During the long weekend of Friday 14th to Sunday 16th December 2018, sixteen pupils of our school from Year 7 up to Year 13 took part in the 13th Costeas-Geitonas School Model United Nations (CGSMUN). Our pupils represented Germany and United Arab Emirates in various committees, such as the Disarmament and International Security Committee, the Economic and Financial Committee, the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Human Rights Council (HRC), the Environmental Commission (EC), the Special Conference on “Global Health Inequalities” (SPECON) and the International Court of Justice.
The pupils debated and proposed resolutions to international matters as diverse as Strengthening of security and cooperation in the Mediterranean (especially in the Middle East and Northern Africa), Reform of the IMF and the World Bank, Preservation of endangered languages and dialects, Ensuring access to water and sanitation for all, Challenges to successful implementation of HIV and AIDS-related health policies, Promotion of vaccination to interrupt community-wide outbreaks, Youth mental health in the digital era, Ensuring access to education in refugee camps, Towards a green transportation infrastructure, The impact of climate change, desertification and land degradation on global health or the Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
On this occasion, not only did two of our pupils act as Committee chairs, the Disarmament and International Security and the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committees respectively, but a Year 12 pupil was a Judge in the International Court of Justice and was voted the best Judge. Our participant in Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), representing Germany, was also voted the best delegate of the Committee. Both awards are given to participants for their hard work and preparation as well as their excellent presentation and contribution during the three days of the Conference. This year Ms Evangelia Tzironi, a lawyer and asylum expert, who works in the UN Refugee Agency in Athens, visited our school and addressed the members of the M.U.N. Club who had the opportunity to engage in interesting discussions with her as part of their preparation for the Conference. Her help was greatly appreciated and we are all looking forward to her visiting us again to provide our pupils with more insight into the work of the United Nations. And as always all old members of the M.U.N. Club as well as any interested new pupils are welcome to join our next participation in April 2019.
