How do you spend YOUR weekends?
2 weekends ago NES sent around 50 delegates, headed by our Secretary General Arjun and our DSGs Dorsa and Alireza, to the prestigious KESMUN Conference in KES. We participated in what were, personally, some of the greatest debates we have ever had the privilege of being part of. Proudly, we came away as the most successful delegation with 17 awards, 13 honourable mentions, bringing it to a grand total of 30 honours, more than ever before.
Why?
Now you may be wondering, why a bunch of teens would choose to go spend their weekend (a total of 26 hours) writing papers, debating and dressing up in ‘boring adult clothes’ – this was about so much more than that. This was about personal development and learning how to navigate through this complicated world and swaying people’s opinion. This was about learning how to speak to people in a meaningful way. I wholeheartedly believe that MUN has developed me greatly as not only a speaker but also as a person. I have learned to speak in a manner so as to convey my views, to become receptive to the views of others, and have generally grown in confidence. In the words of the Deputy Headmaster of KES (who also gave a speech at the opening ceremony of KESMUN) “Students often joke that MUN is fun.” And it is! This is why we all love it so much, why we spent countless hours preparing.
So what did you actually do?
The days were long, very long.
Thursday began with the opening ceremony in which we listened to speeches from the Deputy Headmaster of KES (as mentioned), the DSGs of KESMUN and also the ex-Kuwaiti Ambassador to Chile. Following on from that, there were 3 hours of heated debates on topics such as North Korea and Kashmir and delegates spent their time making allies (and, in some cases, a few enemies too) and asserting their views. To end, there was pizza, yum!
Friday was the day where the Kings of the conference were made: resolution day. We were required to team up and write papers on how to solve the sensitive matters at hand and they were voted upon. Some passed with flying colours whereas others were…destroyed! By far, this was the most intense day. Personally, in the Territorial Commission, I had a lot of work to do since I antagonised the commission on the first day through a mix of factual blame and deflecting questions, trying to get my resolution passed. The competition was fierce but, in the end, my resolution co-submitted with Ukraine on the Arctic Issue’ did succeed.
Saturday was the day where the Kings arrived at the palace: the Palms Hotel. The morning was on fire with anticipation as we awaited our arrival at the hotel and, most of all, the awards. Chandeliers, marble, steaks and anything else you associate with luxury were all there – not to mention sleek business attire. The heads of KESMUN and all of the chairs (people who control the commissions) gave speeches and handed out the awards. There were two awards per commission (best delegate and most improved) and several honourable mentions. As mentioned, we absolutely killed it, winning 30 awards. Just to emphasize.
To take away:
Nothing comes easy. The awards were a product of hundreds of hours of work on multiple topics. Writing papers is no easy task and speaking is even harder. But, sometimes, you must stare fear in the eye and say, ‘you will not control me.’ Confidence. We also made several new friends at the conference and, for people who went last year, saw a few familiar faces. The memories are forever part of us.
Interested?
I would highly recommend anyone year 9 or above to join MUN. Yes, it may seem like an average after school club but it is so much more. In our SG’s words “MUN serves as much more than just a club, it is a large part of many of our lives.” The truth has never been spoken more clearly. MUN is something that develops you, improves you. The bonds you make with others, the people you meet, will change you forever. Maybe you’re reading this thinking it’s cheesy but, considering the work we put in and the dedication and also the fun, it really is all true. MUN is part of us. For many of us, it is a passion. Let it be your passion in the coming year…
In short:
KESMUN was one of the greatest experiences of our lives and we simply cannot wait for the next conference. NES is truly a force to be reckoned with when it comes to conferences and we are looking forward to the program developing even further. As a trainer, I’d love to see more faces joining the program. Hope to see you!
