Regent’s University London held its fifth Youth Model United Nations Conference (MUN) on Saturday 30 June and Sunday 1 July 2018 welcoming more than 170 school students to the University to take part in organised debates and panel discussions on global challenges and politics.
The Conference, led by a team Regent’s staff and alumni, saw students from 16 schools come together to tackle issues such as climate change, cultural preservation and sustainable development through to peace and security in Africa.
Over the two days, the students not only immersed themselves in another country, political system and culture, they also worked together to discuss real world dilemmas with their peers and implement solutions developing their interpersonal communication, diplomacy and leadership skills.
On the success of the Conference and the student experience, Youth Model UN Administrative Assistant Julia Spaeth said: 'I think the best part of the Conference for me was to see how productive the students were and how engaged they became with the activities and debates.
'A group of students in particular were working on this long and detailed working paper which was just so well written and professional and they came up with this within the first two hours. The overall knowledge the students had of world politics was super impressive.
'Following on from the feedback provided to us from the students, we know that they learned some valuable lessons such as the importance of compromising and how war is never the best solution.
'By hosting this Conference and providing a space for students to debate and learn more about the work of the United Nations, we hope to equip future generations with the knowledge of vital global challenges and positively advance our common future.'
Outreach Manager Caroline Waterfall said: 'We are proud to offer this experience to local, national and international schools. This reflects the international outlook and community we share at Regent’s and hopefully many will return to us to either study or go on to work in International Relations.'
For further information on Regent’s University London’s Model United Nations work and future events visit the Regent's Youth Model UN page.
A snapshot of student feedback
- “Model UN is an experience that cannot be explained fully. It not only helps you see others’ points of view but also the way in which crises are handled”
- “This is like nothing I’ve ever done before”
- “Model UN is really fun, useful and exciting. You can make new friends and learn a lot. It is a great opportunity”
- “This conference taught me to be confident, not to judge people, to get involved, to be adaptable and to listen to what others have to say”
- “I’ve learned that no matter how different your ideas are, there is always space for compromise”
Schools that participated in Regent’s University London's 2018 Model United Nations Conference:
- Bishop Thomas Grant, Lambeth
- Bohunt School, Hampshire
- Francis Holland, Westminster
- Harris Westminster, Westminster
- Joseph Chamberlain, Birmingham
- King Alfred School, Golders Green
- London Nautical School, Lambeth
- Merchant Taylor’s School, Northwood
- Newstead Wood School, Orpington
- NGO Multinational Georgia for Strengthening Democratic Values, Georgia
- Royal Alexandra and Albert School, Surrey
- Sir Simon Milton Westminster UTC, Pimlico
- St Albans High School, St Albans
- St George’s School, Cologne, Germany
- St Johns School, Enfield
- Worth School, Crawley
