DEBATE, TEAMWORK AND DIPLOMACY AT THE BIS HANOI MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE (BISMUN)

On Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th March, BIS Hanoi hosted our first ever in-person Model United Nations conference.

The two-day conference built on the success of last year’s virtual edition and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Model United Nations represents a brilliant opportunity for participants to collaborate with others from different places and backgrounds, as well as develop collaboration, communication and critical thinking skills.

The theme of the conference was “Futurewards”, with the aim of empowering students to challenge the status quo by envisioning and creating pathways to a fairer, sustainable and more culturally diverse world. The 6 committees debated diverse topics including the Russian Revolution of 1917, climate change, education for refugees, food shortages, colonialism, and a Fantasy Crisis Council on Genshin Impact. The quality of debate was incredibly high!

The conference was attended by students from across Hanoi and South-East Asia. School delegations included BIS Ho Chi Minh City, Concordia School Hanoi, Regents International School Pattaya, Thailand, BVIS Hanoi, and of course BIS Hanoi. It was attended by 90 students, each of whom came ready to debate world issues and develop their diplomacy skills. and Ngoc Linh said, “Seeing committee discussions about topics that we are interested in and passionate about made the entire experience so worthwhile. BISMUN was also an opportunity for us to be able to connect with the MUN community at BIS Hanoi, which we are so grateful for.”

The conference was made possible thanks to twenty student helpers from BIS Hanoi, including five Year 13s who led the organisation process: Secretary-Generals Tue Nhi and Ngoc Linh, and Under Secretary-Generals Bich Phuong, Thanh Phuong, and My Lien. The process of planning the conference started back in October when the first invitations were sent out - and these girls worked incredibly hard for months in preparation.

Our students worked incredibly hard to prepare for conference debates in the Model United Nations CCA. They learnt how to formulate effective arguments, how to present their ideas during the conference, and how to include the interests of various countries to facilitate fruitful discussion and satisfying outcomes for all.

During the conference, there were some unexpected moments for all our delegates, but these intense and demanding situations allowed them to practise adapting their thinking. This was especially true for those students on our Crisis

Councils – the Joint Russian Assembly and the Fantasy Crisis Council – whose choice of action influenced the outcome of events in an exciting and ever-changing environment. All our councils tackled challenging topics, giving delegates an amazing opportunity to see the impact of teamwork and communication.

One attendee said, “It was educational, I learnt a lot, and it helped me overcome my fear of public speaking.” Another commented: “It was fun and valuable. The conference was well-organised and it was nice to meet other delegates with different working attitudes when approaching problems”.

Thank you to everyone who attended, as well as to those students who made our first ever in-person Model United Nations conference possible. See you again next year!

Nia Cooper Head of Enrichment