Our school recently had the honour of attending The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) conference, from the 23rd to the 26th of January! One of the most well-known, established MUNs globally, it is a very prestigious event, and one our school is always very lucky to attend.
Every year, roughly 200 schools are invited to the conference, which hosts an estimated 3000 delegates, chairs, and directors. Organised by the The Hague International School, it is held at World Forum. As it is 4 days long, it is known for its intensity, and that the rules of procedure are particularly strict, and realistic compared to the United Nations. Therefore, its authenticity and recognition is truly a defining feature. This year, the theme of the conference was ‘The Future of Borders’, and in the opening and closing ceremony we were encouraged to consider the issues facing our world of immigration, but also the treatment of immigrants. Approximately 100 nationalities are represented at the conference, this also being a highlight and characteristic of the THIMUN experience. Our 15 delegates were all impressed with the size and recognition of this organization, one delegate said:
“I loved the diversity, everyone around me came from somewhere else in the world” - Juul (DP1)
We, the MUN club, are all extremely proud of how and who represented our school, and Latvia, our designated country, this conference, and would like to stress how impressed we are with all for speaking at such an esteemed event, for so many people. The magnitude of this conference also meant one was lucky to speak more than once, which makes it all the more special that some of our delegates spoke multiple times! One delegate commented:
“In bigger conferences like these you will rarely get a chance to speak, this means that a delegate should choose their words carefully so they are able to reach the objective of the delegation to the highest extent” - Sebastiaan (DP1)
This quote truly highlights the common experience for many of us throughout THIMUN, as it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, which taught us many things about how to speech to a room of 200 people, extensive UN procedure, and focused on the solemness of international politics around borders. Indeed, there were no gossip boxes, or punishments, to aid delegates in their quest to remain parliamentary, and truly explore the ordeal of being a national delegate in the United Nations.
That is not to say that the conference was boring. As committees were so impressively large, it was easy to make friends with other delegates from other schools, connections to last a lifetime. These friendships are always a vital element of MUNs, and the intensity and length of THIMUN absolutely fostered such relationships.
“I have made a lot of new friends who I will keep in touch with, maybe even see them again some day” - Sebastiaan (DP1)
Written by: Jana (DP1)