SLN MUN New York Bulletin

Our SLN-MUN group attended the 36^th annual National High School Model United Nations Conference in New York. Over 2700 participants from over 20 countries sat in Conference to pursue the expansive theme of Global Development. The students engaged in rigorous debate as ambassadors, experts, and activists to tackle the international community’s most pressing issues.

The students who participate in the conference will become the policy shapers and world leaders of tomorrow. Whether their impact will be made in fields like science, finance, government, humanitarian aid, or crisis intervention, each student will have learned the importance of education, communication, and cooperation.

Below is their diary:

 

Day One: Monday 15th March

The students and staff assembled at SLN at 05.30hrs and left on time by coach, had a good journey to Heathrow and departed for NY at 15.35hrs

                     

They arrived at 23.45hrs UK time which was 19.45hrs local time in New York   

 

Day Two: Tuesday 16th March

Students will be getting up at 12.30hrs UK time and we are expecting a bulletin later in the day telling us about their sight-seeing.

1115hrs Just received an update everyone slept well and really enjoying the hotel, they are getting ready now for a day of sight seeing. They will report in this evening.

Students went to Wall Street, Central Park, Staten Island and even encountered a bit of fame when they stood less than six feet away from Jennifer Aniston!  

                   

 

The day ended with a 1950s American diner with singing waiters and waitresses all trying to make it on Broadway. It was a special night for Mr Lynch too as he learnt he had turned 70 and the whole diner sang happy birthday to him. He was also serenaded with a rendition of ‘Hopelessly devoted to you’ from Grease! It was a wonderful end to the day and not one he will be allowed to forget for a while!

 

1453hrs The students are enjoying the St Patrick's Day Parade and in true American style everything is St Patrick Day themed. It's not all fun as the serious work starts soon! 

Day 2 started with a bit of a lie-in (an extra half an hour in bed anyway!) and some cream cheese bagels, then we headed over to 5^th Avenue to watch the St Patrick’s Day Parade all decked out in green. For lunch we fought our way through the crowds to the Rockefeller Center, the location of British Intelligence in the US during World War Two and home (and ex-home) to many notorious banks and media organisations.

The afternoon was spent doing last minute prep for the start of MUN and getting dressed in business attire something the students did much more successfully than the staff! Despite not being in the UN, the opening ceremony really got everyone into the mindset of UN delegates with speeches from eminent professors such as Jeffrey Sachs and US ambassadors.Many of the students were disappointed with the opening of the committee sessions with the focus purely on registration and setting the agenda but this soon changed once the debates really began and everyone began to input into the discussion.

After a long and tiring day ending at 12.15am everyone was just happy to crash into bed ready for another full day tomorrow.

 

With another full day ahead of them, the Tanzanian delegation headed to the Tanzanian embassy to meet with the actual mission from Tanzania and ask questions to clarify their own position within MUN. Meanwhile, the Green Cross, World Food Programme and Gabonese delegation attended workshops on subjects such as genocide, international law and grassroots movements for peace and development. All the students rose to their individual challenges exceptionally well and asked very thought-provoking questions of their respective speakers.

After a quick bite to eat in the lobby, committees restarted and the debate continued with the students armed with fresh information about their topics.

Conference continued, and delegates were all working on their resloutions. Committee sessions ended at 18:30 and delegates got ready for the delegate dance.

 

Delegates voted on their resolutions during the plenary sessions, and the closing ceremony took place from noon till 13:30.Delegates said their goobyes to their new friends, and went on their final excursion of New York City. We had our final meal at The Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, and walked across Brooklyn Bridge for lots of photos of NYC at night.

 

Arrived at London Heathrow Airport and set up off on the final leg of our journey: back home to Bradford!