MUN is a simulation of the committees and General Assemblies that take place at the United Nations.
There is also a Security Council, Crisis Committee and an International Court of Justice. Groups of three to five students form delegations representing different countries and write, debate and vote on resolutions on real issues that are occurring in the World now. This is a conference for students run by students.
Between 18th and 21st October five Ayalde girls attended the 33rd International MUN hosted by Royal Russell School in Croydon ( www.royalrussell.co.uk ). There were 416 pupils from 30 schools from 11 different countries including Japan, USA, Germany, Italy, Greece, Norway, Finland, France and Uzbekistan. Ayalde was the only school from Spain. The students formed 83 delegations and sat on ten committees.
The students spent at least six months prior to the conference researching and preparing information about their country, New Zealand, and the topics of their committees. Ayalde performed very well during the conference, and came home with a ‘Distinguished Delegate’ award. I was very pleased with the amount of time and effort that the girls put into this project and I know we all enjoyed ourselves immensely during the conference. Congratulations girls!
Photo: Teresa San Roma, Teresa Garcia Navarro, Eugenia Gomeza, Isabel Sabin and Patricia Rey-Baltar
The experience by Isabel Sabin:
On 18th October I went to England to take part in a simulation of the United Nations called MUN. There, my schoolmates and I represented New Zealand and we had to defend the country’s point of view on several worldwide issues. In my case, I was the Ambassador and I had to do the Opening Speech in the General Assembly. This was completely new to me because I was not used to speaking in front of so many people and, what’s more, in a different language. I also participated as a delegate in the Economic and Financial Committee. In this context, we debated different financial topics. For example we specially focused on the question of Tax Havens being used by Multinational Corporations. After presenting my Policy Statement, I achieved to make two Points of Information to Pakistan. After living this great experience, I have realised about the importance of being aware of our world’s concerns.
Also, with this voyage I have improved many competent and communicative skills. And, the most important, not only I did learn a lot but I also enjoyed myself and I got to know many students from varied nationalities.
Isabel Opening Speech (1 hour 38 min):
Isabel Policy Statement:
Eugenia Gomeza
My committee was “Disarmament and International Security 2”. From the four topics, I choose the one about the Spratly Islands for my resolution and to make my Point of Information. I choose this topic because I thought it was a big problem we could try to solve. It was great to hear the delegates debating about different topics and also to take part in the General Assemblies where I learnt alot. It was a great experience and I hope to repeat it next year.
Eugenia Gomeza Voting in Committee
Teresa San Roma
I sat on the Disarmament and International Security 1 Committee in which we discussed questions such as Israel’s nuclear weapons or the immunity of peacekeepers. My resolution was about removing and disarming chemical weapons from combat zones and I merged it with the delegate of Germany. I also joined the Crisis Committee to create a resolution about a coup in the Balkans. Nicola Dignum was responsible for coordinating this project and Maria Arzua travelled with us to England. We all enjoyed very much.
Teresa´s Policy Statement:
Teresa Garcia Navarro
I sat on the Environment Committee as a delegate of New Zealand. The topics to debate were the questions of deforestation, elephant and rhino poaching, hydraulic fracking and allowing the use of genetically modified crops in farming, in which I wrote a resolution from New Zealand’s point of view.
During the debates in the committee I made a point of information and I tried a few times to do another one in General Assembly, but the Chair did not give me the floor.
From the MUN I have learned some debating skills, as well as English. In addition, I have met people from all around the world and from different cultures. However, what I find the most important is that I have realised how mature, polite, smart, nice and outspoken teenagers, like me, can be. Meeting these people has encouraged me to try to attain those qualities.
Patricia Rey-Baltar
This year, some classmates and I have been participating in a really interesting conference in the UK called Model United Nations. This four-day-long conference is internationally well-known and its aim is getting students to debate about current issues and meeting new people from all over the world.
We represented New Zealand and I was in the “Special Political and Decolonisation Committee 1” which discussed topics such as the question of Syria, Thailand, piracy at sea and malaria the one I wrote a resolution on. Although my resolution didn’t pass, all the debate was fascinating and I enjoyed it a lot. The way some students talked in public, their being respectful to everyone else and the seriousness they worked with were some things that caught our attention for good. Thanks to Nicola, the teacher that has organised the whole trip for us, we have learnt a lot of new things and benefited from this great opportunity.
Patricia´s Policy Statement:
Teachers in charge: María Arzua and Nicola Dignum