On 10th October, a selection of Emanuel Politics students from both years in the sixth form journeyed to Reading to take part in a Model UN at Queen Anne’s, alongside the other four foundation schools from The United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation.
In small groups, students were given countries to represent, a specific UN organisation and topic to debate, for example organ trafficking within the WHO. This allowed students to learn about their country’s foreign policy informing the resolutions they came up with.
The day began with our designated country discussing our problem in sectional groups. Here we were given the chance to lobby against other countries in order to gain signatures to promote our problem being presented in the general assembly and then voting for the strongest resolution. Before the final committee stage we received an eye opening lecture by Nour Sakr, a Pro Bono lawyer for International Observatory of Human Rights and founder of the charity Refugees Welcome MK on “the integration of Syrian refugees in Europe”.
Finally, from each organisation a resolution was presented to the entire model UN where we voted whether our country’s government would stand with or against a resolution and any concerns or queries before a final vote if the UN should take it. Emanuel’s Jude Todd-Warmouth’s resolution was presented to the general assembly on LGBTQ+ rights in Egypt and the motion was successfully passed, as well as Finn Lyttle and Sam Reeves’ resolution on preventing weaponry getting into Egypt through the Suez Canal and on the Sudan and Libyan border which was just shy of a pass. Jude was commended a for his performance on the day.
Mr Nilsson (Head of Politics)