BMUN LXXI ICJ

 TIPS FOR ISSUING YOUR RULINGS Hi delegates! I wanted to offer a few tips on how to frame your rulings during our committee sessions, so without further adieu...  1. I encourage you all to begin acquiring evidence (international laws and documents, past precedents, theories that can explain the case, case facts, etc.) to back any and all of your rulings. 2. Be rational and realistic in your rulings. Recognize the limitations of the ICJ and the international community in addressing a conflict of this magnitude.  3. Think about the possibility of reconciliation!!! Although it does seem like a long-shot right now that Ukraine and Russia could be reconciled in the future, it is vital that we as Justices begin brainstorming solutions to the conflict that could enable reconciliation between the two states. I would encourage you to look into past cases of a similar nature and note how reconciliation efforts succeeded and failed in the past, then adapt your approach as such. Very excited for C

 Hello delegates,  As conference approaches, your ICJ chairs will like to make sure that you all are well-fed and enjoying Berkeley delicacies. Here is a comprehensive list of all the best spots at Berkeley to make sure that you are hydrated and full before and after committee sessions:  Best Boba/Matcha/Coffee Spots:  1. Taiwanese Professional Tea (Get the mango boba milk tea and their new Taro collection)  2. Sheng Kee (most affordable, can get two large for $8!)  3. Asha Tea House (THE BEST masala chai latte and matcha latte and the best interior for researching before committee session)  4. The Musical Offering Cafe (AMAZING chai latte, aesthetic vibes, also delicious food)  5. Sodoi Cafe (strawberry matcha latte to die for, cute cafe always playing bomb music (IU, bruno major, daniel caesar), recommend if you like Korean style cafes)  Honorable mentions: The 1951 Coffee Company, Plentea, Philz (but you kinda can get it anywhere, still amazing tho)  Best desserts:  1. U Dessert Sto

 Hey Delegates!  I hope everyone's excited for BMUN in under 2 weeks! This post is going to cover some tips on how to give strong, substantive, and effective speeches during committee. As you all prepare for the conference, please know it's completely normal to feel excited, nervous, or feel any kind of way toward public speaking! Whether it is your first or last time attending a conference, please maintain full respect and understanding toward the progress of others and yourselves, and the various speaking levels and abilities of both yourself and your peers. BMUN is ultimately a learning conference more than anything, and we value your growth over all else!  Here are some tips to consider as you prepare:  Understand your country and character's position : Make sure to familiarize yourself with both your country's stance on the case as well as your own judge/character's opinions and past rulings. The rulings and verdicts you make will definitely depend on your coun

  Hi delegates! As we prepare for Conference next weekend (yay!), I wanted to get on here and briefly talk about how you all should approach this topic. We’ve been grading the position papers that have been submitted thus far, and wanted to first and foremost clarify what our topic actually is.  Our debate is centered around the current/ongoing ICJ case titled: Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation). To firmly clarify here, our committee is NOT about Bosnia-Herzegovina v. Serbia & Montenegro. The Position Paper guide utilized the Bosnian Genocide as an example when discussing how to write an ICJ-style position paper, but our topic has been clearly expressed multiple times (on the BMUN website, in our Newsletter emails, and in your committee assignments) as regarding the ICJ case on Russia-Ukraine.    Please make sure you are prepared to discuss the ICJ case on Russia-Ukraine when you e

 Hi delegates! As we gear up for Conference, I thought I would get on here and briefly describe how our committee will run next month. We will go over this in more detail at the beginning of Committee Session 1, so feel free to ask any questions when we go over this day of. I'm open to suggestions on the flow of committee as well, so if there's anything you'd like to see/do during committee, make sure to let me, Deepak, and Sophia know when we get to committee! You can find the Procedure Guide here , which describes how we will open debate, how we will address witnesses, and how we will issue verdicts/rulings. Keep in mind that the Procedure Guide uses the Bosnian Genocide as an example, but our topic is regarding the Russia-Ukraine ICJ case.  As for committee flow, you can expect to enter committee and  1. Be given a run down of the committee structure and flow  2. Be introduced to the ICJ case by your dais  3. Open debate with a mandatory Speaker’s List organized by count

 Hello delegates! As conference is approaching, we wanted to bring more clarity to the topic as we understand that research could be daunting and confusing at times (you got this tho <3)  These are key terms that we think are crucial to the committee:  - International Court of Justice: civil court that hears disputes between countries  - Contentious cases: case submitted to the ICJ between two or more states due to an inability for the involved states to resolve the conflict, disagreement, or issue themselves (our topic falls under this category :O)  - Jurisdiction: the extent of the power to make legal decisions and judgments (IMPORTANT to note that ICJ only holds jurisdiction when both parties agreed that they want to hear the court's decision)  - Russo-Ukrainian War: conflict between Russia and Ukraine that was started in February of 2014 due to the ousting of Ukrainian president and Russian ally, Viktor Yanukovych, and resulting in the annexation of Crimea - Ukraine v. Russi

 Hey Delegates! I hope everyone's doing well! As you guys prepare for BMUN this march, I wanted to make a quick post on some of the recent updates to this case: The latest press release from the ICJ details the declaration of intervention filed by the nation of Liechtenstein, following the declarations of other nations as well. Most notable of these is the United States , a nation that previously has remained on the sidelines of most other ICJ cases.  While member states may submit a declaration of intervention, the admissibility of the declaration must first be decided upon by the ICJ, with the parties to the case (Russia and Ukraine) being allowed to submit written observations on a declaration for the court to consider when judging.  In its submission of a declaration of intervention, the US has also answered two questions regarding both the jurisdiction and merits of this case. The US, generally cautious to cede jurisdiction to international bodies, has encouraged broader juri

  Hi delegates! BMUN is just around the corner, so I wanted to revisit the pinnacle document of committee: your resolutions! While ICJ is a specialized committee, we will be following typical BMUN resolution procedures. Before we even get into the details of your resolutions, the format and jargon about resolutions can be quite confusing (boooo), but not to worry! BMUN has a Resolution Structure document, linked here , that covers all the teeny tiny details of these papers.  When turning your solutions into operative format, we want you to keep the SMART goals in mind: S - Specific , what exactly is this operative trying to achieve? M - Measurable , how will you know when this operative is successful? Are there any specific points that will make this solution more quantifiable? A - Attainable , is this solution genuinely possible? Is that clear in your operative? R - Relevant , will this operative positively contribute to solving this problem? T - Timely , when do you expect to achieve

Hi delegates! Just wanted to check in and offer a bit more guidance on your position papers. As a reminder, ICJ will be using a specialized Position Paper format detailed in the ICJ Position Paper Guide page found here on the BMUN website.  Remember that the Position Paper Guide uses the Bosnian Genocide as a case example when explaining the paper structure, but our topic is regarding Russia-Ukraine. If you have any further questions regarding the Position Paper format, feel free to reach out to the committee email at icjbmunlxxi@bmun.org .  Besides the format, we wanted to offer some tips on the research process and the formation of your paper.  Research The biggest favor you can do for yourself in the writing process is to really apply time and effort into understanding the topics beforehand. Luckily, your generous dais has written the key to beginning this process: your synopsis ! Not only do we recommend reading this synopsis, but we hope that you will interact with it. Ask questi

  Hello everyone!!  Welcome to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at BMUN LXXI 👨‍⚖️👩‍⚖️ We are SO honored and excited to be your dais for this committee, and can't wait to see the lively and diplomatic debate you will all be a part of! Now let's get into some introductions... Hi everyone! My name is Nadia Kazempoor and I am so happy to be your Head Chair for ICJ at BMUN 71! I am a junior at Cal studying Political Science and Middle Eastern Languages and Culture. I am also the USG of Education and Outreach here at BMUN, and am always looking to promote BMUN’s educational mission to spread the influential power of MUN to all students—especially as someone whose academic career was shaped by their high school MUN experience. I was lucky enough to intern at the US Department of Education in Washington D.C. this past summer, which solidified my passion for increasing access to educational equity. Besides BMUN, I was also the President of my sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and a