Mr. Clarence Chee’s Model United Nations club is preparing for the annual conference which will occur on January 19 to 21, in 2018. Delegates from around the lower mainland will come and debate about politics, social injustices, and growing problems affecting our world today.
For three days students will stay at the Hyatt and engage in intense, non-stop discussions concerning global issues. In past conferences, some discussions have lasted until two or three in the morning. Each student is assigned a country with a committee to represent, and it is their job to advocate for the needs and opinions of said country. The fashion in which they conduct these debates is an academic simulation of United Nations meetings.
“As teens, we are not always exposed to politics and this club allows students to not only develop their own opinions on issues, but debate them with their peers,” said grade 11 student Mishaal Jamal, head delegate for this years conference.
By attending these conferences, students will gain skills such as public speaking and leadership. An example of a beginner committee would be the World Health Organization. The difference between a beginner committee and an advanced committee is in the clarity of goals- which means that one is easier to understand and gets to the point a lot quicker than the other. Attending the conferences is what makes the MUN experience so amazing, the professional environment opens up a whole new world, said Jamal.
When getting yourself involved in these conferences, confidence is key, especially for newcomers. “This club has not only provided me an opportunity to express my political opinion, but it has really pushed me to fight for what I believe in,” said Jamal. A conference is a great place to exercise those skills because as it is a professional environment- so a certain degree of maturity is upheld.
Model United Nations is a great extracurricular activity for students looking to learn about politics and international relations, and for those who are looking to improve their public speaking and debate skills. It includes a lot of hands-on, relevant work and can be a great addition to a resume or for college applications. Employers and post-secondary institutions always look for examples of leadership and teamwork in an application. Although one would miss a day of school for the conference, the end result is well worth it.
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