S2-S4 Daemun III Model United Nations (MUN) Conference
The world we live in is a global village and no age is too young to prepare for the future. Twelve of our S2 to S4 students participated in the Daemun III MUN Conference via zoom on May 14. The MUN conference was a simulation of an actual United Nations Conference in which students advanced the interests of their assigned nation while also responding to and compromising with fellow delegates. Students immersed themselves in global issues through researching, public speaking, debating and writing as a representative of their assigned nation. At the same time, students can utilize and maximize important skills such as critical reasoning, team work, leadership and negotiation.
To prepare for the MUN conference, students completed a 12-week course hosted by The Kelly Yang Project. Students learnt about current events, international relations and foreign policies. They were taught how to perfect research, improve their public speaking, debating and writing skills by their experienced KYP instructor, Miss Alana.
The MUN course and conference was truly a unique experience for our twelve students because they were taught invaluable real-life skills that are essential to life in and outside of school.
Testimonies
2B Jessica Cheng (2)
My MUN experience was very enjoyable. I got to learn about different fascinating topics like coral bleaching and endangered animals that I normally wouldn’t have been interested in if it weren’t for the course. I loved how I got to have various group discussions, presentations and debates as they helped improve my English public speaking skills. I would love to continue having all my fellow classmates by my side in future MUN classes.
2B Hannah Deng (5)
The whole experience has been effective in developing my speech skills because it helped build my confidence when I am presenting ideas. I also learnt a lot about the United Nations, such as how to write a resolution and how to do an opening speech. As a result, I have become more interested in international issues.
2B Bernice Ng (23)
The course was really fun and sparked many new ideas that I have never thought of in my mind. During the conference, I was asking a POI (Point of Inquiry) but I wasn’t really prepared, so I got stuck. Miss Alana suggested some points that I could improve on and lastly, I completed it successfully. I hope that I can perform better in impromptu speeches and ask POIs more smoothly.
2B Cherine Yip (30)
The topics we addressed in class are similar to the global events we are encountering in the world now. Through the lessons, not only did we receive information, but we stepped out of the classroom and put what we had learnt into practice. In the Daemun Conference, we had heated debates while looking at measures to reduce dependency on Russian fossil fuels. The connection between us and the current events reminded me that we, as world citizens, have the responsibility to keep an eye on the trending topics of the world.
2B Bethany Zee (32)
Although I was kind of stressed about making speeches at first at the Daemun Conference, I grew less nervous and wrote better resolutions by the end. It gave me a new perspective and I was glad to meet a bunch of new friends.
2C Shanna Chan (4)
The Daemun MUN Conference allowed me to make friends from around the globe and granted me more confidence in public speaking. The most memorable part of the conference would be acting as a main speaker and answering to POIs. I felt important and I was able to rise to the occasion as best as I could.
2C Annabel Li (22)
The entire conference left a strong impression in my mind, especially when I presented my first POI. I remember shaking and struggling to not fall off the chair, trying my best to not stutter and act like I am a boss lady. You know what they say, practice makes perfect so after trying it once, I was no longer nervous and I even gave more POIs as the conference went on.
2C Emily Wan (31)
The classes boosted my self-confidence and my self-esteem, which directly improved the way I look at myself. The experience of MUN not only taught me a lot of skills, but it has also helped me gain more self-confidence. The experience was also very satisfying and enjoyable, as the instruction and topics were very fun and interesting.
3C Hazel Chan (1)
Before joining, I was terrified to speak in front of others since I am an introverted and shy person. It’s usually very nerve-wracking for me to give speeches. But MUN provided many practices for me so I gained confidence and I am no longer afraid. I looked forward to the next class after each class ended and the course has encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone.
3C Joanne Hung (10)
The MUN experience has no doubt given me an adrenaline rush. It was a valuable and pleasurable experience. I was also quite surprised by other delegates and even my own performance because I didn’t expect all of us to do so well. I believe the most charming thing about MUN is that it can always motivate and help us explore our own individual potential.
4D Flora Chan (1)
The MUN classes and the Daemun Conference were so marvelous that I would undoubtedly like to join again. If I had to do it again, I would be more active and be slightly more aggressive during POIs.
4D Nicole Lam (15)
The most memorable moment from the conference was the debating period when delegates expressed their opinions and made rebuttals. I liked collaborating with my classmates during class and listening to other delegates’ speeches during the conference. I was able to look at different topics with new perspectives so I can come up with new ideas and solutions.