What an incredible ride. SSUNS 2003, a high school model United Nations conference held in Montreal this past weekend, has come to a close. We welcomed almost 900 high-school delegates to the Delta Centre-Ville hotel for 4 days of debate and diplomacy. Our committees and events were a huge success, and I feel that it was a huge improvement over last year. If any of you attended the event please let me know what you felt about it, as well as what committee you were on! We had 18 committees simulated and as far as I've heard the feedback was rather positive.

It's been a great experience being on the Secretariat of this conference! If you are interested in the UN and enjoy diplomacy and international relations then I heartily suggest you get involved with MUN activities. It's a great way to educate youth about important concepts such as HIV/AIDS and international security, in a fun and diverse setting...

Next step, the UNA-USA high school MUN conference in New York in May 2004!

In memory of my grandfather, Dr. Eli Katz, passed away this 3rd of September 2003 in the company of his family, excerpts from two of his favourite poems.

>>Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

>>The Ancient Mariner

... The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,
The furrow followed free ;
We were the first that ever burst
Into that silent sea.

Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down,
'Twas sad as sad could be ;
And we did speak only to break
The silence of the sea !

All in a hot and copper sky,
The bloody Sun, at noon,
Right up above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the Moon.

Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion ;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

This is a wonderful idea for a project - 1000 blank journals, distributed all over the world and tracked to see where they wind up.

http://1000journals.com/

Messages of condolence to the family and staff of the late UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello can be sent to the following address:

hcmemorial@ohchr.org

Please take a minute to find out who he was, and let his family & staff know that he did not die in vain, and that others will continue fighting for his cause.

I am terribly saddened by what has occurred at the UN building in Baghdad - this is truly an example of people who, in their misguided anger, strike out at those who would attempt to bring peace to their land. The people who work with the United Nations face dangerous situations every day; I only hope that they all have the courage to continue, because were it not for them, the world would be a much less fortunate place.

And so I would ask you, if you believe in the UN's potential to be a positive force in the world, to send letters of condolence to the UN for the families of those who died.

One such individual, the UN Special Representative to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, was working in Iraq to help alleviate the situation there. He was to return to his position as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights after the completion of his four-month term as Special Representative in September. As the Secretary-General of the UN stated, "He impressed everyone with his charm, his energy and his ability to get things done, not by force but by diplomacy and persuasion".

If you'd like to send a letter of condolence, you can do so to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The address is:

OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Another person who died in the attack was a Canadian serving as Officer-in-Charge for UNICEF in Iraq. His name was Christopher Klein-Beekman. UNICEF executive director Carol Bellamy said, "Chris was an energetic, incredibly talented young man who made a huge impact in Iraq in a difficult time. He was a highly respected colleague and friend, and he cared passionately about children. His loss is deeply mourned by all of us. These deaths are a terrible, terrible tragedy."

I'm going to find an address if you'd like to write a letter of condolence to Chris' family.

I'd like to express my sympathy for all those who died due to this terrible act, and my hope that this will not lessen the will to fight for the well-being of the Iraqi people.