It is my distinct pleasure to welcome you UPMUNC 2008 and to this year's United Nations Human Rights Council. My name is Atenas Burrola, and I will be your chair. I am so excited to be chairing for this year's UPMUNC, and I hope you are all as excited to be coming.
I am a junior here at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in History and Political Science. I have been involved in Penn's Model UN Club since freshman year, serving first as an ASG and then as USG General Assembly for UPMUNC 2007. In addition to MUN, I am also involved in the Latino Coalition, community service, and Peer Advising.
I have an enduring love of politics and international affairs, and I think it's essential for students in today's society to be aware of what's going on in the world, and how we can help. Learning about the UN, and what the UN can and cannot do, and what it should and should not do, is very important in the world of international politics. Human rights is one of the most hotly contested issues around the globe, and often one of the areas that the international community has the least impact, or pays the least attention to. I think it is important to confront controversial issues, and to try to promote a world where everyone enjoys safety and freedom.
As such, I have chosen this year's topics to be "The Persecution of Individuals for Practice of Religious Beliefs" and "Securing the Rights of Children, and Others Affected by Globalization." I believe that both of these topics are incredibly important, and have global impact. Solutions will set precedents of what can and cannot be done, and what will and will not be allowed.
I hope you enjoy researching these topics, and that you find the background guides interesting and helpful. I look forward to seeing you in November and hearing some spirited debate.
Atenas Burrola
atenasw@sas.upenn.edu