Year 11th students Sviatoslav and Imre took part in the Model United Nations debate in Vienna International Centre
The International Baccalaureate program, which our school follows, is aimed at the comprehensive development of the students’ personality. This article talks about one of the examples of how our students apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired in practice.
On February 25-26 this year, the Model United Nations (MUN) debate took place in Vienna, in which two Year 11th students of our school, Imre and Sviatoslav, successfully participated. This time, the topic of discussion was Outer Space, and Vienna was not chosen by chance. It is a key center for the international space diplomacy community. The Vienna International Centre (VIC) is home to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and its committee dealing exclusively with international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).
Model United Nations (MUN) is a simulation of the United Nations, in which students imitate bodies such as the Security Council, the General Assembly or the Economic and Social Council and discuss pressing issues facing the world today. Each registered student represents one country, selected at random. To ensure the smooth flow of debates and the high quality of the conference, students must follow rules called rules of procedure, which may vary from conference to conference. In general, the procedure consists of seven steps in a committee meeting:
- Roll Call – to see who is present.
- Setting the Agenda – determining the topics for debate.
- Keynote Speakers List – the centerpiece of the debate.
- Delivering Great Speeches – tips for delivering an effective speech.
- Motions – formal requests to change the course of the debate.
- Documents – documents and resolutions that you need to read.
- Voting – final decisions on resolutions.
Following the rules helps maintain order and ensure productive debates.
I asked Imre to share his impressions of participating in the conference.
„I had learned about this Model United Nations (MUN) from my friend Sviatoslav who told me about it back in January. I had already been to two MUNs beforehand and was considering going to another one to gain some more experience and also because I found the topic of this MUN interesting. MUNs usually have a specific issue they hold debates over, for example in my last MUN I had to represent Malta on Nuclear Disarmament affairs. This MUN’s topic was space. Specifically the prevention of the weaponization of space. It was an interesting topic I enjoyed debating over and I also had to represent a country with an interesting stance in global politics, Brazil.
The actual conference itself was being held in the old town of Vienna, not far from the Hofburg and when I got there I learned it was one of the buildings of the Spanish Horse School in Vienna. On our first day we started our debates and after them listened to a lecture by a representative from the actual United Nations Office on Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). His lecture was interesting and the questions put up by the students in the lecture were very interesting. On the second day of the conference we got to visit one of the four big United Nations Headquarters in the world. This one being in Vienna where the International Atomic Energy Agency is located. We had to go through security in order to get into the building, but once we were there it was an amazing experience.
It has helped me develop critical thinking skills and has also furthered my understanding of the world and my ability to debate and discuss topics with people.
Overall I enjoyed my experience at this MUN and would recommend for everyone to at least attend one even if it does not interest them”.
Both of our students were awarded conference certificates.
For those who want to test their knowledge and abilities, here is a link to the upcoming conferences that will take place this academic year.
