AKSHITA THAKUR, Staff Writer
This year, North Brunswick’s very own Model United Nations traveled to Prague for an international conference. This conference was attended by five hundred delegates from all over the world.
Model United Nations is an experience that transcends borders, cultures, and ideologies, uniting young minds in a shared pursuit of understanding global issues and creating meaningful solutions. From heated debates in committee sessions to forging friendships across continents, a Model UN trip fosters collaboration and personal growth. The goal of a conference is to, in the end, present a resolution as a solution to their conflict and in addition, create future leaders.
This trip started off with an eight hour flight to a three day tour of Berlin, Germany. Students explored historic landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall, Charlottenburg Castle, Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag as well as several other memorials. Visiting these landmarks offered glimpses into the city's stories of the past and its journey throughout the years. Students encountered reminders of Berlin's complex history and its enduring spirit. However, beyond the city's history, Berlin is the heart of innovation, creativity, diversity, and culinary arts. Through museum visits and guided tours, these students gained valuable insight into Germany's enriching culture and history.
Followed by the Berlin tour is the true goal of the journey, PRAMUN. The long awaited international conference the students have prepared for. Touching down in Prague, all the delegates were welcomed by Prague’s breathtaking architecture. The cobblestone streets, the beautiful chapels and history set the perfect stage for a memorable Model UN conference.
Preparation is an integral part of Model UN. The PRAMUN journey began long before ever stepping foot in Prague. Students researched and familiarized themselves with their countries. They absorbed an immense amount of information about global conflicts and practiced their negotiation skills as well.
The conference was held in the Jan Neruda School, one the most historical places in Prague. The night the students arrived, they attended the youth forum in the school in their individual committees. This was a chance to get to know their fellow delegates and create friendships that would last a lifetime.
The following day was the beginning of the conference in the Jan Neruda School for eight hours. During the Model UN conference, delegates assume the role of diplomats and advocate for their countries interests, make alliances, and navigate these complex issues to eventually create a resolution. There were a total of thirteen committees in this conference which were all filled with heated debates and intriguing discussions. Each committee must pass two resolutions, one resolution for each topic. The next day of the conference was three hours long. This committee session was to finish passing resolutions and wrap up the debates.
Model UN conferences serve as catalysts for forging lifelong bonds and fostering cross cultural understanding. These talented delegates engaged in interesting discussions experienced new perspectives and collaborative alliances. Beyond these length committee sessions, delegates got to know each other better at social events, and cultural excursions giving them opportunities to bond, and share new experiences.
Fortunately, this was not the end of the journey. A new aspect of the conference was introduced to the North Brunswick delegates. PRAMUN hosted a general assembly as the last part of the conference. This is an opportunity for all the delegates to present their resolutions and their hard work. Each delegate from every committee had 90 seconds to present the resolution and another delegate had ninety seconds to speak against the resolution. The other five hundred delegates had fifteen seconds to discuss if this resolution should pass or not. A total of seven resolutions were passed in the general assembly.
As this conference came to an end, everyone remembered all the great memories that were made, the new experiences, and lifelong bonds created. This was a truly enriching experience for the students of NBTHS and deepened the students' understanding of global issues. From heated committee debates to exploring the cities of Prague and Berlin, this opportunity has equipped these students with valuable insight and memories they are going to cherish for a lifetime. Hopefully more opportunities will be presented for our school clubs for us to expand learning capabilities in the future similar to this one. NBTHS is very proud of our Model UN students for performing exceptionally at this prestigious conference. Great job Model UN!