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SSUNS Conference
By Eric Wu - 2009/12/18 Edition
Model UN. Nothing says it better than spending four days conferencing and meeting 998 new people in the city of Montreal, which is exactly what Bell’s Model UN club did from November 12-15 2009, at the Secondary School United Nations Symposium 2009.
Our trip began out of the Catharine Street Greyhound bus depot on a lonely afternoon. We lined up bright and cheerily at our gate, and boarded our bus promptly and on time. No surprises so far! Our relatively short trip was made easy with naps, and a heated replay of programming at its best!
Needless to say the conference was a blast! The hotel was teeming with people as we entered – and we later discovered that there were almost a thousand delegates attending. The opening ceremonies were colourful and interesting, featuring an illuminating keynote speaker, and a skillful bagpipes player.
However, the next few days were what we had really come all the way to Montreal for. Our nine delegates split up into to attend the committees, which ranged from DISEC (Disarmament and International Security Committee), to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), to a SSUNS special, SPECPOL (Special and Political Committee). These committees offered our delegates a chance to show their skills at a national conference, as they collaborated and discussed to achieve successful and feasible resolution papers. Committees had many memorable moments, including Iran’s passionate anti-Zionist speech, Russia’s devastating misrepresentation of foreign policy, and a daring discussion about whether waffles or pancakes were truly better.
As much as Model UN ate up most of our time while at Montreal, our delegation enjoyed opportunities to explore the city and meet their fellow delegates. Many delegations were international, including several from the United States, as well as one from Trinidad and Tobago. New acquaintances were made, and friendships were forged, despite the fact that we really never did get the names for the delegates for Iran, Russia, or Indonesia.
All in all, the conference was a huge success. Delegates got an experience of a lifetime, as well as having learned a great deal about international issues, foreign policies, and tricks on debate and negotiation. If you’re interested in participating in Model UN, the club meets every Thursday in room 204 (World Studies wing) at lunch. Get ready for SSUNS 2010!