SSFS Students Attend Model U.N.

By Ben McClellan, Upper School History Teacher
Eleven SSFS students participated in the 59th annual North American Invitation Model United Nations (NAIMUN) conference the weekend of February 17th. They joined over 3,000 students from around the world to participate in simulated United Nations committees to address contemporary and historic world issues like election integrity, human rights, climate change, censorship, refugee crises, and diplomatic solutions to conflict.  SSFS students represented present day Monaco, Zambia, and Bahrain in the UN General Assembly, and represented specific figures from the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, and the city-state of Pontus in the crisis committees.

Students were required to prepare for the conference by researching the position of their country or individual, the background of two or more specific topics their committees were assigned, and then propose a resolution to address the issues.  During the conference, students had to respond, collaborate, and improvise as they worked together with friends and foes to promote their interests and resolve the issues diplomatically.  At times, there was high drama as committee members were double crossed, misled, or abandoned, as each country chartered their preferred course.  At the conclusion of the conference, SSFS students had successfully contributed to multiple UN resolutions that were passed by their committees. While the conference was demanding and, at times, intense, it was a wonderfully positive and fun experience.