At YCIS Shanghai Puxi Secondary, students can take part in the Model United Nations (MUN) Co-Curricular Activity, led by Science Teacher Ms Alison Hall. MUN is a simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy, and the United Nations agenda. Students research a given country, take on roles as diplomats, investigate international issues, debate, deliberate, consult, and then develop solutions to real-world problems. While YCIS Puxi students have attended some fantastic MUN conferences around the globe, the most exclusive MUN conference in the world is The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN Hague). THIMUN Hague is deemed a prestigious conference because of its location, at The Hague in the Netherlands – the home of the most international peacekeeping organizations, and because it is an invitation-only conference. Students from our school attended THIMUN Hague from January 27 to February 1. Below two students who attended the conference share their thoughts about taking part in THIMUN Hague:

Romir, Year 11

This year, our MUN director, Ms Hall, received an invitation to one of the most prestigious MUN conferences in the world, at The Hague. It took four years of waiting on an exclusive waiting list before we could attend. We were delighted to hear the news, and we set out to find experienced and knowledgeable delegates to attend the conference. In the end, we travelled with twelve delegates, who all represented YCIS very well during the conference. The preparation by YCIS delegates was extremely successful, as every one of us had a resolution written. In fact, it was because of our preparation that we had two main submitters from our school. Even though there were so many people in the committees at the event, everyone from YCIS had at least one chance to speak during the four days of debate.

After years of planning, discipline, and determination, we accomplished what we had set out to do and achieved our dream!

Anna, Year 10

Receiving the news that we had the opportunity to attend this conference triggered so many emotions, but mainly excitement. I was so ecstatic to get the opportunity to travel to The Hague as this was the conference that everyone knew of, yet rarely experienced in person. So, we prepared our draft resolutions, brought all of our experience and excitement, and flew to Amsterdam. The conference itself was larger than any other, and as soon as we entered the World Forum, we could sense our change in posture and tone, taking a deep breath before we all entered the prestigious world of The Hague THIMUN conference.

This conference itself was a challenge. I pieced together all of my knowledge and past experience, leading the creation and merging of a resolution regarding the “Improvement of Agricultural Methods to Reduce Forced Child Labour”. After long hours of speech writing and heated debate, it passed!! In addition, I had the opportunity to meet marvellous people from all over the world and to reconnect with students whom I had previously worked with at another conference in Singapore. Overall, this was an incredible experience that I will always cherish and hopefully relive at 2020’s annual THIMUN conference in The Hague!

Congratulations to all the students and their teacher on achieving their place at THIMUN Hague through hard work and dedication!