Dubai: More than 100 students from schools across the UAE took part in a Model United Nations gathered in a Dubai school on Saturday to debate and vote on mock diplomatic moves.
Proceedings began when dressed-up students, aged 9 to 14, paraded onto a sports court in the GEMS Metropole School, holding flags from some of the real UN’s 193 member states.
Under this year’s theme of human rights, the students, whose ages range from 9 to 14, role-played as diplomats by presenting and speaking for or against several human rights-related resolutions.
“This resolution is like a doughnut,” declared one young diplomat representing the United Arab Emirates.
The envoy was making an attempt to persuade fellow delegates in the General Assembly, who sat on the bleachers, to shoot down the resolution.
“[It’s] short and sweet, but it has a hole in it.”
Other arguments were a little less metaphorical.
“We would like you to vote for our resolution because we worked really hard on it,” said another delegate.
After the for-and-against arguments were presented, the Model UN organisers called a country-by-country vote from the General Assembly. Parents sat nearby.
The diplomatic session marked the end of a three-day crash course by a team of three organisers flown in from the United States.
Proceedings mostly went along the lines of standard protocol — with just a few exceptions.
“Please do not clap for a failed resolution,” one of the organisers told the chamber on one occasion.
Head start
The exercise in mock diplomacy was run by non-profit partner organisation of the UN, the International Model United Nations Association (IMUNA), and its local UAE chapter, Junior International MUN Association (JIMUNA).
With the training they have received, young wannabe diplomats can apply to take part in the main Model United Nations conference that takes place in New York in March. Sessions are sometimes hosted at the UN headquarters there.
In Dubai, progress among the students has been fast, according to IMUNA’s director.
“A lot of them go from having absolutely no knowledge of Model United Nations, only two days ago, to today, where they’re fully debating, and passing resolutions,” said Max Kober.
“They know all the parliamentary procedure that’s required in their committee. It’s unbelievable to have seen that transformation.”
Children who take part in Model UN chapters in the UAE could have a head start, due to the country’s multicultural and higher awareness of global issues, Kober added.
“They’ll already know, regardless of religion, regardless of your gender or where you come from, everyone must be treated equally, and it’s mostly because every single one of these delegates, practically, is from a different country.”
Near the end of proceedings, 14-year-old Magdalene, one of the delegates, said the Model UN sessions were a novel educational tool.
“[They offered] a learning experience in three days that it would most probably take school three weeks to replicate.”
