by Helena H. (G11) and Nicolas S. (G11)
The ICS Model United Nations is a club where members of our community are encouraged to develop international-mindedness, learn debate, and foster a passion for the world around them, approaching real-life politics and issues through the lens of the UN. We aim to foster collaboration, encourage an appreciation and understanding of the world around us.
Students who join our ICS MUN gain many benefits. Preparing for, and actually participating in MUN allows students to develop research, public-speaking, and critical thinking skills, which are so essential in our ever-changing world. Because of these skills, students are able to get better at problem-solving, which equips them with the ability to adapt and persevere later in life. Also, coming up with resolutions and solutions that are acceptable to the majority of delegates, which takes place during conferences, allows MUNers to establish the important grounds for conflict resolution, and cooperation.
Helena’s dream career is to work in human rights, ideally with the United Nations, and she feels that the skills she develops through MUN are essential for success in this field. However, all of these skills are transferable to different sectors. Future doctors will be able to approach medical issues through problem-solving, and research skills. Professional athletes will be able to approach challenges through perseverance. Teachers will have to adapt and use conflict resolution and cooperation skills to effectively lead a classroom-setting.
Helena feels that she’s been able to grow as a learner, and as a person, with each of these attributes and skills. And we’re sure that we speak for all of us when we say that the experience is enormously helpful and essential in shaping who we’ll become.
This year was the first time our club took part in an international Model United Nations (MUN) event; we had the honour of going to the Copernicus Model United Nations (CoMUN) conference in Poland. About 300 students from different schools attended the conference, and we were able to represent our school on a number of committees, such as the Future Security Council, UNESCO, African Union, European Council, and International Criminal Court. It was an incredibly fun and enjoyable experience for all the students involved.
Nicolas has been involved in the Model UN club for three years, and it has sparked his interest in pursuing a future career in politics. Over the years, he’s had the chance to go to three conferences, and the most recent one in Poland was his first MUN trip abroad. He represented the delegation Sudan in the African Union, and talked about how to deal with political unrest in Africa, especially through the lens of military coups. Similar to his previous experiences in MUN, this conference has enabled him to participate in discussions on global issues and broaden his understanding of different countries' viewpoints. Each conference offers a unique experience that inspires him to remain actively involved in the club and continue attending new conferences each year.
Thomas, who was also on the trip, shared, "It was an amazing experience. I found it fascinating to interact with all other delegates from around the world. I am very thankful I was able to come on this trip. It was a great learning experience to have and to build upon in the future."
Bhavya said, "I really enjoyed the conference, and I love how we got to meet a lot of new people and see how different things were in other countries. Through the committee, I was able to gain knowledge for my future."