The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations to stop wars between countries, and to provide a venue for dialogue. The existence of the UN has been an essential part of the world we know after the second world war. The Model United Nations (MUN) is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate delegates/participants about current events and topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda.
Model United Nations conferences go hand in hand with the mission of the IB programme which “aims to develop inquiring minds, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect”. In addition, IB students are destined to become good thinkers, communicators and risk-takers who are principled, well balanced and reflective. Such attributes sound ideal for someone who might in the future become a member of the UN General Assembly or Security Council.
Student delegates of MUN conferences play important roles as diplomats representing a specific country in a General Assembly session and during their committee sessions in areas such as The Security Council, the Economic and Social Council or the International Court of Justice. After researching their country and investigating international issues pertaining to this country, delegates debate some crucial United Nations issues and reach binding resolutions.
The Model United Nations is now a well-established tradition at The British School Warsaw and an integral part of the IB programme. Each year our IB students attend various MUN conferences in Poland and abroad. Year 12 students have already participated in WAW MUN in Warsaw and Bialystok (photo above) this year and are finalising plans for their MUN trip to Katowice next weekend. Excitingly for the first time we have engaged our younger students in the MUN with a group of our Year 7-9 students recently travelling to Switzerland for a successful MUN conference at our NAE sister school, Le Cote International School, Aubonne.
In addition to the external MUN conferences, The British School Warsaw has been, for the past 9 years, a proud host of our own prestigious annual MUN conference. Our current Year 12 students are working hard to organize this year’s event that will take place from April 12th to 14th ( click here for the MUN web page ). I am confident that it will be another great TBSMUN conference with many delegates coming to TBS not only from Poland but also the rest of Europe and even North Africa making it a truly international event.
Dr Jacek Latkowski
Vice Principal