United Nations Assemble
Model United Nations (Model UN) in schools is something that has been around for many years, however just last week, Wenona’s first ever Model UN Assembly took place, and, even more significantly, it was run and organised by Year 11 student, Bronte!
The Model UN Club involves students from Years 7 to 12, working together in groups representing a country, to argue their nation’s viewpoints on a variety of pre-determined global issues. For this Assembly our Model UN students focused on the topics of refugees, women’s education, and climate change. Using transferable skills such as research, teamwork, and public speaking, the aim is to generate a common solution among all the participating countries. In this way, students learn about diplomacy and international relations, in a real-life, scenario-based approach.
When asked what prompted her to start this Club, Bronte said, “I thought that it would be a fantastic opportunity for students to learn about international relations and diplomacy in a fun and engaging way. Wenona provides a perfect environment for this, with amazing teachers, and Alumnae able to facilitate the discussions and provide professional insight.” Bronte is a huge advocate for students learning about real-world issues, adding, “Through understanding these topics, we can educate ourselves on current global issues, how they might be affecting our everyday life, and the overall impacts they have on broader society.”
Among the 40 students who were competing in this term’s Assembly, we were also lucky enough to welcome back two Wenonians to act as our adjudicators, or “Secretary Generals”, Georgia Soghomonian (2021) and Mia Halstead (2021). Georgia and Mia were both Legal Studies students at Wenona, with Georgia now studying a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Communications (Social and Political Science) at the University of Technology Sydney, and Mia studying a Bachelor of International Relations and Politics (Political Economy) at the University of Sydney. Both Wenonians were thrilled to see such a keen uptake in the Model UN Club.
“It was truly amazing to witness the girls participating in something so important. Seeing their dedication and enthusiasm for understanding global issues and honing their diplomatic skills was inspiring. Model UN transcends the classroom; it prepares girls for the complexities of the world around them and equips them with the tools they'll need to navigate and positively impact our future. Being part of Model UN is great, as students learn essential skills such as critical thinking and global awareness, preparing them to tackle real-world challenges and become informed global citizens,” said Georgia.
We look forward to seeing future Model UN Assemblies take place, with more spirited discussions and wonderful costumes!