Mock United Nations: Meridian Students Display Mature Understanding Of World Affairs

Discussions about international conflict zones, protection of women in war zones and Uniform Civil Code are topics for many that are consigned to international pages of a newspaper or worthy of reaching out for the television remote to change the channel. That effectively places us in the same well as the frog.

Ryan Mitra, Student, AhmedabadThe Model United Nations provides a platform to interact and share ideas with students from various backgrounds and knowledge levels. It is like understanding ourselves and where we stand in the student community.

It is with an intention to make the next generation aware of the world around them and bring them out of the confines of a well, that the Meridian School (Banjara Hills) is conducting the Meridian Model United Nations. Into its third year, the Model United Nations or MUN--as the students would love to call the event--showcases the talent and mature understanding the students bring to the table about world affairs.

Each of the over 250 students from 25 schools across the country has something to write, talk and discuss about complex issues like the Arab-Israeli conflict, situation in Yemen and Korean peninsula, Uniform Civil Code and dynamics of geopolitics. Saturday brings the curtain down on the three-day MUN being hosted by The Meridian School at the Marigold Hotel, Begumpet.

Students role play as representatives from various countries and discuss global issues in the simulated United Nations Committees.  

Every aspect of MUN is planned, designed and executed by the students themselves. Preparations begin in right earnest each year--as early as April when the teachers of Meridian School invite the students for the conduct of MUN. Thereafter, it is entirely the students who plan the topics to be discussed, inviting schools from across the country, receiving the applications, segregating the students as per their chosen topic, choosing a venue and finally hosting the event. The culmination of the planning is the current event in October.

The event is a platform for the students to debate, discuss and develop solutions to international problems in an energetic, interactive and collaborative environment.

Committee #1 - UNGA: Disarmament and International Security Committee

Agenda: Discussing the Arab Israeli conflict

Committee #2 - Security Council

Agenda: Situation in Yemen

Committee #3- United Nations Human Rights Committee

Agenda: Protection of Women and Girls in War Zones

Committee #4 - Continuous Crisis Committee

Agenda: Situation in Korean Peninsula

Committee #5 - Lok Sabha

Agenda:Discussing the Uniform Civil Code

Committee #6 - Bilderberg Conference

Agenda: Change in the Dynamics of Geopolitics

Since, organising the event of such a magnitude requires specialised care at every level, Meridian students have assigned specific roles and tasks to themselves. Besides president for each of the above committees, event reporters, editors and advisors were some of those roles donned by these students. Being a mock United Nations session, it has a secretary general, director general, deputy secretary general and organising committee head. Also, each of the 192 member countries of the United Nations was represented by the students in the discussions. These and many roles are acted out by the students themselves while their teachers chip in with an occasional suggestion, at best.

Chaitanya KalidindiWe learn to manage time - juggling between academics, Model United Nations and sports.

Modeled on the discussions at the United Nations, students in each of these committees discussed international conflicts, international trade, imports, exports and cross-border issues. The conduct of the proceedings is consistent with those held at the United Nations in New York including discussion of issues, voting on those issues and presentation of majority views on a particular issue. In this regard, the students demonstrated a high caliber understanding of world issues and the opinion of each country, well beyond their years.

Members of the student Secretariat 

The entirely student based Secretariat consists of:

Secretary General - Ankit JoshiDirector General - Sankalp GoraDeputy Secretary General - Semanthika ReddyChief Advisor - Chaitanya KalidindiU.S.G. Delegate Affairs - Rishika KorukondaU.S.G. Marketing - Shamita ChalasaniU.S.G. Sponsorships - Mithilesh TulsianU.S.G. Finance - Nishitha AakulaU.S.G. Conference Affairs - Rhea MathewOrganising Committee Head - Kruthika GowraFalaah Khan and Gowtham SrinivasThe history and civics taught in the classroom is not sufficient for a student. It is conferences such as these which give the students a practical knowledge of the world around them.