Borderlines demarcate the territory a country is entitled to, yet they do not isolate the minds of our leaders. This is evident from the various international organizations established to unify the nations over the years. 193 delegates represent their respective countries in the General Assembly of the United Nations regularly. This organization is the framework behind all international endeavours occurring in the present day, playing a crucial role in monitoring geopolitical issues, global warming debates, and human rights reviews in several countries. Given this, the Model United Nations (MUN) is a simulation of the real United Nations and offers a platform for young intellectuals to play the role of delegates in their general assembly. Through MUN, students heighten their critical thinking and public speaking skills and develop negotiation strategies as ideal team players to compromise for the benefit of all participants. This event was organised by Mr. Prince Frimpong, the head of Kumasi Model United Nations, and Mr Frank Adjei in Our Lady of Grace auditorium on July 13th.
Kimonos, suits, and kanduras, among many other intercontinental outfits, stood out from the usual prep attire, implicating the seriousness that participants dedicated to the summit, which was streamed live on all the school’s media handles. All delegates were assigned to do extensive research on the backgrounds of the countries they represented to execute their duties appropriately. The master of ceremonies, Mr Adjei, gave a welcoming speech to the audience before the conference commenced. After the speech, the cadet corps, together with the regimental band, ushered in the president, vice president, and general secretary in the persons of Chamba Nanang, Austin Lugutera, and Agnes Aba, respectively, accompanied by all ninety-three delegates. After the national and school anthems were sung, the president brought everyone to order, and the secretary gave a roll call.
Subsequently, the first session of the conference was the formal sitting, where all delegates’ movements were restricted. After the opening ceremony, the floor was opened for motions to be raised. Two delegates moved to open debate, and the majority voted in favour. After a few discussions, the delegate of Rwanda moved for a seven-minute unmoderated caucus. The motion passed allowed delegates to move around and form blocs to draft resolutions that would help solve the issue on board without violating any foreign policies. These committees included the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC), the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
After ten minutes, the time to form alliances had elapsed, and the resolutions presented by the various committees were reviewed. Each committee mounted the podium to read out their resolutions, which entailed guidelines and principles to execute the policies drafted. Following the presentations by the various blocs, the conference was adjourned to December 12th. Mr. Frimpong commended all the delegates for their hard work, and once again, the cadet corps along with the regimental band ushered them out of the hall.
Our facilitator has been in the MUN game for three years. In an interview with Mr. Frimpong, he emphasised the value of his experience working with the MUN as a foundation to research current affairs, fine-tune his communication skills, and master the art of negotiation. Working with OLAG students was not a simple task, but the effort put in by both the facilitator and the trainees yielded excellent results on the conference day. In a nutshell, the Model UN is another programme that sparks wittiness and productivity in OLAG students. It is a means to channel our youthful energy into positive self-constructive activities. Some phases of the procedure include committee sessions, debate, discussion, and resolution drafting. This simulation has aided students across the world in discovering their diplomatic tendencies and preparing them to pursue careers in international affairs.
