Russia and the United States nearly declaring war seems a rare day in high school.
But for the members of Belmont secondary schoolB次元官网网址檚 Model United Nations team, itB次元官网网址檚 international political business as usual.
In Model UN, students get together to act as a mock United Nations, complete with a General Assembly, Security Council and various committees and non-governmental organizations. Each student represents a country and sets out to learn his or her nationB次元官网网址檚 history and political positions in order to accurately portray it.
B次元官网网址淭he intent is to help us better understand how international relations work and how the UN gets stuff done in the real world,B次元官网网址� said Dylan Karlsson, Grade 11. B次元官网网址淚t gives us a better understanding of problem solving and debating.B次元官网网址�
A series of topics are debated at the Model UN and students have the opportunity to get together and put forward resolutions, which are in turn debated and either accepted or rejected by the assembly.
The Belmont students most recent event was VicMUN, held at the University of Victoria earlier this month. Karlsson represented Canada, while peers Emily Crowley and Tyson Burrows, both in Grade 12, represented Kazakhstan and Venezula, respectively.
The general theme was War, Famine, Death and Disease, and debates touched on economic stability in developing nations, microcredit and economic and trade prices addressing food volatility.
Burrows was instrumental in getting a resolution passed on the topic of food price volatility. He wrote the resolution paper, which was developed in order to combat RussiaB次元官网网址檚 resolution paper, which took a controversial stance on the issue.
B次元官网网址淚t gets pretty heated, thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of slanderous comments that come out,B次元官网网址� Burrows said. B次元官网网址淚 called the U.S.A. out on being corrupt and a terrorist organization.B次元官网网址�
It was the same event where Russia and the U.S. nearly came to blows, though such actions are outside the realm of the UN, let alone the Model UN.
At the same session, Karlsson won an award for Most Diplomatic Delegate for the General Assembly.
B次元官网网址淲hich is funny because IB次元官网网址檓 not diplomatic in real life,B次元官网网址� Karlsson said. B次元官网网址淚 tried to play the part correctly.B次元官网网址�
Teacher and coach Evelyn Amado said she enjoys seeing the change in students as they take part in more events.
B次元官网网址淭he level of confidence that these kids are developing B次元官网网址� is tremendous, itB次元官网网址檚 absolutely amazing,B次元官网网址� she said.
All say one of the best things about the sessions is making new friends and getting together with people theyB次元官网网址檝e come to know through the events.
B次元官网网址淵ou get to know them as people, not just as representatives as nations,B次元官网网址� Karlsson said.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e really great people that get together to do some really cool stuff.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淏efore Model UN, I was never interested in politics,B次元官网网址� Crowley said.
B次元官网网址淚 basically abhorred political everything. But now that IB次元官网网址檓 involved in Model UN and debate and getting to see the foreign relations side of the politics, I find that very interesting.B次元官网网址�
The students will head to a number events in 2014, including volunteering at an event at the University of British Columbia in January and taking part in a B.C.-wide event.
