Model United Nations

In the evening of today my school held its first Model United Nations simulation, debating the worsening crisis in Syria. Some sixth form students were given the opportunity to act as delegates on the United Nations Security Council. They discussed issues concerning the conflict in Syria and its effects on bordering states as well as the situation of refugees. The delegates worked in teams with the people who did the research on the matter. I was in the team for the United States along with two other people for research, a teacher to guide us correctly, and the delegate. First we had to create a position paper to summarise the views and current position of America in the Syrian matter. After this, we simply needed to prepare for the meeting and think about creating resolutions that could be signed with other countries. This was useful for CAS because I had increased my awareness of my own strengths and areas for growth in researching for the team and discussing the situation in Syria. This was a new challenge for me as I had never done anything similar to it before. I planned and initiated the different meetings and what was going to be said in them and worked collaboratively with others to do so. I attended all of the meetings and did a lot of research showing perseverance and commitment. The whole idea of the activity is to engage with issues of global importance which is what I did with all of the other participants. I have developed new skills in presentation and have become an inquirer, knowledgeable, a thinker, a communicator, open-minded, caring, balanced, reflective.

This was a challenge for me because it is different to all of the things which I have done. I find looking at things that are happening in the world very interesting so I think that helped me a lot with researching about the current situation of the area we were looking at. in addition it was challenging to work with the other countries to come to a mutually benefitial conclusion. 

My aims doing this activity were to experience how diplomacy and the UN works and how it may help to resolve international conflicts. In addition to this I wanted to understand what the limitations of diplomacy are and develop my personal qualities whilst taking part in something that is important worldwide.

MUN is Creativity because I had to work in a team to create a position paper and also to create resolutions which are possible to be signed with all of the necessary countries so that it is not vetoed (otherwise it will not be passed). MUN also fits into Skills, however, because I feel that I have been able to vastly improve my skills in research and writing for others about factual events and decisions.  

I think this was a very useful activity as it made me aware of the situation in Syria to a large extent. I enjoyed the process of creating the position paper and the requests to other countries with my team mates. Every one of our US meetings was a very lively and insightful interchange of ideas and opinions which broadened everyone's knowledge and minds to absorb other's ideas. I have met all of my learning outcomes and also my aims.