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Weekend : Work or Play


Model United Nations Delegates and Secretyary -General 
My schedule for last weekend:
Friday and Saturday :  Secretary -General, Model United Nations Assembly, Muswellbrook ( in the upper Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia)
Saturday night: Miriam Margolyes Performance, Dickens' Women in Civic Theatre, Newcastle
Sunday : Workshop, teaching an updated version of the message stick art doll. Newcastle.
Much of this may be considered "work" but it was all so enjoyable, I think it could be said I have had a weekend of "play". .  However, it was still  an over-scheduled weekend and I still felt tired....
Model United Nations Assembly 2012

The Model United Nations Assembly is an initiative of Rotary District 9670 where senior students come together, as representatives of member nations of the United Nations. The delegates debate world issues from the point of view of their designated countries - a very difficult task, but executed with great knowledge, understanding, some diplomacy and a lot of lobbying and negotiation. As Secretary- General, my role is to moderate the debates and I was certainly "kept on my toes" throughout the Assembly with many well - constructed and strategic approaches, some complicated amendments, and always keen debate, discussion and argument. Congratulations to the delegations  representing Timor Leste  and Cyprus for outstanding debating, and although it seems hard to believe , the winner of the Peace Prize was Russia, for their efforts in promoting world peace . In this assembly Russia articulated some strong proposals as resolutions to  difficult global problems. I always come home from this, thinking perhaps we should hand over governance to young people?
We then drove a couple of hours to get back to Newcastle in time for the theatre. At midnight, after coming home from the performance, I was still setting up for Sunday's workshop, so I was hoping that I had done enough for the day to run smoothly. What a wonderful day it turned out to be. We started off by having a stroll in the bush near our place to find some sticks to create message sticks art dolls. It was a beautiful sunny and crisp Autumn morning ( by the afternoon, it was wet, windy and cold...) And then we talked, laughed and created for the rest of the day ( and of course,we ate a cake or two! )
Workshop demonstration supplies 

Workshop set up - participants' kits. 
Workshop assistant preparing morning tea. 
Wrapping - concentration+
Unique dolls created in the workshop 
Each participant created in her own style. 
As a footnote, I must also recommend experiencing  the highly acclaimed Miriam Margolyes' performance of Dickens' Women - outstanding, entertaining, fascinating and intriguing . As another critic puts it " ...her unique ability to deliver everything she promises is without parallel. Margolyes has been pretty amazing for decades, these days superlatives are inadequate." - Stagenoise.com. 
Phew ... what a  great weekend! 
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