A group of 8 students from CDSC were a part of the 2022 CMMUN (Chiang Mai Model United Nations) at PTIS (Prem Tinsulanonda International School) with over 300 other participants. We had the task of representing a country and discussing 2 different topics important to the current time. These groups of 2-3 students are called delegations and the individuals are called delegates. 

Multiple committees were set up, in which delegates met together in smaller groups to propose solutions within resolutions from their country’s point of view. Afterwards, multiple committees with hundreds of delegates attended a joint meeting called the General Assembly (GA). The resolutions which were chosen within the committees were then presented to the entire GA. One had to be able to improvise when questioned and respond quickly, confidently and with persuasion.

CMMUN enabled us to rationalise our arguments and base them on research done prior. Public speaking was an integral part of active participation during the committees and learning this in a formal setting was engaging and enriching. We learnt how to debate and discuss topics in a formal manner. One interesting yet challenging thing we had to learn was instead of using personal pronouns we could only say “The delegate of “[the country’s name]”. For many of us, this was a first time experience; nevertheless, we quickly adjusted to the formalities without being overwhelmed. 

We got to meet students from different schools and were able to connect with them during the evening free time despite maybe having opposing positions throughout the MUN sessions. Getting to meet new people and socialise was a big advantage of participating in the first onsite CMMUN in three years. 

In spite of having only 2 weeks to prepare, the CDSC group had one best new delegate award, Jane Li, and an honourable mention award, Max Brandtner. Congratulations to all the other participants who put in a fair amount of effort into their speeches. 

Special thanks to Julia Jaskolski and David Hester for making this experience even possible despite the short notice we had and the difficulties pertaining to the scheduling. The CDSC CMMUN group appreciates their work for accompanying and supporting us during the whole event. 

It was a rewarding experience and we can only recommend it to those interested in handling topics from a formal viewpoint or stepping out of one’s comfort zone.

by Evie (grade 12) und Korben (grade 12)