ECOSOC

__Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)__
 ==**__Updates!__ **  == 
 * Research Reports are out! Click on the topic link at the bottom of the page and you will find it on the new page! Read it carefully!
 * All member and non-member delegations are required to have an opening speech, lasting about 30 seconds to a minute. It's basically an overview of your country's policy and stance on your respective issue.
 * Don't forget to email if you need help!

Student Officers
 * President: Liyan Tay**



Dearest Delegates, Student Officers, MUN-Directors and guests,

It is my honour to welcome you to BEIMUN 2009 as President of ECOSOC. BEIMUN 2009 will be fourth and last BEIMUN conference and my fourteenth conference overall. Previously, in 2008, I served as the Deputy Assistant president of the Disarmament Commission.

ECOSOC is a highly influential body within the UN and takes on the responsibility of tackling international economic, social, cultural, educational and health-related affairs. The agenda for this year’s council will address issues such as such as disease, development, empowerment and malnutrition, all of which are pressing problems demanding our attention.

Consisting of fifty-four members, ECOSOC’s size is large yet small enough to allow intense and exhilarating debates. I therefore encourage all delegates to conduct comprehensive research, use this space to share information, actively participate in all of the coming debates and perhaps, by the end of the conference, solutions will be sought.

This conference will be my last and I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experience with all ECOSOC delegates. In the meantime, I am always happy to help with any questions that you guys might have, so feel free to contact me. I wish all delegates the best of luck and I’m looking forward to an extremely rewarding conference in March!

Liyan Tay President of ECOSOC BEIMUN XVI

  **Assistant President: Mustafa Razvi** Honorable delegates, officers, MUN-directors and guests,

Welcome to BEIMUN 2009! I'm Mustafa Razvi and I will be serving as Assistant President of ECOSOC this year. I am a senior at the American School of Dubai in the UAE and have been involved in the MUN program for 6 years. I have attended DIMUN, IMUN and THIMUN, and this will be my first time at BEIMUN, so I am looking forward to the new experience. For those of you who are also new to BEIMUN, don't worry as we'll be learning together during the conference!

I am originally from Pakistan and have lived in Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Hungary and the UAE. Over the years I have really come to appreciate cultural diversity, and that's what makes MUN such an enriching and enjoyable program. I'm sure that we are going to have a great time and will be able to offer viable solutions to the issues of our forum.

Finally, I just want to remind everyone to prepare well, actively participate in the conference and most importantly - enjoy and learn from the experience. Remember that the quality of debate depends on __you__. If you have any questions, particularly about topics 3 or 4, don't hesitate to ask!

Good luck and see you in March!

Mustafa Razvi Assistant President of ECOSOC BEIMUN XVI

 **Deputy Assistant President: Eric Wang ** Most esteemed delegates, fellow officers, and all respected guests to this forum,

My name is Eric Wang and it is my pleasure to be serving as the Deputy Assistant President of ECOSOC at BEIMUN XVI. I currently attend the International School of Beijing (in China) and I've been here for the past 8 years or so.

I was born in Los Angeles, California, but my parents are Taiwanese. Thus I'm a Caliasianese. I speak English and Mandarin fluently and know bits of random Asian dialects.

Last year I served as a Student Officer in the Advisory Panel on the Question of Myanmar. I have been a delegate at THIMUN the Hague, and served as a Student Officer at that conference this past year, and so I look forward to making use of my experience in the MUN program to assist ECOSOC delegates in making this BEIMUN experience most meaningful.

Outside of MUN I play the violin and drums, and I also swim competitively. I like sports, especially volleyball, however Manchester United sucks. I love music as well, and I listen to everything from Mozart to Maroon 5. Everybody mentions hanging out with friends in their introductions, so I will too.

I'm sure this conference will be incredibly productive and also incredibly fun. However, the success of this conference revolves around you, the delegates, so prepare well and get what you need to get done to ensure a great conference. If you ever need anything, just ask. See you in a bit.

Eric Wang Deputy Assistant President of ECOSOC BEIMUN XVI

__Topics:__
 * 1) Socioeconomic difficulties encountered in areas of endemic malaria
 * 2) Improving the quality and accessibility of education in developing countries
 * 3) <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The lingering threat of malnutrition in developing nations
 * 4) <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Promoting equality and women's empowerment