First Model UN Conference for 2026 a great success

First Model UN Conference for 2026 a great success

This year one of our new focus areas for co-curricular is developing our skills and participation in Model UN (MUN) events and activities. In Term 1 we started our after-school Model UN Junior (Year 7 and Year 8) and Senior (Year 9 to Year 11) classes.  Our two coaches are experts at participating in UN events and have been keen to pass on their knowledge to students.  When the opportunity arose to attend our first conference of the year at Our Lady of Mercy College, Parramatta we had many students eager to take part. See below for a report on the event from a coach and a student viewpoint.

From the Coaches perspective:

Last Saturday, 16 of our students from Year 7 to Year 10 represented MLC School at the OLMC Interschool Model United Nations conference, joining approximately 200 delegates from schools across the Sydney region in a day of rigorous debate, diplomacy, and global thinking. Across four committees, our students tackled some of the most pressing and complex issues on the world stage – from the proliferation of illicit small arms and weaponry to the emerging arms race in space, the ethical frontiers of neurotechnology, and the challenges of international debt. For many of our delegates, this was their very first MUN experience, and they rose to the occasion with remarkable confidence – negotiating passionately with other countries and delivering compelling speeches to the chamber, with many successfully passing amendments for each resolution paper. We are incredibly proud to share that our school achieved the highest award representation at the conference. Congratulations to our award recipients: 

  • Best Speaker (UNSC): Katherine Woo (Year 10)
  • Best Speaker (ECOSOC): Clare Wei (Year 9)
  • Best Delegation (DISEC): Jiwan Park and Carreen Zhang (Year 10)
  • Best Delegation (UNHRC): Abira Sanan and Ashwini Kanesalingam (Year 8)

A remarkable result all round – we look forward to seeing what future conferences bring.

– Sarinna Cai (2025)
Model UN coach

From the delegate perspective:

The OLMC MUN conference was a truly memorable experience, especially as it was my first MUN conference in Australia. It provided a valuable opportunity to learn about current global issues, such as preventing arms races and regulating illicit weapons, and gain insight into the perspectives of member states through both prior research and interactions with students from various schools. Compared to my previous MUN experiences in Singapore and India, this conference felt more collaborative and engaging, as I worked with a partner and we were able to share ideas and support each other throughout the debates. Carreen and I were proud to receive Best Delegation together, and this pleasant surprise at the end of the day made the experience even more rewarding. Overall, the conference had a fun and relaxed atmosphere that encouraged delegates, including myself, to actively participate, contribute and genuinely enjoy the process of amending and passing resolutions.

– Jiwan Park (Year 10)

If any new student would like to join Model UN class on Thursdays after school you can enrol via this link

Any questions please email me on arowe@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au

– Dr Andrea Rowe
Oratory Co-ordinator

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