Model United Nations

M O D E L UNITED NATIONS

Dr Sarah Bond

Head of Academic Talent Development

Mrs Natasha Rosky

Head of Humanities

On Sunday 16 May, the Humanities and Academic Talent Development (ATD) departments co-hosted a student-run TSS Model United Nations (MUN), with participants from TSS, St Hilda’s and Miami State High School. A Model UN, or MUN, is a simulation-based learning exercise in which student delegates adopt the persona of an allocated country and subsequently represent that country during a simulation of UN proceedings. The themes for the TSS MUN were: Combating Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) Fishing and Transparency and Reduction in Military Budgets. Students represented a wide variety of countries and positions and they worked together to pass resolutions which outlined plans to address these essential problems. Chairman Max Dewhurst and Secretary General Ryac de Barros facilitated the day’s events. At the conclusion of the event, TSS boys took home the awards below:

Best Junior (Y9-10) Delegate – Rohan Sheppard, Belgium

Best Senior (Y11-12) Delegate – Oliver Dunn, Ireland

Best Position Paper – Arthur O’Keefe, North Korea

In his Chairman’s Report, Max Dewhurst applauded all TSS boys who showed a high level of diplomacy throughout the event, noting that for some delegates, it was their first experience debating in the MUN format; however, that did not stop them putting their incredible diplomacy skills on display.

We look forward to next year’s conferences where delegates will be able to further expand their knowledge of the ever-changing climate of international relations.

Bond University High School Model United Nations (BUHMUN) is Australia’s first University run High School Model UN conference. TSS was proud to enter eight students into the competition, after winning Best School Delegation in 2020. Participants were: Lucas Dell, Saxon Gemeri, Joe Maurice, Max Dewhurst, Rohan Sheppard, Cormack Anning and Ryac de Barros. The 2021 BUHMUN was centred around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5 – Achieving Gender Equality and Empowering Women and Girls.

Ensuring the full participation of women in leadership and decisionmaking will improve women’s social, economic and political status is considered essential for sustainable development in all areas of life. In her message to the delegates, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said, “The Bond University High School Model United Nations is an opportunity to turn empathy into action, by learning more about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and working with peers to address critical issues impacting people and the planet.” The TSS delegations did an outstanding job, achieving an Honourable Mention (second place) overall for the School Delegation, and with Joe Maurice achieving an individual award for Best Position Paper in his committee.