WEXPLORE CHINA 2011 Invitation Letter Dear students and teachers, We would like to offer you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. That is what we expect WEXPLORE China to be – an unrivalled learning experience, providing equal proportions of adventure, fun, an insight into international relations, language studies, history and cultural interaction. Not to mention the personal skills that can be gained from working with students from across the world and challenging yourself in a new and unfamiliar country. ‘New and unfamiliar’ definitely describes China. The World’s fastest growing economy is sometimes so new that a 15 years old picture is unrecognisable nowadays and last month’s road map may already be out of date! Contrastingly, another way to describe China would be ‘traditional’. In one of the oldest civilisations you will catch glimpses of the past as well as experienc- ing current practices that can be traced back thousands of years. This huge and diverse country cannot easily be defined, but one word that every visitor would agree on would be ‘fascinating’. We want you to experience as many aspects of fascinating China as possible, and this was our motivation for carefully selecting the programmes in 2011. • Beijing - 8 days discovering one of the World’s greatest cities • Shanghai and Xi’an - 6 days in the dynamic city of Shanghai, and Xi’an, the ancient capital of China • The Silk Road - a 12 day journey along the legendary trading route • Hainan - 5 days in south China’s tropical island paradise • WEMUNC 2011 - The 4th WE Model United Nations Conference, Beijing The WEMUNC (WE Model United Nations Conference) has matured over the past 4 years to become a truly international conference. We are honoured to invite you to a Model UN which now brings over 2000 delegates from around the world to participate in 4 days of dynamic cross-cultural exchange, team work, diplomacy and debating. This conference never fails to build strong new friendships between its delegates and helps to nurture the global leaders of tomorrow. We have designed the WEXPLORE study tours to be unique, providing experiences that you cannot normally get from a visit to China. An example of this is the WEXPLORE Field Research in Beijing where students will discover the city in teams and undertake their own research on a key contemporary topic. There are dozens more exciting and unique features that we have included and we encourage you to read through this brochure to fully understand our excitement about the programmes we are offering in 2011! Finally, for us the most important thing about our programmes are the people who join, and what we are most excited about is welcoming you to China next year. We hope to see you soon! Sincerely, Board of WE Model United Nations conference & Director of WEXPLORE China 02 Invitation Letter Contents Why WEXPLORE China? 04 Why WEXPLORE? 04 Why China? 05 The Programmes 06 WEMUNC 06 Beijing 08 Shanghai & Xi’an 09 The Silk Road 10 Hainan 12 Programme Packages and Dates 13 Fees and Deadlines 14 Contact 15 WEXPLORE CHINA Table of Contents 03 Why WEXPLORE? Personal Skills and Education company or organisation, and to prove • Learn about China. WEXPLORE aims that we make our prices and costs com- to teach students about the history, WEXPLORE China develops personal pletely transparent. We will be willing to philosophy, culture, politics and skills which are crucial to your future answer any queries that you may have the economy of China and valued by employers. In addition to about the pricing of each programme • Actively learn about the United Na- personal skill development, our pro- tions and international relations at grammes focus on other aspects of edu- WEMUNC cation such as economics, history, art We are Specialists • Gain school credits. Depending on and religion, giving an accurate view of your region and school, the WEX- life in China today. We also believe that We do not offer programmes in any PLORE China programmes may be inter-cultural relations are an extremely other country, we specialise in China! officially accredited and taking part important part of education, and we This results in a unique experience may allow you to gain credits towards design our programmes, particularly where you will feel much closer to the your curriculum. Please contact us if WEMUNC, with this in mind local people and culture than on any you require further details other expedition or tour. You will get the chance to genuinely interact and make Safety First friends with Chinese students, and visit Our Team places that require local knowledge and We take safety seriously. All of our pro- connections. We believe that this results The WEXPLORE China team is made up grammes are tried and tested and we in a more rewarding learning experience of highly qualified, passionate people will not lead students anywhere that has from around the world. We have vast in- not already been checked by our staff. In ternational experience in expeditions, this way we give a sense of adventure, Enrich Your CV/Resume travel as well as working abroad, and with the assurance of safety among the members of our manage- • Gain transferable skills that are vi- ment team we are fluent in around 10 tal for your future career or entrance languages! We have worked extremely Best Value to University. The WEXPLORE China hard to give you the kind of internation- Programme can teach communica- al experience that we have been lucky We have an extensive network and ex- tion, team-work, leadership, man- enough to have pertise within China allowing us to offer agement skills and inter-cultural more for less. We believe that we can understanding not be matched for value by any other • Learn the Chinese Language 04 Why WEXPLORE China? Why China? Facts and Figures Quoted from McKinsey Global Institute • Over the next 20 years, Chinese cities will add more than 350 million people ... the population of the entire United States • There will be more than 200 Chinese cities with more than a million inhabitants ... in Europe today there are only 35 cities of that size • There will be up to 50,000 new skyscrapers ... the equivalent of build- ing ten New York cities • There could be up to 170 new mass transit systems ... in Europe today there are about 70 • By 2025, two-thirds of China’s citizens will live in cities ... that’s nearly 1 billion people A Different World sic, language, food and way of life! urban and rural life and between the up- per and lower classes, the blooming of China will challenge your world view. A entrepreneurship, art, music and leisure civilisation with over 5000 years of re- Economic and Social activities as well as the destruction of corded history, a closed society for many Development tradition to move forward at an astound- years, language and culture barely un- ing pace. Witnessing this change is so derstood by outsiders - learning about Now is the time to visit China. The impressive that in the years to come you China is fascinating and exciting country has brushed off the global re- will be continually telling stories about cession as if it was a small flea, and the “when I was in China…” economy continues to boom. This is The Richness of the Culture a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to wit- ness China changing right before your China is a nation of 56 ethnic groups, eyes. You will witness dramatic social each of which have their own dress, mu- changes, the huge disparity between Three weeks may not suffice to get to know the whole country but it’s enough to dive into an incredible culture and breathtaking landscape. WEXPLORE China program gave us the possibility to be immersed in another way of life and I will never forget about the awesome time I had in China. From Michele Dappen, Kantonsschule Zug, Switzerland WEXPLORE CHINA 2010 Participant Why WEXPLORE China? 05 WEMUN EXPO Conference 2011 The WE Model United Nations Conference (WEMUNC), established in 2007 and taking place in Beijing, was one of the very first Model United Nations Conferences in China. In its third year it already welcomed students from 30 different coun- tries in 35 different committees, and with over 2000 delegates has now grown to become the largest Model UN in Asia. The WEMUN conference is an academic simulation of the United Nations with the objective of seeking solutions to vari- ous problems of the world through discussion, negotiation and debate. The research and preparation that is required, the opportunity for debating and negotiating and adopting views or at- titudes other than their own and the involvement and interaction with young people from all around the world combine to provide an intensive learning platform for personal development as well as world issues and diplomacy. Who will attend? What will I be doing? Learning Outcomes • Over 2000 delegates from all over • You will assume the role of a foreign • Learn invaluable communication the world between the ages of 14 - diplomat, not necessarily from your skills - public speaking, negotia- 25 home country tion, debating • Top MUN conferences in the world • You will be assigned to a committee • Understand the United Nations - will have their satellite conferences which will discuss two or three topics the most important body in interna- on WEMUN EXPO Platform: BosMUN during the conference tional relations by Boston University, BMUN by U.C • Examples of committees could be • Learn research skills while prepar- Berkeley, HMUN hosted by Harvard Human Rights Council, World ing for the sessions University, ILMUNC by University of Bank, UNICEF, Sino-US Think Tank • Understand how to effectively work Pennsylvania, MUNUC by University etc.