As the College gears up for the annual Epsom College MUN Conference this week, we caught up with some of the Society’s leaders to hear all about this student-led activity. James, Upper Sixth, and Dejan, Lower Sixth, share their experiences of MUN.
Q. What made you choose Model United Nations and how long have you been doing it?
James: I first joined MUN in Year 9 after finding out about it at the activities fair. I already had a passion for debating, and the opportunity to represent countries and discuss global issues at conferences was enticing.
Dejan: I signed up to do MUN in the first week of Year 9 as well, as I was interested in politics and international issues and wanted to develop my public speaking skills.
Q. What do you do each week?
James: In our weekly sessions, we debate and discuss current events relating to international relations and developments. We also teach about how MUN conferences work, and different debating styles. Some sessions are also used to prepare students for upcoming conferences.
Dejan: Each week we try best to prepare delegates for conferences or simulate those. We do this through research on different issues, as well as debates between students.
Q. What do you enjoy most about MUN?
James: Attending conferences at other schools has been the highlight of my experience. We typically go to four conferences a year, whilst also hosting our own conference in March. Most recently, I had the opportunity to represent India at a conference, where I found debating territorial disputes in the region to be both challenging and rewarding.
Dejan: My favourite thing about MUN are the conferences that we regularly attend. They are fantastic opportunities to practice the skills that we work on every week. As well as this, some of my best friendships have developed as a result of being part of the MUN society.
Q. Why should someone choose to join the MUN Society?
James: MUN is a good fit for anyone, whether you have an interest in international relations or want the opportunity to develop debating and public speaking skills. With such a variety of topics debated, there’s something for everyone.
Dejan: A pupil should choose MUN if they want to learn more about politics, pressing issues that affect the world, as well as practising skills such as public speaking and creative problem solving.
The Society will be hosting visiting schools for their conference this weekend, with 178 pupils from 12 schools – representing 33 countries, it promises to be a fantastic event. Results will be shared in next week’s Brief.
