The Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) is a significant international Rotary youth program through which students develop an awareness of the United Nations and the countries they represent at a simulated UN Assembly. The event provides an excellent forum for students to develop and practice their public speaking skills whilst debating on topical world issues. The team that places first in MUNA in District competition is invited to compete at the Australian National MUNA at the Old Parliament House in Canberra.
We were privileged to have Dr Mark Dinnen (Assistant Professor of International Relations) from Bond University run a 90 minute Model United Nations Masterclass in April to help prepare our students and this past weekend Trinity competed at the Rotary District MUNA competition with 2 teams, one of which was sponsored by Parkwood Rotary:
North Korea (Y11: George, Harrison and Stella)
Brazil (Y10: Alexandra, Sienna and Evie)
This is a fiercely competitive event that requires a significant amount of preparation and hard work. Students select their country, prepare research and attend a one-day conference. District teams from Brisbane, the Gold Coast and North NSW participated on the day.
Students research and build nation profiles, then write speeches and amendments for resolutions before they attend the conference.
They learn the structure and details of resolutions and UN processes and conferences and engage in real life modelling of these.
On the day, they attend an 8 hour conference: networking, conferencing, negotiating, lobbying and voting on amendments and resolutions.
Resolutions for 2022 (these are some of the 2022 UN resolutions currently being negotiated):
- Sustainable development: Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind
- United response against global health threats: combating COVID 19
- Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping
- The safety of journalists and the issue of impunity
Our Year 10 Brazil team (Alexandra, Sienna and Evie) were amazing!
It was their first MUN competition and they all engaged individually and as a team, speaking confidently and passionately to advocate for their selected country of Brazil.
Their networking skills were strong and they succeeded in writing and having 2 amendments passed to benefit a number of countries’ interests (in protecting the confidentiality of member nations’ health records, and for stronger representation of South American and Oceanic interests in the UN).
The Year 11 team are our experienced students and were widely praised by judges and coordinators as being by far the most outstanding team on the day. It was agreed that they were the clear WINNERS of this prestigious award.
Harrison, Stella and George drove a range of (at times, highly controversial) negotiations, lobbying for some interesting amendments to support and protect North Korean interests, among other member states. They really helped bring the whole conference to life and were passionate, credible, and knowledgeable on all issues and concepts discussed.
“I am not sure the USA or French teams will fully recover from 8 hours in the ring with North Korea and their increasingly confident alliance with China, Turkmenistan and other member states…that eventually included Switzerland, most of Oceania and half of Asia. By the end, the USA capitulated under the onslaught of such fierce and informed advocacy and voted against themselves” Mrs Clare Cunningham, MUNA Coordinator
There are a range of MUN events that take place throughout the year at Trinity for students from Year 6 to Year 12. It is a lot of fun and students and staff get a huge amount of enjoyment, knowledge and skills from it. For details please visit MUNA on MyUnity
