The Hague International MUN Conference is one of the biggest forums for students who participate in Model United Nations to debate on an international platform. A small number of our team had some prior experience with MUN, but for most of us, this trip was the first time we had partaken in a conference of such a high calibre, and lobbying, debating and speaking in front of committees of over 100 students presented itself as a very daunting task.
However, the conference also gave us an opportunity to finally put into practice the nuanced diplomacy we had developed over the course of the year, and our results spoke volumes for the months of preparation we put in: with 12 main submitters (11 of whom passed their resolutions) among our ranks, the delegation of Malawi from Sevenoaks School performed outstandingly.
Collaborating with nearly 4000 student delegates from 160+ countries instilled in us a passion for improving our global community by continuing to discuss, negotiate and debate solutions to the various problems facing modern society. Leveraging the internationalism represented in our team enabled us to be considerate and tolerant, yet also persuasive enough to pass resolutions prioritising Malawi’s best interests.
Being a part of THIMUN 2019 allowed us to embrace the spirit of the UN in their own words: ‘to practise tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours’.
The trip was a really enjoyable experience for all of us. As well as the conference itself, we also took part in a visit to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, and watched a screening of a documentary about the use of fake news in social media, followed by a question and answer session with its director. Huge thanks go to Mr Taylor and Dr Cheung for organising and accompanying the trip, and best of luck to all future Sevenoaks delegations.
Tanaya Vohra and Sofia Balk (L6)
