, particularly within the context of regional bodies like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). With his profound understanding of ASEAN, comprised of 10 member states with East Timor soon to join, Dr. MacArthur spearheads efforts to enhance health security throughout the region. His work focuses on building capacities within these nations to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to public health emergencies, exemplified by his strategic planning before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Representing an agency within the U.S. government, Dr. MacArthur adeptly navigates diplomatic channels, engaging with government representatives at both bilateral and multilateral levels. Whether liaising with individual countries or addressing ASEAN as a unified entity, his role involves advocating for collaborative efforts to bolster health security and promote public health initiatives. 

Dr. MacArthur's dedication to mentoring is evident through his commitment to fostering the next generation of healthcare professionals and diplomats. He actively engages in mentoring programs, sharing his knowledge and experience with students and young professionals, both locally and internationally.

With a passion for interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. MacArthur bridges the aspects of healthcare and diplomacy, emphasizing the importance of multilateralism in addressing global health challenges. His insights inspire individuals to explore diverse career paths, encouraging them to leverage their unique backgrounds and interests to make meaningful contributions to society. As an esteemed expert in his field, Dr. MacArthur continues to inspire and empower others to strive for excellence in healthcare, diplomacy, and beyond.

Thank you Dr. MacArthur for being our guest speaker! 

As the Deputy Chair for the Population Movement Council, I had the opportunity to speak with Ms Jennifer Louvet, a high school English teacher at UNIS. Ms Louvet has a strong passion for teaching English. She first taught English in China as a way to support herself. After that, she returned to the United States and worked as a teacher in low-income schools under the Teach for America (TFA) program. This opened her eyes to the social injustice and inequality due to socioeconomic status in the education system. She has been teaching for 20 years, including 10 years at UNIS. 

Ms. Louvet has some MUN experience. She served as a mentor for the UN Membership Council during the 2023 November Conference. Ms Louvet believes that MUN is a tool to build skills such as argumentation and open-mindedness. “I think it’s a really good eye-opener to what's going on,” she said. 

Ms Louvet is interested in many different issues around the world, such as the right to move. She doesn't think any one issue is more significant than another. She witnessed several immigrants from Cuba and Haiti arriving in the US for a variety of reasons, including political instability and the pursuit of a better life. Despite having to face the treacherous ocean, they were turned away upon arriving in the United States. "It's not fair and not right," stated Ms. Louvet. “Everyone should have the right to move.”

Regarding the three topics of the Population Movement Council, Ms Louvet believes that everyone should contribute to assisting migrants and migrants should be allowed to stay as they contribute to society. Thinking back on her experience in the United States she said, “Some of my students were deported. And that was really heartbreaking and traumatic for them.”

Ms Louvet inspires her students through the texts she uses in her classes and the discussions they spark. For example, she is currently teaching about systemic racism through the works of Kendrick Lamar and how it is reflected in the lyrics. Regarding migration, previous assignments included reading the work of Pakistani-Indian author Manto and watching the documentary Flee, which followed a gay man as he fled political unrest in Afghanistan. 

Our meeting was cut short, but Ms. Louvet's viewpoints truly broadened my thinking and served as a reminder to us chairs to tackle these issues from both the governmental and refugee perspectives. 

After my meeting with Ms Louvet, I met with Mr Naik, who is the Secondary School Deputy Principal for teaching and learning at UNIS. Growing up, Mr Naik had great teachers and an amazing experience when he attended international schools throughout his schooling years. As an adult, he decided to pursue a career in education as a means of broadening his horizons and giving back to the community. Mr. Naik has worked for a total of 15 years in education. He spent 11 years working in Toronto before coming to UNIS. Over the course of his career, Mr. Naik has held a variety of positions, including director of experiential learning, coordinator for the IB diploma, and TOK teacher. 

Mr Naik was heavily involved in MUN throughout his high school years. He participated in IASAS MUN. He played a variety of different roles, including chairing committees and participating in parliament. “It was a big part of my life. A lot of my interests were driven through Model UN.” He coached MUN for a little while in the early years of his career after graduating from high school, but he concentrated more on coaching debate. 

When asked about what issues he was passionate about, Mr Naik said he was very concerned about global politics and understanding ongoing conflicts: “Those are the things that keep me up at night. How can we be striving towards a goal of peace?” He became interested in current issues through his educational background and his passion for social sciences. Had he not chosen to become a teacher, he would have seen himself employed by a foreign service organization or an NGO. 

Regarding the topics of the Population Movement Council, his response to all three was “What is a system of structure in place to ensure the well-being and safety of anyone seeking asylum?” He is aware of how controversial these subjects are and how they are seen from various angles, especially when it comes to the undocumented population. 

Upon inquiring about Mr. Naik's ideas for the March 2024 Conference theme, I was intrigued by his perceptive remarks. “Unfortunately, countries have moved to a more individualistic response to these crises versus a more collectivist approach,” Mr Naik said. “The longer we have political stability, the easier it is for us to tackle other problems.”

To end our conversation, I asked Mr Naik’s advice for delegates: “Read, read, read!” He encourages delegates to read from multiple perspectives to be more anticipatory of the POIs delegates may receive. 

The discussions that we had with our mentors helped us think in a more open-minded manner. We would like to thank Ms Louvet and Mr Naik for their thoughtful responses!

Honorable chairs, distinguished delegates, 

My name is Anh Minh and I am a senior at Concordia International School of Hanoi. For the first time, I am serving as the head chair for the March edition of UNISMUN in the Population Movement Council. This March conference will be my tenth and final Model United Nations (MUN) conference and my third time as a chair. Aside from MUN, you can see me in Concordia’s volleyball, basketball, and soccer teams. I am also an avid Counter Strike: Global Offensive gamer, a stuffed animal collector, and an 8-ball pool player.

The theme for this March conference is “How can we use multilateral diplomacy to surmount the challenges of rapid societal change?” We encourage delegates to not only engage in meaningful discussions to come up with solutions but to also practice empathy and understanding of the many viewpoints that other countries might have. It is vital for delegates to embrace the diverse perspectives that are represented in this conference and negotiate for the betterment of a connected world, not just for their countries’ sole benefit.

The Population Movement Council (PMC) works to ensure the safety and wellbeing of migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and people who are required to be “on the move”.

With the first topic, the question of neighboring countries and regional burden sharing for migrants and asylum seekers, delegates are encouraged to revisit their country’s commitment to aid the refugee crisis, and ensure that the global community is involved equitably in housing refugees.

Secondly, the question of undocumented populations brings into light the marginalized and hidden communities, which are currently unrecognized and exposed to dangerous threats in their country. Delegates should work together to establish and adhere to necessary regulations in order to process the refugee claims.

The last topic, the Safe Third Country Principle protects the rights of each country in the handling of migrants. With this principle, asylum seekers will be pressured to apply for protection at the first country they reach, and preventing an overpopulation of migrants trying to enter a more developed country with better welfare programs (United Kingdom)

My name is Sandra and I am currently a sophomore at the United Nations International School of Hanoi. I will be serving as the deputy chair for this year's March UNISMUN Population Movement Council. This upcoming March conference will mark my fourth Model United Nations conference and my second time as a chair. I am very excited to help deliver a memorable experience for delegates during the conference!

The theme of this March conference, “How can we use multilateral diplomacy to surmount the challenges of rapid societal change?”, encourages all delegates to come together to create solutions to adapt to our constantly-developing society. This resonates greatly with the Population Movement Council’s topics of concern. During the upcoming conference, I hope that delegates will collaborate to create resolutions that ensure a brighter future for others in our ever-changing world. 

The Population Movement Council plays a crucial role in discussing alternative solutions for preserving global peace and citizen security. The Council discusses all issues regarding population movement such as asylum seekers, war refugees, and foreign migrants. 

This year, the Population Movement Council will be focusing on the question of neighboring countries and regional burden sharing for migrants and asylum seekers; the question of undocumented populations; and the question of the safe third-country principle for migrants and asylum seekers.

The first topic discusses the distribution of responsibilities between hosting nations and surrounding communities as a way to deal with the increasing number of migrants and limited resources. The second topic tackles the issues faced by people who lack the necessary papers to be in a nation. Finally, the third topic addresses the rights of host countries to prevent themselves from being inundated with refugees. 

In recent years, we have seen an increasing number of migrants in the light of warfare. It is vital that delegates come together to discuss these topics as they represent the issues that many people around the world face. 

I look forward to seeing all delegates participating in a fruitful debate at the March conference!

Greetings fellow chairs, distinguished delegates, and most esteemed guests,

Welcome to the Population Movement Council. 

My name is Solbi Yun, a junior at Brent International School Manila. It’s an honor to serve as the Procedural Chair for the Population Movement Council for this upcoming 2024 UNIS March Conference. I currently serve as one of the leaders for Brent MUN; this marks my fourth conference and first as a chair. 

As we delve into the conference theme, "How can we use multilateral diplomacy to surmount the challenges of rapid societal change?" I am deeply inspired by the profound impact that multilateral cooperation can have on addressing the pressing issues of the 21st century. This theme resonates deeply with PMC, fostering inclusive solutions to the complex challenges presented by world populations.

The Population Movement Council is a committee that addresses issues related to global population movements such as: migration, refugees, and asylum seekers. PMC also considers the social, economic, and political aspects of migration, aiming to develop comprehensive and sustainable strategies that balance the interests of nations and the welfare of the affected populations.  

This March 2024, Population Movement Council addresses the three crucial topics that demand our immediate attention: The question of neighboring countries and regional burden-sharing for migrants and asylum seekers, The question of undocumented populations, and The question of the safe third country principle for migrants and asylum seekers.

The first topic relates to the challenges and duties faced by countries in close proximity to regions experiencing high ranges of migration and asylum-seeking. While the second topic addresses the challenges and complexities of individuals residing in a country without legal authorization or documentation. Lastly, the third topic resonates around policies regarding the conditions under which a country may consider another country as a safe destination for migrants and asylum seekers. 

As we embark on this year’s MUN journey, the chair strongly encourages delegates to approach each topic with empathy, creativity, and commitment to finding holistic solutions. 

I eagerly await to see delegates collaborating on impactful solutions and witnessing the positive change that can emerge from our collective efforts.