official texts and speeches
2nd Annual Anatolia College Model United Nations
February 23rd, 2007
Remarks by Consul General Hoyt Brian Yee
As delivered
President Jackson, Madame President, Mr. Secretary General, Spyros Vougias, Gentlemen of the Consular Corps, Dear Friends, distinguished delegates, distinguished advisors, distinguished delegates from Roberts College representing the United States of America, my name is Hoyt Yee, and I too am a former Model United Nations delegate.
I started participating in Model United Nations thirty years ago, and as you can tell by my presence here today I have found it very difficult to stop participating in Model United Nations. I know that you are eager to begin the simulation so I will be very brief, in fact I have just three words for you today and, out of respect for the host nation sponsoring this simulation I will say them in Greek.
My first word is - congratulations. I want to congratulate all of you, you have worked hard and prepared diligently for the simulation, or so I have been told. Many of you have traveled long distances to be here today and all of you have other activities which you could be pursuing this weekend, but you have chosen to come to Thessaloniki, to Anatolia College in Thessaloniki, to participate in this simulation, to meet with other future leaders of Europe, of the world and to exchange ideas on how to make the world a better place. I think you’ve made an excellent choice. I salute you.
My second word is - Caution. Beware. Model United Nations is addictive. Model United Nations is like a drug or a virus; if you’re not careful it will slowly take over your life. Model United Nations begins as a hobby, it evolves into an obsession, finally it ends up as a disease. There is no cure, or at least I have not found one. There are symptoms you should look for; you will be wearing a suit and tie, business attire in a school auditorium. You may find yourself carrying a briefcase- even though you have no papers; I see some of you are doing this today. I warned many of you of these symptoms at the Thessaloniki Model United Nations conference at the American Farm School last November, but I see many of you have come back. So you did not listen, and now you too are addicts. So welcome to the club.
My last, third word is - Encouragement. I want to encourage you to continue. I want to encourage you to apply what you learn from this simulation this weekend. To apply the ideas and knowledge, and the skills that you gain from participating in Model United Nations, to help make the world a better place. You can help to realize the dream, Mr. Vougias’ dream. The dream of what Model United Nations represents, which is a world based on cooperation, on mutual understanding, on tolerance, on peaceful resolution of disputes. This weekend is only a simulation but the challenges and crises that you will be debating very soon are real. Many of them are the same crises and challenges that I debated thirty years ago in Model United Nations, some difficult challenges. And they require young, energetic and smart people, like you, to find and implement solutions. Please do not wait for your government, or the United Nations, or the sole remaining super power to solve these problems for you. I hope you will inform yourselves, you will engage these problems, and you will discuss and find solutions. I hope that you will organize yourselves, you will negotiate, you will persuade and you will lead. That is what Model United Nations is all about. So Madame President, distinguished delegates, distinguished advisors, thank you very much for inviting me.
Have a wonderful simulation. Enjoy yourselves. Thank you very much.