On Friday 3 October, pupils in Years 6, 7 and 8 took part in the Bryanston Mini Model United Nations (Mini-MUN), hosted at the senior school. The highly anticipated conference welcomed more than 100 pupils from 11 schools, including Ballard, Bryanston Prep, Castle Court, Farleigh, Port Regis, Blandford, Thomas’s Battersea, Westbourne House, Yarrells, Sandroyd and Twyford.
Model UN is a widely respected educational simulation of the United Nations, where pupils assume the roles of international delegates. Representing various nations, pupils engage in debates about pressing global issues, reflecting the policies and viewpoints of the countries they represent.
Pupils were able to experience global diplomacy firsthand, while being guided by senior peers. The conference encouraged a broader understanding of world affairs, while enhancing critical skills such as public speaking, debating, negotiation and research.
Our Year 7 Bryanston Prep pupils represented Algeria, and our Year 8 pupils represented the UK. They were up against delegates from 14 other countries from other schools around the UK. Pupils from all schools worked really hard setting up alliances and putting forward resolutions and amendments.
Best Overall Delegation
Sierra Leone (Westbourne House)
UNEP:
- Best Overall – Sierra Leone and Guyana (Westbourne House and Thomas’s Battersea)
- Highly Commended – France (Port Regis)
- Commended – Greece, China, Pakistan (Blandford, Farleigh, Thomas’s Battersea)
UNSC
- Best Overall – Russia (Castle Court)
- Highly Commended – Greece, Sierra Leone, UK, USA, France, China (Blandford, Westbourne House, Bryanston Prep, Thomas’s Battersea, Port Regis, Farleigh)
- Commended – Guyana and Slovenia (Thomas’s Battersea, Yarrells)
UNHRC
- Best Overall – Japan (Castle Court)
- Highly Commended – Sierra Leone, Panama and Somalia (Westbourne House, Farleigh, Ballard)
- Commended – Ecuador, France, Korea, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland, UK, USA (Twyford, Port Regis, Sandroyd, Castle Court, Yarrells, Sandroyd, Bryanston Prep, Thomas’s Battersea)
UNGA
- Best Overall – France (Port Regis)
- Highly Commended – Guyana, UK (Thomas’s Battersea, Bryanston Prep)
- Commended – Ecuador, Russia, Pakistan (Twyford, Castle Court, Thomas’s Battersea)
Teacher of History and MUN Coordinator Arabella de Steiger Khandwala, commented: “Huge congratulations to all of the schools for taking part. The quality of debate from the young people involved was incredibly impressive – they had clearly worked very hard to prepare for the conference, but what was also striking, was the growth in their confidence as the day progressed. To see so many of them contributing to their committees as well as standing up and speaking so eloquently in the UN General Assembly debate at the end of the day was really inspiring! They should be incredibly proud of themselves – I know we all are.
“A huge thank you to our Sixth Form chairs and Bryanston pupil helpers as well, who did a brilliant job and without whom, the day simply wouldn’t have been able to happen.”
