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Branksome Hall News
Great Showings and Global Collaboration Kick Off Model UN Season
Instead of dealing with jet lag, our 14 Model United Nations (MUN) delegates—who attended The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) conference in January—had to rise at 6:30 a.m. to get online.
While delegates usually travel to the Netherlands, the prestigious high school conference went virtual this year. Alongside 3,500 participants from more than 200 schools and 100 different countries, Branksome Hall’s delegates had the opportunity to debate global issues and hone their diplomacy skills with peers from all over the world.
“It was a really great experience where I could develop my speaking and collaborative skills and meet new friends that I still stay in touch with,” says Grade 11 student Ashley, a representative in the Economic and Social Council.
“It was a unique experience to begin every day—for a whole week—collaborating with students from all over the world and coming up with creative solutions to urgent global issues,” says Grade 12 student Dalia, who participated in the Youth and Health Committee. “It definitely made the 6:30 a.m. wake-up worth it.”
Head Delegates Miranda and Mare were thankful for the opportunity to lead such an enthusiastic and committed delegation, but say they couldn’t have done so without the tremendous efforts and support of Faculty Advisors Meaghan Higginson and Daniel Brownson.
Next, our MUN Club participated in the University of Toronto Model United Nations (UTMUN) on February 5 to 7.
“We sent a team of 11 students—many of whom were first timers—and had a very good showing, winning three awards,” says Brownson. The winners are Grade 9 students Ari (best position paper) and Thea (honourable mention); and Grade 12 student Chloe (honourable mention).
An honourable mention goes to the third best delegate in a committee, explains Brownson, to recognize a delegate who engages constructively with other committee members, contributes to debate and helps formulate solutions to the issues.
“It is quite an accomplishment to get an honourable mention and I am very proud of this team,” he says.
After these successes at THIMUN and UTMUN, the team is preparing for the Appleby College Model United Nations Conference on April 24 and the Southern Ontario Model United Nations Assembly, hosted by University of Toronto Schools from April 23 to 25. Weekly club meetings are held each Tuesday in preparation, where students learn about MUN procedures and have a chance to practise and develop skills of diplomacy and debate, says Brownson. New students are always welcome.
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LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We wish to acknowledge this land on which Branksome operates. For thousands of years, it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work and go to school on this land.
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