From a teen's perspective: Transformation through Model UN is evident
A few weeks ago, I sadly attended my last college-hosted Model UN (MUN) Conference. I have participated since freshman year of high school. Throughout these four years, I have represented countries from Iran to Ireland in debating different global issues. However, MUN is more than just researching a country’s infrastructure or population. It has made a large impact on my life, and I am very thankful for the opportunity to take part in it.
MUN is hard to explain due to its variability within different committees, but a traditional MUN committee is essentially high school students acting as representatives from different countries and trying to find solutions for various global issues. Through this program, I have been a part of the World Health Organization, UN Environment Programme, and more. Some of my friends participate in a different type of committee called “crisis” where students play different characters from history, literature, modern times, or the future responding quickly to a current crisis. For example, this year my sister played the head of the postal system of Spain during the Eighty Years’ War. Regardless of the committee, MUN teaches students important skills while also having fun.
Because of MUN, I am more confident in my public speaking skills. When I started MUN, I had to write out every single word I was going to say when speaking in front of the delegates and only spoke once in my first three day conference. At my last conference, I spoke every chance possible and had no notes. When it is a necessity to get your points across, you learn how to be compelling in your words and that means not looking at notes. I now love public speaking and do not get nervous at all. All of that is due to MUN.
Beyond developing my public speaking skills and ability to research, MUN helped me find my passion. It is because of MUN that I am planning on majoring in International Relations in college, and that I attended the Solving Global Challenges session at the Yale Young Global Scholars summer program. Speaking with other motivated high schoolers about different solutions on global issues has shown me that my generation will be able to make a difference. I have learned so much from my MUN friends, and I know that we will be able to work together to find solutions. Although the MUN can not enforce anything, physically writing out solutions is a way for us to see how the world could be.
Through empathy and being willing to work with others, our world will be able to move forward. If we functioned in the highly-idealized way that MUN does, our world would not be burning and people could live in a more harmonious way. That is why I love MUN. Bonding with my classmates and being on a college campus for a weekend is great, but imagining for a moment that we could work together to stop the pain in the world is what I love. I encourage everyone who has the opportunity to join a Model UN club or sign up individually for a conference: you never know where it will take you.
