(Posted on 08 Aug 2006 at 2:43:04 PM)
During the week, from 23rd to 28th July 2006, I was fortunate to represent Ngee Ann Polytechnic, School of Business & Accountancy, and Singapore as the sole country representative at this year’s 11th International Youth Leadership Conference (IYLC) held in Prague, Czech Republic. This conference, organized by Civic Concepts International in conjunction with the Czech government provided 93 youth aged 18-25 from 50 countries around the world an opportunity to meet and discuss about world issues. It also serves to broaden youth leadership around the world.
Students were separated into groups of 12 to facilitate the many ministry & embassy visits, and simulations that took place in Prague. The IYLC simulated the United Nation Security Council Crisis Meeting, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Simulation, and the Model European Union Parliament simulation.
In the UN simulation, we debated on the concerns of allowing Iran to continue enriching uranium with assurances that they are not building a nuclear arms program but without UN inspectors. In the ICC simulation, I was defending the case on Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, founder and leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) who was charged for engaging in ethnic fighting, murder, torture and rape of civilians, as well as the forced conspiration of child soldiers. In the Model EU Parliament, I was part of a Party called ‘Group for a Europe of Democracies and Diversities (EDD)’ which also happened to be the smallest party in the EU parliament. As such, our group has to lobby and form coalition parties to fight for our amendments regarding the Council Directive on granting refugee status.
Beyond the simulations, we were engaged in meeting Ambassadors from countries such as India, Austria, South Africa and many others. We visited the Senate and Ministry of Foreign affairs where the above photo was taken with a Czech Senator. We also discussed media and refugee issues with various panels and leaders in the Czech Republic.
Overall, this experience was an enriching and memorable one for me. My biggest take away was knowing that political bodies will be set up and broken down. Legal systems will be changed many, many times. There will always be rules, new rules, old rules and better rules to govern people. But one thing that is always constant. People. This conference has allowed me to build lasting relationships with the people I have worked, eat, debated and traveled with in the last one week. These relationships I treasure for a lifetime to come.
Last but not least, I would like to thank Ngee Ann Polytechnic, and the National Youth Council for sponsoring my conference fee of S$1500. I look forward to attending the next conference in South Africa this coming January, and I encourage all students to apply for the conference at http://www.czechleadership.com/ .
Written by:
Alvin Lim
Dip. BFS