Q-MUN, the conference hosted by Queen’s, showed Model United Nations at its best on its return, with a total of 140 students from Queen’s and a range of other schools from the North West involved in a whole variety of roles.
120 delegates took part in diplomatic negotiation and debate across six committees, on topics as diverse as the death penalty, the Taiwan-China conflict and the situation in Afghanistan. Queen’s delegations included a mix of first-timers and experienced MUNers from Years 9-12.
Secretary General Dora (Year 13) and Head of Chairs Anoushka (Year 12) oversaw and coordinated the work of the Chairs of Debate, a team made up Queen’s students, guest chairs from other schools plus alumnae Hannah McDonald and Mihika Vishwesh – it was lovely to see MUNers past and present being brought together by a shared enthusiasmm! Under Dora and Anoushka’s leadership, the Chairs team developed a Crisis Scenario, produced a script for a Crisis Briefing video, filmed it in collaboration with the Press Team, and produced Crisis Briefing Papers for the delegates.
An eight-strong Press Team of Queen's students from Years 8, 10 and 11 was tasked with taking footage of the day. Led by Year 11 students Abbey and Alice, they produced a newsletter and a video ready for the Closing Ceremony – a tight deadline indeed, but the team delivered as they had promised. Abbey and Alice also did a brilliant job in making sure that the Year 8 students felt fully included and part of the team.
Last, but by no means least, our team of eight Runners from Years 7 and 8 helped out with the logistical aspects of the conference. Many of our current delegates first dipped their toes into MUN waters by being a Runner!
The day began with an inspirational speech by Maria Gaboyan, who works in international investigations - a little-known area that, however, has clear links with the interests that drive our students to become involved with MUN: international affairs, politics, diplomacy and global justice. Maria is a Researcher at Raedas, a company specialising in providing investigative support for legal dispute resolution on an international basis. Her key regional area of focus includes former Soviet Union republics. A graduate in International Relations and Psychology from the University of St Andrews, she also holds an MSc in Global Crime, Justice and Security from the University of Edinburgh.
Dora said: "Born in Russia and having lived and worked in Armenia, Maria has a unique perspective on the region that lends depth and nuance to understanding international relations. We would like to give a personal thank you to Maria for coming and starting the day off with her inspiring speech."
During the day, Maria was impressed by the enthusiasm she saw in the committees. When being interviewed by the Press Team, she told them: “My favourite was probably the Security Committee – they were so well-informed, clever and witty in debate!”
Queen’s MUN coordinator Dr Scherer said: "Q-MUN is an entirely student-led collaborative venture simulating a diplomatic summit at the UN. I am extremely proud of all the girls involved in running the event who have worked so hard to make it a success. There are so many benefits to being involved in MUN - skills such as independence and self-motivation, confidence and public speaking that are so crucial in the modern workplace. Well done girls!"
