The third week of March for some of our students was incredibly intense. More than 30 students from our school participated in the 2024 NHSMUN conference. It means they had an opportunity to visit one of the most important capital cities in the world, try themselves as young diplomats in the UN, get plenty of new impressions and socialise inside and outside of our school community. This experience was unforgettable and the following article helps to substantiate this point.
NHSMUN is an educational program and mock United Nations conference. It is designed for high school students and offers them the opportunity to assume the role of delegates from various United Nations member countries and participate in simulated debates, negotiations and resolutions of global problems. During the NHSMUN conference, students discuss current issues and develop realistic solutions to global problems, thereby improving their skills in research, negotiation, oratory and international cooperation. The NHSMUN conference is one of the largest and most prestigious mock United Nations conferences in the world, attracting participants from all over the world.
The first day of the trip was spectacularly long due to two flights and the change of time zones. Tired but satisfied, we finally checked in at the Hilton Midtown Hotel and tried to cope with jet-lag. Second day of the trip was devoted to the NHSMUN opening ceremony. Then we visited the main UN headquarters and attended a tour that was made for us by one of the UN foreign service workers.
The impression was huge, because it was unbelievable to see firsthand places – the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council – which we only had an opportunity to see in magazines and newspapers before. We learned that each room acquired its own special interior which was developed to successfully facilitate peaceful and productive negotiations.
The first conference took place at the end of the second day after the UN tour and dinner. Participants opened the debates with multiple prepared and sophisticated speeches about most affecting and serious problems in our world nowadays.
The third day of the trip was the day of the most intense debates. For the entire day we had lectures with short breaks between them, which consisted of three different phases of the debates:
The most fascinating discussions happened on the stage of the moderated caucus. However, the only flaw that our students noticed was lack of real communication between delegates in the moderated caucus, as their speeches weren’t interwoven with speeches of other delegates during the debates. Nonetheless, this shortfall was amended during unmoderated caucus - the stage when delegates form alliances with countries of common positions and opinions and start developing resolutions. During the ‘unmod’ delegates communicated their ideas with various students from all over the world and of course they also had an opportunity to find people of personal interest on this stage, even if it deviated from the initial topic).
During our stay in New York we participated in 4 intense days of UN simulation. We were each assigned a country, in a different committee and had to discuss important global issues. Then, by collaborating with delegates from all around the world, we had to come up with common resolutions. I managed to speak in front of many, improving on my public speaking skills. Our committee was huge and even though at times the unmoderated caucuses were a bit chaotic, we were able to come up with successful resolutions. During the last few days we visited the city. It was my first time in New York and I found its skyline truly fascinating. Overall, it was a brief, but amazing experience - Chiara di Paolo, I IB
The third day also gave the opportunity to meet real foreign service workers that contribute to the UN, develop a deeper understanding about their job and ask individual questions. Some students that are planning to bound their future actions with foreign service and international relations found that meeting to be salient as they could ask things that interest them personally and get a helpful answer.
On the fourth day of the trip and the third day of debates delegates finished their resolutions and submitted them to the chair. After two committee sessions students had the delegate dance.
The NHSMUN 2024 conference came to an end and on the closing ceremony the best delegates in different nominations were announced.
In March we accompanied 29 of our students on an amazing school trip to New York City. They took part in the MUN conference and got the chance to visit the UN facilities – a truly remarkable experience. It was an incredible week in which our students had the opportunity to work, learn and bond with other students from all over the world, discussing global issues and debating UN resolutions. It was also an opportunity for us teachers to mingle with our guys in a new environment that allowed us to appreciate all the good work we have done together so far - Prof. Guglielmo Sperone
The remaining days of the trip were dedicated to visiting the main museums such as the MET and the museum of natural history and places such as Brookline Bridge, Central Park and Empire State Building. Some of our students were also able to visit places of personal interest such as Broadway and MoMA (Museum of Modern Arts).
Overall impression that our students had after the trip is more than satisfying and, to be honest, just amazing! Some of them even said that they would love to participate in the project in the future, not as delegates, but as supervisors and experts.
And the final point I want to make is that skills and friendliness of our supervisor - Paola Pietrosanti, former participant of the NHSMUN herself, were highly estimated by the students, which are grateful that Paola was able to make the experience even better.