From 11 August to 14 August 2019, the Human Rights Law and Policy Forum (HRLF) participated in the 2019 International Model United Nations Human Rights Council Universal PeriodicReview (MUPR) competition organized by Human Asia (an established South Korean HumanRights NGO) and sponsored by the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR). The aim of the MUPR is to encourage participants to find sustainable solutions to protecting and promoting human rights worldwide. Participating universities come from various regions in East Asia, including – City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong), International Christian University (Japan), Korea National University (Republic of Korea) and Ritsumeikan University (Japan).

By modeling the procedures of the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, participants acted as government delegates of the UPR to engage in dialogue on a number of human rights themes. The participants are then evaluated based on their performances in the review sessions and on the quality of their reports.

After a careful selection process, 10 students from the JD and LLB programmes were selected to participate in the MUPR competition. Under the guidance from Dr. Surya Deva and Dr.Stephenson Chow, our students won multiple awards, demonstrating exceptional public speakingand diplomatic skills. These awards include The Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign AffairsAward (Zita Yung Cheuk LamandJessica Wu Wai Lam), The Korea Academic Council on the UN System Award (Chen YipinandChoy Hiu Ching) and The Best Essay Award (NaviganuparpPanwaroj).

Achievements:

• The Republic of Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Award: Zita Yung Cheuk Lam and Jessica Wu Wai Lam

This award was given to one delegation team (2 individuals) who show exceptional talent in the course of the conference, demonstrating proficient levels of knowledge, excellent discussion and discourse, and a critical examination of the States Under Review.

• The Korea Academic Council on the UN System Award: Chen Yipin and Choy Hiu Ching

This award was given to one delegation team (2 individuals) who show great potential in the course of the conference, demonstrating good levels of knowledge, actively engaging in discussions, and providing a systematic examination of the States Under Review.

• Best Essay Award: Naviganuparp Panwaroj

This award was given to the participant who was best in presenting his/her own opinions and thoughts on addressing the human rights issues of a specific country whilst considering viable international cooperative measures as a solution.

Juries of the MUPR competition:

• Dr. Buhm-suk Baek (Assistant Professor at Kyung-Hee University, College of International Studies in Korea)

• Dr. Stephenson Chow (Assistant Professor at the School of Law, City University of Hong Kong)

• Dr. Mi-Hwa Hong (Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science & International Relations, Kookmin University)

• Dr. Matsuda Hiromichi (Assistant Professor of Law at International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan)

Below are the testimonies from our participants:

“MUPR provides a unique platform where we can utilize and practice different skills on-site suchas those relating to diplomacy and problem-solving on-site. It was an incomparable experience…. The most memorable thing … is the friendship we developed from persevering through our challenging time.” — Panwaroj Naviganuparp

“The MUPR competition provides a rare opportunity for law students to mingle with overseastudents and to engage in the intellectual exchange of ideas. The competition exposes us to the most pressing human rights issues in different countries. The UPR is very different from normal debates/mooting competitions, as it aims to facilitate the cooperation of member states. It is my

honor to be the awardee of the MOFA Award, and I am glad that CityU provided us with the resource and support.” — Jessica Wu

“The competition was one of its kind where contestants could participate in an active dialoguerepresenting their own country and be challenged by questions raised by others on thematic human rights issues. The overall experience was very positive and thought-provoking.” — Frankie Wong

“The Model UPR is an amazing opportunity for students to discuss real human rights issues withother students from around the world, working together to figure out solutions to these pressing questions. I am extremely proud of my team’s performance in the competition and our team’s unity and commitment to supporting each other. I would definitely recommend this competition to anyone interested in Human Rights.” — Justin Chung

“The competition has been a precious opportunity for students to explore international humanrights mechanisms, especially the Universal Periodic Review. It also provides a valuable platform for us to discuss human rights issues with other elites from South Korean and Japan...”

— Yipin Chen