Lawrenceville’s Model United Nations team took home the award for Best Small Delegation at the 38th annual Yale Model United Nations Conference (YMUN), held from January 19-22.
Over 1,500 students from across the globe traveled to New Haven, Connecticut to compete in the annual conference. Schools represented assigned countries in mock United Nations committees. This year, the Lawrenceville delegation took on the role of Iraq, they researched and created resolutions to matters that pertained to their individual committees.
After simulated conferences, Lawrenceville’s Model UN team selected members to participate at YMUN. This year’s group consisted of eight Lawrentians: Brian Chung ’12, Francis J. Hinson ’12, Philippe Nunnenkamp ’12, Urvashi Pathania ’12, Zack Weaver ’12, and Jon Zhao ’12, Frazer Tessema ’13, Katherine Toll ’13. Pathania, co-president of the club, explains that in addition to doing extensive research “each club member (took) initiative to stay informed on current events.”
The eight elected students made up five teams, each one competing in a committee of the United Nations. The committees can range anywhere from 100 to over 200 delegates. Toll and co-president Chung represented Iraq in the special Political and Decolonization Committee A, while Tessema and Weaver excelled in the Disarmament and International Security Committee A. Hinson and Pathania collaborated to form members of the Arab League in the Specialized committees. Zhao debated delegates in the Economic and Financial Affairs Council. Nunnenkamp argued in the Commission on Sustainable Development. Similar to last year’s result, Lawrenceville’s Model United Nations team garnered five awards, four for Best delegate and one for Outstanding delegate. As a whole, the club won Best Small Delegation for the second year in a row.
“The Harkness system prepares students for the public speaking aspect of Model UN,” noted Pathania. Chung agreed that the unique Harkness table concept at Lawrenceville strengthened the delegates speaking skills, which in turn allowed the team to better articulate their opinions. “I want to encourage all students who thrive on the Harkness Table to give MUN a shot,” added Chung.
Although the club achieved great success at Yale, Hinson remarked, “there still are a number of conferences we want to attend, particularly Georgetown. If we keep working hard, there’s no reason why we can’t win.”
The majority of students selected at Yale were V Formers. The club plans on bringing underclassmen to the upcoming conference at Georgetown.
