Recently, the YWIES Tongxiang Model United Nations (MUN) delegation made a spectacular debut at the SCIE conference, bringing home multiple awards. 

As a groundbreaking initiative for our MUN programme, this academic trip was led by Humanities teachers Mr Louis Dianga and Ms Sarah Rasul. Over the three-day conference, our five student delegates engaged in intense debate with elite peers from across the nation. Standing out for their solid diplomatic skills and collaborative spirit, their performance served as a powerful testament to the effectiveness of the school's holistic education.

First Steps on the Global Stage

Adapting, Evolving, and Thriving

At this conference, Secondary students Ethan Whiteoak, Sonya Atif, Emma De Iulis, Luciana Dianga, and Sky Yang represented Norway, Nigeria, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia, respectively. They took their places in two core committees: the Human Rights Council (HRC) and the General Assembly (GA).

Faced with strict Rules of Procedure and a fast-paced environment, our first-time delegates encountered significant challenges. 

Sonya admitted,"Since it was my first time, I was taken aback by how well-prepared the other delegates were. I observed at first, then gained confidence and contributed through speeches, amendments, and points of inquiry in later conferences.

Benefiting from their regular debate practice, the students displayed great resilience.By the second day, they had found their stride—delivering confident impromptu speeches, navigating Points of Information with ease, and shaping draft resolutions. It was a clear transformation from observers to active leaders in the committee.

Sparking Ideas

Forging Friendships

Beyond the intense debates, this experience served as a practical training ground for comprehensive skills. Sky summarized it well: "It was a truly enriching experience that allowed me to apply key skills such as effective speaking, collaboration, leadership, and impromptu speech-making. In short, it was a great experience."

Luciana also shared, "This MUN taught me new skills and gave me the opportunity to get to know new exciting people, of which I took great advantage of."

The conference topics were both serious and imaginative. Emma shared her unique takeaway: "The conference was challenging but inspiring, and it helped me grow in confidence and perspective, especially when we discussed protocols against alien invasions."

Honors Won

Future Leaders Born

The YWIES Tongxiang delegation delivered an impressive performance, achieving outstanding results.

• Ethan was awarded "Best Delegate" in the General Assembly for his exceptional debating skills and organizational abilities；

• Sky was also specially recognized with the "Outstanding Performance" award for his/her impressive work.

More precious than the awards themselves were the growth and resilience the students demonstrated amidst the heated debates — a true testament to the power of education.

Faculty advisor Mr Louis Dianga spoke highly of their performance: "They didn't just talk about the world. They tried, for a day, to shoulder its complexities, I can see future leaders"

This trip to the SCIE MUN conference stands as a successful testament to YWIES Tongxiang's commitment to Holistic Education. 

Starting with MUN, but going far beyond it. 

We look forward to seeing these young students — who have just begun to shine on the stage — continue to embrace their roles as global citizens and make the unique "YWIES Voice" heard loud and clear in the future.