This past weekend, nine Norwich School pupils took part in the Haileybury Model United Nations conference, the largest such conference in the UK. One of the Haileybury ‘delegates’, Andrew Jozefczyk (L6B), has written a brief report about the conference from a pupil’s perspective:
Friday the 18 March saw nine delegates, accompanied by Mr White and Dr Speca, embark on Norwich School’s fifth trip to the Haileybury Model United Nations conference for a weekend of diplomacy. Model United Nations (MUN) involves delegates representing a chosen nation, debating issues in mock versions of real UN committees arguing for their chosen country not their own personal view. It is a great way to improve public speaking skills, collaboration and to learn about diplomacy and international relations.
Haileybury MUN is one of the largest Model UN conferences in the UK hosting over 650 delegates from many different schools in which pupils are given the chance to do Model UN on a large scale and to a high standard. For every one of the delegates representing Kenya and Italy from Norwich School, this was everyone’s first in person-MUN conference due to Covid-19 and was a good chance to put in the years of practice in the society at school into action.
On arriving, we were ushered into the sports hall for an impressive opening ceremony allowing us for the first time to realise what we were in for. Then, off we went to our individual committees, debating a wide range of issues from the legacy of colonisation to the protection of sex workers.
Saturday started in the Toby Carvery with everyone noshing on an array of breakfast items from bacon to muffins. Then it was off back to Haileybury College for a fruitful day of diplomacy with everyone raising well respected points, submitting and passing many amendments and, in Ewan, May and Charlie’s case, each passing a resolution. What followed was a night of ten pin bowling with Mr White dancing away to the tunes. Congratulations to Charlie and to Ewan who won their respective bowling games.
By Sunday, we were fully engaged and excited for a further day of diplomacy. Sunday kicked off with a beautiful service in the stunning Haileybury Chapel before it was back to committees until lunch. Lunch however threw up its own challenge. For everyone who had had a full English Breakfast for consecutive mornings, the sight of what was billed as the ‘Famous Haileybury Brunch’ (a full English) was too much for some! Nevertheless, the catering was phenomenal throughout the weekend.
In the afternoon, all the committees joined together for the General Assembly in which Ewan was chosen to present his resolution to over 600 people of which he did superbly. Following this was the closing ceremony, in which as a School we picked up two awards. Andrew won a highly commended delegate award and Charlie who won a distinguished delegate award. After that we said our goodbyes to our newly made friends from around the world and travelled back to Norwich buzzing but also weary.
For myself personally, MUN at Norwich School is fantastic and it was excellent to be able to debate and speak to a wider audience from across the world and collaborate on issues with new people. I made lots of new friends and connections and it was a highly enjoyable weekend.
Congratulations, to Charlie, Andrew, Henry, Man Ho, Ewan, Flossy, Grace, Farren and May for their superb diplomatic work and thanks to Dr Speca and Mr White for aiding, driving and taking care of us all.