Neshaminy’s Model United Nation club left for the National Conference at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York on Thursday, May 17. Ten students, along with adviser, Josh Stoner attended the two day conference and had much success before returning home on Saturday, May 19.
Model UN is a competition that occurs every year in New York where student groups gather to represent the ideals of varied countries. Proceedings are severely formal, and debate toward one resolution passes the six hour day quickly.
“Model UN allows students to develop research skills, expand geo-political knowledge and learn to interact with students from various schools in a professional/diplomatic manner,” Stoner said.
The learning experience was shared by veterans and seniors, Jonny Bell, Brett Campbell, juniors, David Adler, Rachel Rotteveel, and sophomores Anna Atkinson and Yashmeet Kaur, along with first timers, and juniors Nick Funk, Stephen Finell and Brianna Spause and sophomore Ethan Stein.
Seniors, Bell and Campbell represented Great Britain in the Security Council division of the competition, and received the award for Best Position Paper. The council dealt with diplomatic affairs from the years of 1948-49.
“Model UN has taught me not only to be open minded about other people’s perspectives, but to appreciate when anything actually gets done in politics,” Bell said, regarding his three years of experience.
Apart from the seniors, the rest of the UN delegates represented the country of Mongolia. Rotteveel and Spause represented Earth Summit, and succeeded in passing a draft resolution. Adler and Stein represented the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Atkinson and Kaur representing GA 1st: Global Arms all were sponsors of a passing resolution. Funk and Finnell, representing United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), were signatories of a passing resolution.
The 10 Neshaminy students worked diligently with other students from all over the world. Students from Texas to South Korea and even in between arrived at the conference. “Even though I had little idea of what I was doing, I still had a great time. It was cool to meet people from all over the world,” Funk said.
Secretary of Defense, Ban Ki Moon, and High School Musical’s Monique Coleman, recently named UN’s first ‘Youth Champion’ both addressed participants of the importance of their youth. They encouraged young people to “Raise their voices,” and spread awareness of international issues, and their effects at home.
The next competition takes place in 2013, and needs participants. Students expressing interest can contact Stoner.
