The annual Model United Nations Conference (MUNC) was held at Choate on April 2.
Hundreds of students flooded the dining hall this on Sunday, April 2, for the annual Model United Nations Conference (MUNC). Choate hosted delegates from eighteen different schools, some of whom traveled as long as two hours. Choate’s Model UN has attended various conferences at different universities such as Yale, Harvard, Columbia, University of Connecticut, and Dartmouth, and is well-known for its strong team of well-rounded delegates. This is the third year that Choate has hosted its own conference.
At the MUNC, students have traditionally gathered to represent different countries and discuss various issues afflicting the world. This year’s event consisted of five committees pertaining to the topic of Nuclear Vulnerability. The United Nations Federal Committee on Climate Change discussed the effects of nuclear power on climate change; the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review talked about the pros and cons of the current nuclear regulation system; the Historical Crisis Committee replayed the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis; and the Security Council looked into the Iran Nuclear Deal that was signed last year. The conference was divided into two parts – beginners, including middle schoolers, and high school students. The best delegates on each team received a certificate and gavel.
Student-driven planning for the MUNC began a year and a half ago. The Secretary General of Model UN, Arielle Landau ’17, worked with a team of four students — Karen Shure ’17, Zoe Reid ’17, Hunter Rice ’17, and Melody Li ’18 — to organize the event, with the advice of faculty advisers Mr. Anthony Hopkins and Mr. Yaser Robles. “I do not do a lot of the organizational work, as it is really more of the students,” Mr. Hopkins said. After Christmas break, registration was made available on Choate’s official website.
As another component of planning, the committee chairs put together lengthy Background Guides and organized training for the Choate student staff of the MUNC. “This year, I had to write some of the Background Guides along with editing them. I have to make sure the registration runs smoothly and that all the schools are here. I even picked the topic, which is a really important issue for me,” Landau explained.
Model UN member Saleha Farooqui ’18 said, “This year as a chair for the Historical Crisis Committee, I got to see the whole team coming together and preparing for this conference months in advance. There’s a lot of preparation that goes into making this day possible on behalf of students and faculty alike.”
One obstacle was the withdrawal of Deerfield Academy’s delegates; their club representatives forgot to inform Choate that the students could no longer attend. A majority of the delegates from Deerfield Academy had been assigned to represent the United States at the conference, a nation which was to have a pivotal role in the discussions. “We had to call in people who were not even in Model UN to come fill these spots,” Landau said.
However, the MUNC overall went smoothly. Another member, Elsa Rose Farnam ’18, said, “I moderated the middle school committee. Despite my expectations, I was blown away by the delegates’ engagement, eloquence, and knowledge of international politics. I felt like I was watching a new generation of leaders.”
Farooqui concluded, “The MUNC was an incredible experience. It’s amazing how much it’s grown since my freshman year. Seeing different age groups connect with one another is really rewarding.” She added, “It was truly amazing to see it all come together last Sunday.”
