MUN Conference at Harrow International School Bangkok

Day 1

Friday’s assembly, led by the student council, was a fitting send off for the Model United Nations delegates. After introducing the country they will be representing and the committee they will be negotiating in, the MUN team set off for Bangkok, Thailand. It was a pleasant journey which gave the delegates ample opportunity to practise their opening speeches in preparation for delivery on the first day.

After encountering some of Bangkok’s famous traffic, we arrived at the hotel to a warm and generous welcome. The delegates were given a short period of relaxation before reconvening for our evening meal where debate raged over such topics as favourite films, music and dessert choices. The evening ended early in preparation for the busy conference ahead.

The next morning commenced with an early start, leaving at 6:15am. Enthusiastically, the delegates took their seats for the rousing opening ceremony before making their way to either the Security Council (SC), the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Human Rights Council (HRC) , the World Health Organisation (WHO), or the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to deliver their opening speeches.

The day’s activities will see delegates negotiate, deliver confident and well researched solutions and work collaboratively to form resolutions for some of the world’s most challenging problems.

Day 2

Saturday witnessed the delegates meet the demands of a challenging fourteen hour day. Immediately after delivering their speeches, the delegates began formulating resolutions. This involves networking with potential allies and strong negotiation skills, in addition to confident public speaking particularly under the scrutiny of opposition delegates.

BIS Hanoi performed well acting as co-submitters to a number of resolutions. In particular, the delegate of DPRK fought hard to pass a resolution in a tough political climate.

The day culminated in a gala dinner, giving students the opportunity to relax and make friends with delegates from schools around Thailand as well as China and Malaysia.

The journey back to the hotel was a quiet one with students feeling the effects of the long day. An early night was in order to ensure everyone was prepared for another day of robust debate.

Day 3

During the course of the day an emergency General Assembly was called, meaning all delegates were required to work together to find solutions to an unexpected crisis. This requires students to act swiftly, researching political history not only for their own county, but also the countries directly involved in the crisis. Additionally, students participate through submitting and debating resolutions on a much larger scale, addressing over 150 other delegates, advisers and chairs.

The session ended at 5:30pm, giving students a much deserved opportunity to relax and enjoy a little of Thailand. After a fruit juice overlooking Bangkok’s skyline, we made our way to the shopping mall to pick up souvenirs before an evening meal of traditional Thai food.

Day 4

Our final day began with the reconvening of the General Assembly for what was billed to be a raucous conclusion to a fulfilling conference. Growing in confidence, the delegates from BIS Hanoi all either took to the stage to deliver speeches or asked a thought provoking question to challenge their peers. Arguing confidently, the delegates presented themselves as mature and thoughtful global citizens and were truly a credit to the school. 

The closing ceremony featured the esteemed Thani Thongpakdee, current Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations Office in Geneva. He summed up his wealth of experience as a delegate saying ‘The art of diplomacy is compromise’ - a fitting way to conclude the conference. 

Marie Price, English Teacher and Eamon Kelly, Business Studies and Economics Teacher