Trouble in the South China Sea

The RGSMUN IV Conference on November 11, held at the 500-year-old Royal Grammar School in Guildford, was a fantastic opportunity to interact with like-minded people, and improve our debating skills. Model United Nations (MUN) is a simulation of the essential tool of diplomacy allowing participants to learn about the global issues dominating the world today and how the UN functions.

The event was split up into different committees, each covering a particular issue area such as the environment, health, global security and so on. There was even a unique historical Security Council dedicated to the fall of Constantinople! At the end of the day, the committees merged into two groups and simulated a ‘General Assembly,’ which in the actual UN this would be a gathering of all member nations. Our issue explored a fictional Chinese invasion of disputed territory near Malaysia in the South China Sea, with a goal of trying to diffuse the situation. Though, in the group I was in, I can say that we managed to make it significantly worse! At least none of us swore on mic, which unfortunately cannot be said for another group (twice).

Esher Sixth Form College managed to win three awards, with Elan Sinclair and Will Trimble both being awarded ‘highly commended’ for their efforts in the Human Rights committee, as well as France (led by the trouble-making Jack Desmond) also being ‘highly commended’ in the General Assembly. Overall, a fun event (with great food!) and thank you so much to our teacher, Declan, and the MUN Society for organising it.