Associated Press

 Trudging Through the Snow and the Issues

February 26, 2011. 8:43AM EST

By: Richard Kulesza

Associated Press

            As the delegates prepare for another day of committee sessions, we at the Associated Press would like to take a brief look at the conference so far.  Many of the representatives walked into the United Nations conference not quite knowing what to expect.  As confidences in the proceedings grew, the delegates all flourished in standing against global issues together, even if not always in solidarity.

            Yesterday began with the arrival of the important delegations from the United States and Afghanistan, helping fill out the committees.  Some whispering was circulating, especially in the news room, about how some issues such as the General Assembly’s topic the Situation in Afghanistan could possibly be covered without such vital nations participating.  There was some concern that weather would continue to hinder planes from both states, however the determination of the international community persevered.  Us in the press corps were also overjoyed to see Fox News Channel arriving with their American delegates.

            Debates got right underway after the late arrivals were brought up to speed.  Committee sessions began in earnest to get beyond preliminary discussions and begin building up Resolutions.  The General Assembly saw some heated debate over the topic of GMOs while trying to combat food security, seeing some hard divisions across the board.  The Summit on Indigenous Rights managed to find a collective agreement on how to proceed and were quickly in the thick of solutions as any other session.

            The world, and especially the conference, was rocked by a staggering cyber-terrorist attack being declared early in the morning.  With Wikileaks already being a touchy subject for many nations, the unveiling of the attack likely being by the group Anonymous and relating to the potential extradition of Julian Assange to Sweden from the UK over sexual assault charges brought many countries into immediate action.  The Security Council rallied together and began a special topic to assist Sweden in the potential damages to its state as well as ensuring preventative measures are put into place to prevent this from ever happening again.

            For all the gavel pounding, yelling and conflicts thus far, compromise seems to be winning out at Vancouver Island Univerity’s United Nations conference.  Resolutions have been passed in the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Human Rights Council, covering a wide variety of important, world changing issues.  Though differences of opinions and varied national interests are clearly visible, the delegates are learning to work together and find a solution agreeable to all.