WAWMUN 2022 – “A Secure Future Lies in the Hands of the Youth”

Between the 3rd and 7th of November 2022, a group of fourteen 10th ,11th and 12th grade students participated alongside 300 high-school students of different nationalities in Warsaw Model United Nations conference, taking part in some of the most heated debates on local and international matters.

Over the past fifteen years, WAWMUN has grown rapidly both in the number of committees, as well as delegates, and is currently one of the biggest events of that kind in the region. The conference is organized by the students of Batory High School in Warsaw and the central theme of the event was: “A Secure Future Lies in the Hands of the Youth”. The principal theme was reflected in all aspects of WawMUN2022, including the committee topics, and the speeches delivered by the honorable guest speakers during the opening ceremony.

In a time of war and conflict, a global pandemic, economic and humanitarian crises, and a rapidly approaching climate disaster, a vision of collective security seems to fade away. Through this year’s theme, “A secure future lies in the hands of the youth”, the organizing team of WAWMUN 2022 highlighted the crucial role of the young generation in dealing with these issues so that they can make their voices heard and propose solutions to global problems.

The Laude Reut delegation to Warsaw Model United Nations has put a great deal of effort into preparing their position papers and delivering extensive speeches in various committees, such as: Disarmament and International Safety Committee, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Future Security Council, United Nations Office on Outer Space Affairs, Crisis committee and International Criminal Court. Not only did their debating skills and work as delegates contribute to their committees’ resolutions on ardent problems, but they also led to a resounding success of the Laude-Reut delegation at the conference, bringing back home two Best Delegate awards and three Honorable Mentions.

The four days of delegate work on some of the most pressing issues related to global security included positions and steps towards resolutions on the future climate change, migration crises, the threat of missiles with special focus on ballistic missiles, suppressing the emergence of organized crime in developing countries, Scottish independence crisis, all discussed in committee sessions and further negotiated by the delegates in the interconnectivity sessions. These were spiced up by both crisis scenarios and real-world news, of which they were informed by the Press Committee and the Secretariat of WAWMUN 2022.

Such a dynamic political and economic landscape was met by students with flexible and creative thinking, excellent public speaking skills and interventions, collaborative strategies and effective decision-making. Their problem-solving qualities made them stand out and be highly praised by fellow delegates and committee chairs.

Moreover, their responses when dealing with unforeseen crises increased their diplomatic skills. They have learned how to formulate positions and negotiate even in times of surprising events caused by other delegates’ positions and decisions on global matters. Their breakthroughs have brought confidence and optimism in their capacity to adapt and to use their diplomatic resources to reach common agreements.

In our students own words:

“I consider both the MUN experience very important in my overall academic development outside of the educational institutions’ doors. The MUN was interesting and challenging, requiring for us to adapt to the very different environment, Rules of Procedure, flow and so on. At the same time, I was glad to have the time to get closer to and bond with my colleagues, as during school we are all on a tight schedule. The teachers were very friendly and it’s always interesting to get to know them better in a less formal context. I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to participate in this trip and MUN and hope not to wait for too long until the next one.” (Theodor Ciolan XR)

“The WAWMUN experience was beneficial, both educationally, and socially. I participated in four days of committee work, intensely debating political matters around international security. At the same time, I had the opportunity to meet wonderful people from all around the world. To conclude, the time spent at WAWMUN was profitable and pleasant.”(Calin Sandu XI S)

“ WAWMUN was my first participation in an international Model United Nations. To be honest, it was at times annoying, but eventually I started to like it. I would like to participate in other MUN conferences in the future.”(Victor Zota XIR)

“The conference in Warsaw was a wonderful experience and a unique opportunity for me. On our first day there, we participated in the Opening Ceremony, which took place in the Stefan Batory high school and different personalities were invited to address the delegates as keynote speakers. The WAWMUN committee debates took place from the second day until the fourth. This is where I participated in a committee with rather few other delegates, which meant that we were able to debate upon more issues and to have the chance to defend our positions. Aside from this activity, we have also visited the city and participated in social events together with the entire Laude delegation, moments in which we could relax after the debates. Before leaving for the airport on the last day, we took a stroll around the city and did a bit of shopping. The WAWMUN conference was a wonderful experience.” (Sara Dogaru XR)

“The WAWMUN experience was a chance for me to develop both professionally, and socially. Both my colleagues and I consider that this conference has opened new opportunities to improve our diplomatic skills and to know ourselves better. The days spent in Warsaw were highly interesting and I’ve had an extraordinary time.”(Maya Burlacu XS)

In conclusion, WAWMUN 2022 was a great opportunity for our students to put into practice their public speaking skills and also develop and improve their debating and diplomatic skills. We can’t wait to the challenging and fruitful debates of the next MUN, which promises to be an even greater challenge than the previous ones as our intentions are to attend a university-level Model United Nations conference in 2023.

Congratulations to all students on doing a fantastic job as we couldn’t be more proud of them all!

Prof. Diana Gomboș Prof. Laurențiu Lambrinoc