Nothing has been more exciting for Model United Nations delegates than the resumption of face-to-face simulations not only in Shanghai but across the country as well. One such conference that is back on its feet after a three-year hiatus is the Concordia MUN (CISSMUN) conference whose 13th annual iteration was held from 19 to 21 January 2024. Based on the theme “The Age of Acceleration”, the conference attracted over 700 delegates from China and beyond.
Nine of our delegates were spread across various traditional and specialised committees ranging from the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to the United Nations High commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Over the three days, members of our delegation engaged in serious discussions that included a lobbying and merging session, and unmoderated caucus and debating sessions. As can be inferred from the individual reflections of some of the delegates, they enlarged their social cycles while embracing MUN protocols and procedures, preparing them for future conferences, higher education and the world of work.
‘Going to Concordia was a great experience. This was my second MUN, and so far, the best. As soon as I reached the campus, we were greeted by the student ushers. All the people were very friendly, kind and helpful. On the first day, there were 4 breaks! The food was very good as well. In my committee, (UNCCPCJ), we debated on human and drug trafficking with police brutality. Lots of people participated and I really enjoyed attending this MUN.’
Kashaf Imran Shaikh, Delegate of Tunisia- UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
‘CISSMUN XIII was a very enjoyable experience. I was on the environmental committee and I was given the opportunity to debate the topics of the global water scarcity, the poaching and trafficking of protected species and the environmental impact of the meat industry. As this was my first MUN I found it quite intimidating at first, but when it came to lobbying, I got to know the people in my committee and realised that they were all very kind and supportive. I made new friends and was even able to reconnect with an old friend. This conference helped me gain different views of important topics concerning the world which made me more interested in reading news articles to be more aware of what is going on around me.’
Dominika Stankina, Delegate of Denmark- Environment Committee
‘CISSMUN XIII was a really fulfilling experience for me. I met lots of new people with the same interests as me in debate, politics and current affairs. Getting to know various perspectives from other students to reach a common goal was very eye-opening, and I built upon lifelong skills of negotiation, leadership and public speaking. The internationalism at the conference was very rewarding, as I got to be in touch with people from all over the world at an event that was about world affairs. The committee was fun and I made lots of new friends.’
Vera Rui-Hua Woo, Delegate of Yemen- Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
‘Concordia International School of Shanghai Model United Nations was my first MUN conference. During the conference, I learned the procedures of THIMUN, how to write an opening statement, proper resolution and main-submitter speech. I now know the specific structure of resolutions and can speak publicly in front of many people, which I believe will help me in the future when I am participating in other conferences. Attending the conference was a valuable opportunity to observe other people’s well-crafted speeches, POIs and resolutions. It also allowed me to socialise with many other delegates from other schools and even countries. Lastly, this conference enabled me to delve into numerous global issues and discuss the solutions, allowing me to recognise the severity of the global issues and the efforts made by the UN as a whole to solve these issues.’
Taekyung Amy Jeon, Delegate of Libya- UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)
‘The three days of the Concordia International school of Shanghai Model United Nation were remarkable. This conference was my first ever conference. During the conference, I learnt new information and understood the structure of MUN better. For instance, the debating procedure of THIMUN (main submitter speech, operative clauses, preamble clause etc.), POIs and amendments became clearer to me. Plus, I believe this learning will help me with my future conferences. All the delegate speeches and their POIs plus amendments were very impressive. Lastly, I believe that this conference has and will improve my understanding of global issues and UN debate structure, which will further improve my debating skills.’
Seohyun (Elina) Bae, Delegate of Liberia- UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)
‘During CISSMUN, I gained many precious moments from my committee - this is the most official conference I have attended. However, even though I found this conference hard for me as I was the youngest among my fellow delegates, I still successfully collaborated with them and discussed five resolutions which were all passed. At this conference, I learnt new knowledge from the more experienced delegates and I was delighted that I was given the opportunity to participate in this conference.’
Xue Chengrui (Rex), Delegate of Lebanon- UN Commission on Science & Technology
‘My committee was full of experienced and expressive delegates, some of whom I was able to team up with to write a strong resolution which eventually passed. The whole weekend was a rewarding and enjoyable experience for me as I was able to not only gain experience through engaging in thoughtful debate, crafting speeches and through sharing my points and thoughts with other skilled delegates, while also learning from their knowledge and opinions, but I was able to make meaningful relationships and connections which made the experience completely worthwhile.’
Salma Gichana, Delegate of Paraguay- UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
