Diplomatic Dialogue and Global Engagement with Model U.N. Conference

The three-day summit welcomed over 2,500 high school students from across the country and offered participants the opportunity to find their voice in the global conversation and delve into the world of international affairs, public speaking, and diplomatic skills while utilizing creative freedom in their various committees through policy debate.

The student representatives included seniors Ezra De La Cruz, Barbara Ramirez Moreno, Frida Ramirez Moreno, Leni Vujovic, Betty Wang, and Paula Wang; juniors Theo Baron, Anni Chen, Anand Persaud, Landon Sassu-Martin, Sam Seigel, Brian Song, Freddy Xiang, and Tim Yan; and sophomores Jack Ginnetti and Ruina Huang. Upper School teachers Dr. Nuray Ibryamova and Armando Perez serve as the club advisors.

As mock delegates, the students were each assigned a country and a committee with the task of debating global issues from the perspective of their assigned location. The preparation for the conference began with the students researching their country's stance on a myriad of issues along with submitting a position paper describing their country’s beliefs and standpoints. According to Dr. Ibryamova, the students represented a variety of countries and topics in their designated committees. The conference began with an opening ceremony before the students broke off into their committee sessions, engaging in debates and creating proposals and resolutions for the issues they chose. Once the sessions were closed for the delay, the group enjoyed socializing with activities and a reception.

It was a successful conference as junior Theo Baron and sophomore Ruina Huang both received awards of Diplomatic Commendation for their outstanding performance at the conference. Theo earned a Diplomatic Commendation for representing Poland in the INTERPOL Committee as he demonstrated a strong grasp of policy and effective collaboration. Ruina received a Diplomatic Commendation for her representation of Somalia in the African Union, where she addressed issues such as advancing technological infrastructure in Africa and combating infectious diseases.