Students take to the international stage to debate global issues, negotiate resolutions and put their diplomatic skills to the test
Twenty-eight enthusiastic LEH pupils from Thirds to Sixth Form attended the annual Reigate Grammar Model United Nations (MUN) Conference on Saturday 3 October representing the delegations of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Germany, South Africa, Thailand, and the USA. This conference was attended by circa 250 pupils across numerous schools. LEH delegates drafted and debated resolutions and were able to convince other country delegates to vote in favour of their proposed resolutions through the art of diplomacy, tact, ardour, and persuasion.
Topics ranged from global taxation of multinational corporations, national sovereignty during disease outbreaks, anti-extremism legislation, artificial intelligence and drones in modern warfare as well as militarisation and geopolitical competition in Arctic shipping routes. We are thrilled to see so many new pupils across all year groups embark on their MUN ventures.
One of our delegates, Lilia commented:
“We represented countries like the USA and Thailand discussing numerous topics including nuclear disarmament, the militarization of the Arctic and the question of national sovereignty during disease outbreaks. Many of our resolutions passed successfully with every student engaging actively in debate and in karaoke challenges towards the end!
We ended the day in the General Assembly discussing a hypothetic US invasion of Sudan, inspiring many controversial clauses and challenging our students to justify actions they do not personally support. Overall, it was a successful conference with two delegate awards and endless friendships made along the way. “
Delegate Awards
We are pleased to report that two of the LEH pupils won delegate awards, both representing the USA:
DISEC Committee
Highly Commended Delegate – Lilia B, Lower 6 (USA)
Security Council
Commended Delegate – Amy Z, Lower 6 (USA)
What is MUN?
Model United Nations (MUN) is and educations simulation of the United Nations where students act as diplomats to debate and solve global problems. It is a wonderful way for young people to learn valuable skills such as public speaking and persuasive communication, collaborative teamwork and international diplomacy and critical thinking and practical problem-solving.
What Happens at MUN
- Role-Playing: Students (called delegates) are assigned a specific country, organization, or historical figure to represent.
- Committees: Participants join simulated UN bodies like the Security Council, World Health Organization, or General Assembly.
- Global Topics: Delegates discuss real-world issues such as climate change, human rights, peace security, and sustainable development.
Key Stages of a Conference
• Research: Delegates study their assigned country’s foreign policy and stance on the agenda topic.
• Debate: Participants give speeches following formal parliamentary rules of procedure.
• Negotiation: Delegates form groups (blocs) to compromise and merge ideas.
• Resolution Writing: Groups draft formal papers detailing actionable solutions to the problem.
• Voting: The committee reviews, debates, and votes on adopting the proposed resolutions.