Model United Nations

Ms Sarah Bond, Academic Talent Development

On Monday 5 October, the Academic Talent Development, Business Leadership and Humanities departments co-hosted a student managed Intra-TSS Model United Nations (MUN). A Model UN, or MUN, is a simulation-based learning exercise in which student delegates adopt the persona of an allocated country and subsequently represent that country during a simulation of UN proceedings. The themes for the TSS MUN were nuclear disarmament and the plight of refugees. Students represented a wide variety of countries and positions and they worked together to pass resolutions which outlined plans to address these essential problems. Chairman Noah Purza-Page and Secretary Max Dewhurst facilitated the day’s events. At the conclusion of the event, outstanding delegates received awards:

Outstanding Delegate – Lucas Dell
Best Senior Delegate – Charlie Hart
Best Junior Delegate – Arthur O’Keefe
Best Speaker – Vishaak Gangasandra
Best Negotiator – Rohan Sheppard
Charismatic Leadership – Noah Purza-Page
Collaboration, Togetherness and Teamwork Award – Max Dewhurst
Honourable Mention – Amendment – Oliver Dunn
Honourable Mention – Organisation – Jude Purza-Page

Bond University High School Model United Nations (BUHMUN) is Australia’s first University run High School Model UN conference. TSS was proud to enter 8 students into the competition, with the primary criteria being excellent performance at the Intra-TSS MUN and/or participation in Bond’s Student for a Semester Program. Participants were: Lucas Dell, Max Dewhurst, Chaad Hewitt, Spiros Kyriakou, Rohan Sheppard, Arthur O’Keefe, Oliver Dunn and Ryac de Barros. The 2020 BUHMUN was based on the Refugee Challenge organised by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Worldwide, 70.8 million people have been forced to leave their homes due to conflict, violence, and persecution. The competition recognises that young people have a central role to play in finding ways to help refugees thrive, not just survive. The purpose of the Refugee Challenge is to provide a forum for the future leaders of tomorrow to debate issues being faced by refugees the world. The resolutions adopted during the Refugee Challenge are then shared with decision-makers at the United Nations for consideration. The TSS delegations did an outstanding job, with individual awards as follows: