Un grupo de 16 alumnas de 4º ESO a 2º Bachillerato participaron en MUN Praga.
MUN es el acrónimo en inglés de MODEL UNITED NATIONS. Lo que significa que es un proyecto, auspiciado por la ONU, que consiste en una simulación de diversos órganos, comités y organismos especializados de la ONU.
El proyecto Mun es un proyecto internacional con miles de centros implicados, desde Universidades a colegios internacionales. Ayalde es junto al colegio Americano de los únicos centros españoles que participan en estas Conferencias internacionales.
La última conferencia organizada ha sido la de Praga, donde Ayalde participó del 5 al 10 de abril. Fueron acompañadas por la directora del proyecto, Nicola Dignum y por la profesora Tania Santiago. En esta ocasión participaron 243 estudiantes de Irlanda, Italia, Estados Unidos, España, Polonia, Egipto, Turquía, Grecia, Alemania, Republica Checa y Holanda. El idioma oficial es el inglés. Ayalde fue el único colegio español que participó en esta edición.
Desde octubre de 2014: el colegio ha participado en cuatro ocasiones: en el Royal Russell School, de Londres (2014 + 2015), en Colegio Ayalde (2015) y Praga (2016). En el mes de mayo volveremos hacer MUN en Ayalde.
Cada colegio que acude a MUN representa a un país e interviene tanto en los comités como en la Asamblea General de la ONU. Durante la actividad los alumnos deben representar y defender la posición de un país con el objetivo de desarrollar habilidades relacionadas con la oratoria y la capacidad negociadora para llegar a acuerdos. Antes de aprobar las propuestas, los alumnos deben buscar información sobre el país al que representan, elaborando la posición oficial de cada uno de ellos.
Crónica de aquellos días en PRAGA inolvidables:
Having lunch at a typical Czech pub
On Wednesday, we visited a school called Gymnasium Omska, who were also attending the MUN conference. After getting to know the students and being shown around the school, the students took us on a tour of an area of Prague which tourists do not normally visit. At each stop, a different student explained the building or monument that they were showing us. On the way, we stopped for lunch at a typical Czech pub. In the evening, we were free to explore the center of Prague.
With Omska students visiting the Church of the most Saintheart of God, nominated as an UNESCO sight.
The conference started on Thursday 7 April with the Opening Ceremony taking place at the Czech Republic’s Academy of Science. Attending the conference were 243 students from 11 countries, including Ireland, Italy, USA, Spain, Poland, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Germany, Czech Republic and the Netherlands. The delegates were aged between 15-19 years old.
With Omska students visiting the Church of the most Saintheart of God, nominated as an UNESCO sight.
Ayalde delegates at the Opening Ceremony
There were two keynote speakers: Andor Sandor, a general from the Czech People’s Army and Martin Klucar, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Czech Republic. The. The ambassador of each delegation made their opening speech.
In the evening, there was an ‘Icebreaker’ event in a typical Czech bar in the city center, where the delegates met in their committees and got to know their Chairs.
Disarmament and International Security Committee
Gender Equality Committee
Icebreaker event
On Friday 8th and Saturday 9th April, we went to Porg School to meet in our committees. Each committee had two topics to debate and write resolutions on, so one topic was covered on Friday and the other on Saturday. The delegates had informal lobbying to work together and build a resolution, which was then debated and delegates could ask Points of Information (questions) or speak in favour or against the resolution, before the resolutions were voted on.
Friday’s Summary of Participation:
17 speeches, 14 Points of Information, 1 merged resolution and some motions.
Saturday’s Summary of Participation:
16 speeches, 16 Points of Information, 3 amendments and a motion.
On Friday night, there was a Karaoke session in a student club in the center of Prague, and all the singing was started by the Spanish! On Saturday night, we had the final disco which was great fun.
On Sunday 10th April, the General Assembly and Closing Ceremony took place at the Prague Town Hall.
In General Assembly
During the General Assembly, one resolution from each committee was debated and voted on. Four of our delegates took the floor to give speeches about resolutions and performed very well, and two delegates acted as the ambassadors of Australia and Germany.
The conference ended about 4pm, and from there we went over to Mala Strana to the Church of Our Lady Victorious. It’s special because in this church is located the Infant Jesus of Prague. This is a 16th century Roman Catholic wax-coated wooden statue of child Jesus holding a globus cruciger. Pious legends state that the statue once belonged to Saint Teresa of Avila.
We arrived back in Bilbao on Monday 11th April, exhausted but very happy with our experience in Prague.