Resource Room

Excursions 

The excursions for TEIMUN 2010 are the following:

1 - Hivos

Hivos is a Dutch non-governmental organization inspired by humanist values. Together with local organizations in developing countries, Hivos seeks to contribute to a free, fair and sustainable world in which citizens - women and men - have equal access to the resources and opportunities for their development, and where they can actively and equally participate in decision-making processes that determine their lives, their society and their future.  

Hivos organizes a workshop about “Gay and Lesbian Rights in International Cooperation”. At first, the subject appears to be odd in terms of development cooperation: LGBT rights, rights for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals , or any other sexual minority. The rights are, however, intrinsically connected with freedom, self-determination and access to chances and opportunities. This has everything to do with emancipation and development. Hivos is firmly convinced of the importance of this relationship between sexual emancipation and opportunities for development, which is the reason why Hivos wholeheartedly embraces the theme and will continue to do so during the next years. Among others, to correct the misconception that LGBT rights merely are a Western issue. 

The LGBT programme has been part of the Human Rights and Democratisation theme since the nineties. 

For further information: www.hivos.nl/english 

 

2 - Eurojust

Eurojust is a judicial cooperation body created to help provide safety within an area of freedom, security and justice.

Eurojust was set up by the Council of the European Union in February 2002 (Council Decision 2002/187/JHA) to improve the fight against serious crime by facilitating the optimal co-ordination of action for investigations and prosecutions covering the territory of more than one Member State with full respect for fundamental rights and freedoms.

Eurojust is composed of 27 National Members, one from each EU Member State. These are senior and experienced judges, prosecutors, or police officers of equivalent competence, who together form the College of Eurojust.

During this excursion you will learn more about the EU’s cooperation on security and justice.

For more information check out www.eurojust.europa.eu

3 - Clingendael - Netherlands Institute of International Relations

The Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael is a knowledge institute for international relations. In a constantly changing global environment, Clingendael acts as a think-tank as well as a diplomatic academy in order to identify and analyze emerging
political and social developments for the benefit of government and the general public.

Clingendael seeks to achieve this objective through research, by publishing studies, organising
courses and training programmes, and by providing information. The Institute acts in an advisory capacity to the government, parliament and social organisations, holds conferences and seminars, maintains a library and documentation centre, and publishes a Dutch language monthly on international politics as well as a newsletter. Clingendael currently employs some 75 staff, the majority of whom are researchers and training staff.

Clingendael will give their vision and experience regarding our theme.

For more information: www.clingendael.nl


 

4 - International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)

The ICTY is a body of the United Nations and was established in 1993. The purpose of the tribunal is to prosecute former government and military leaders from the former Yugoslavia for crimes against humanity, genocide and breaches of the Geneva Conventions. Since then, a number of leaders has been brought to trial and were convicted. The tribunal is an ad-hoc court and is located in The Hague. The ICTY is the court where the late Slobodan Milosevic, former president of the former Yugoslavia, was on trial.
 

The excursion to the ICTY consists of attending a hearing and a general presentation by an ICTY representative.
 

For further information: www.un.org/icty
 

5 - International Criminal Court (ICC)

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent, permanent court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes at an international level, namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The ICC is based on a treaty, joined by 105 countries.
The ICC is a court of last resort. It will not act if a case is investigated or prosecuted by a national judicial system unless the national proceedings are not genuine, for example if formal proceedings were undertaken solely to shield a person from criminal responsibility. In addition, the ICC only tries those accused of the gravest crimes.
 

The excursion to the ICC consists out of attending a hearing and a general presentation by an ICC representative.
 

For further information: www.icc-cpi.int
 

6 - The Organization for the Prohibiton of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is the implementing body of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC or Convention). The CWC aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by States Parties. States Parties, in turn, must take the steps necessary to enforce that prohibition in respect of persons (natural or legal) within their jurisdiction.

The OPCW is given the mandate to achieve the object and purpose of the Convention, to ensure the implementation of its provisions, including those for international verification of compliance with it, and to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among States Parties.

The most important obligation under the Convention is the destruction of chemical weapons. It is also the most expensive aspect of the Convention’s implementation. Chemical weapons are frightening and dreadful weapons. They inflict excruciating and long-term suffering on a mass scale.The Organisation’s international cooperation programmes focus on capacity building for the peaceful applications of chemistry in areas which are relevant to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) Adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention demonstrates a state's commitment to disarmament and international co-operation, and helps to reinforce its position in the mainstream of international politics.

Interested? During this excursion you will learn about the exact workings of this organisation.

For further information: www.opcw.org  

7 - Peace Palace  

The Peace Palace in The Hague is home to a number of international judicial institutions, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), the renowned Peace Palace Library, and the Hague Academy of International Law.
 

You will receive a guided tour through the Palace's corridors, Grand Staircase, Small Hall of Justice, Japanese Room, courtyard, as well as the Great Hall of Justice, in which the international Court of Justice holds sessions.
 

For further information: www.vredespaleis.nl

8 - Red Cross

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers worldwide whose stated mission is to protect huma life and health, to ensure respect for the human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human suffering, without any discrimination based on nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. 

National Red Cross and Red Crescent societies exist in nearly every country in the world. Within their home country, they take on the duties and responsibilities of a national relief society as defined by international humanitarian law. Within the movement, the ICRC is responsible for legally recognizing a relief society as an official national Red Cross or Red Crescent society.
This excursion will be held at the Netherlands Red Cross Headquarter. During this approximately two and a half hour excursion “The ICRC and its activities in the field” will be discussed. Furthermore, participants will be introduced to the principles of international humanitarian law. 

For further information: www.rodekruis.nl