By Jasmine, Grade 10
The Model United Nations Club at ISP is an entirely student-run club focused on learning and practicing the skills of global citizenship and diplomacy.
MUN or Model UN is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate students about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy, and the United Nations agenda. As participants in MUN, students role-play as representatives from different countries and attempt to represent their views in formal debates on international issues.
In early November, 22 ISP Upper School students participated in two Model United Nations conferences: One at the International School of the Hague (MUN-ISH) and one at the Omska Gymnazium in Prague.
“MUN-ISH was my first time at an actual conference. I have been doing MUN since last spring and was so excited to finally experience a real conference with students from around the world. As a part of the Future Security Council, I found it really interesting to debate current topics as if they were occurring in the year 2030.”
Kate, Grade 10
ISP students Joel and Bart from Grade 12 led fellow students to The Hague to debate various topics: imagining solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, tackling international tax evasion, preventing future pandemics, and more. More info on the MUN-ISH conference can be found on this website.
“Although MUN-ISH was my third MUN conference, this was the first conference that I had to travel abroad. I was very nervous and could not stop worrying because I did not feel fully prepared for the debate. However, as always, the chairs were very supportive, and I quickly got into the debate. But one thing that this conference stood out to me was the fact that I could meet so many people from various different countries and that I could embrace their perspectives regarding the issue that I had my own stand. And I always think this process of learning is the best thing about attending a MUN conference.”
Minie, Grade 10
Rana, Grade 12, led fellow students to Gymnazium Omska here in Prague with creative proposals for improving environmental issues, establishing guidelines for human genetic modification, women’s rights, and more. More information on the GOMUN conference is on this website. The Prague conference even had news reporting present at the event, with coverage by Seznam Zpravy. The article written about the weekend can be found here.
One of the main goals of MUN conferences is to discuss the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This mission closely aligns with ISP’s values as an IB school that aims to address the SDGs and the issues related to them on a daily basis.
In these conferences, students have the chance to debate current (or even historical) topics that interest them. Most importantly, the MUN club is organized entirely by ISP students.
“I was in the World Health Organization committee, and we debated the topics of equitable vaccine distribution, prevention of future pandemics, and the question of medical tourism. Overall it was a great experience, and I’d highly recommend it. It was such a large-scale event that helped me connect with others from around the world, and it also helped me open my mind to the current problems within the world. It was very well organized, and it made me consider starting an ISP-MUN.”
Robert, Grade 11
New participants are more than welcome to MUN meetings, which take place on Tuesdays after school in room 216.
