MUN Director Insights into IMUN conference and a dedication to Mr. Andrews
MUN Director Insights into IMUN conference and a dedication to Mr. Andrews
André B.
IMUN’s 30th anniversary marked a historic, exciting landmark, signalling the rise in youth engagement in the important issues facing the world today.
Positive opinions on the conference were noted across all MUN directors, especially when it comes to student performance. Students involved in IMUN are keen on understanding the world better, being created and persevering to make sure the conference runs smoothly. In Mr. Horta's view, the diversity of the students and their different cultural backgrounds allowed for a better. “I think we underestimate how much we learn from someone who's different from us just by being with them.”
Role of IMUN and the UN on the world.
MUN is designed not only to try to get students to solve global issues on their own, but also to attract young minds to the field of international politics, perhaps inspiring some to apply to work at the United Nations in the future. MUN directors expressed the importance of the event and its unique role in shaping students, which is becoming increasingly difficult in the age of social media. Therefore, it is crucial they keep on working as they have in the past, sending a message to the world of peace and unity, as well as to the youth who will be the world’s future leaders. Mr. Ness pointed out how the United Nations often gets an unfair reputation, particularly in conflict situations where the underlying work they perform is essential. When looking at statistics of the world over the last 80 years since the UN was formed, the UN has had an incredible impact in fields like poverty, as well as the effort put into creating equity and opportunity for all individuals, especially considering the population of the world used to be around 2-3 billion by the time the UN was formed.
Advice for delegates and benefits of IMUN conference
All the MUN directors also admired all delegates for their bravery and inclination towards changing the world. However, for those who didn’t participate or will for the first-time next year, each of directors gave a bit of their own advice, although it all seems to relate to confidence. “Just believe in yourself and do it”, said Mr. José Horta. There are many students out there who want to make a change, but fear of going up to a podium and speaking in front of an audience. However, those who are not and have the courage to do so and make the world a better place, as described my which especially admires their bravery, describes them as “knights of a special order”. Similarly, as Mr. Graham ward put it, “If you had to sum it up in one word it would be confidence. Imun can be, at times, overwhelming, even a little intimidating. At the end of the conference, those who have spoken have successfully overcome that, and is something they can bring to all aspects of their lives.” Mr. Hans Ness on the other hand, had another idea on the possible benefits on a conference such as IMUN. “Leadership skills, leadership skills, leadership skills.” was what he said. Students who reached out to Mr. Ness over his 30 years of teaching got involved in positions of leadership, which has never failed to amaze him in how they change the world around them. That and the IMUN and MUN experience in general has been key to their success.
Final Farewell for MUN director Peter Andrews
Mr. Peter Andrews, IMUN's co-creator 30 years ago has announced that this will be his last. “His involvement with the Model United Nations program dates back to the late 1990s, when he took students to various MUN conferences, including THIMUN. As international schools in the Lisbon area began to expand, the opportunity to create a conference in Lisbon became clear. Alongside Helen Jenkins, the former librarian, Mr. Andrews launched the first IMUN conference in 1994, which hosted around 80 students. Held at the Luso American Development Foundation, the event was a success, and since then, IMUN has grown, attracting hundreds of delegates each year from around the world” (1st edition blog).
It is not surprising that MUN directors who have been coming throughout the years, point to the positive impact Mr. Andrews has had in their experience. Mr. José Horta shared that, “Mr. Andrews was the inspiration for me to start doing MUN. I was in a small international school in Portugal, the Braga International School, and I was sent to this model United Nations with students. I really didn't know what to do, and so my students weren't well prepared at all. But as soon as I saw how it worked, I just got hooked and that's it. I just fell in love with MUN, really, and I brought it over to the international school there. I created my own conference there. And then when I moved to Ireland, I just had to introduce it to the new school. And to be honest, the south of Ireland didn't really have a model United Nations. So I'm kind of proud to say that I brought it there. But, again, I brought it because of the influence of Mr. Andrews. I don't know if he knows the impact that he has had on so many people, so many people across Europe. I know for sure that in Ireland, at least 7,000 students wouldn't be introduced to it if I hadn't learned from Mr. Andrews.”
Mr. Hans Ness also had some kind words to share about Mr. Andrews, praising his abilities which designate him as the excellent MUN director he is, “His ability to facilitate, his ability to lift others up without drawing any attention to himself, his ability to ensure that the credit goes to the students, although we all know that a lot of the credit lies with him and his vision for the program, his understanding as an educator of the incredibly important role it is to just give opportunities and give the right opportunities to the right people are what they set him apart. I think his ability to read the people around him to make sure that that happens is the reason why the THIMUN program is such an amazing program and stands out internationally.”
We give our thanks to all the MUN directors, educators and anyone else involved in this year’s IMUN conference, allowing for an enjoyable and unforgettable experience. IMUN Press would also like to give a special thanks to Mr. José Horta, Mr. Hans Christian Ness and Mr. Graham for their willingness to share their experiences as well as their precious time. Lastly, the press team as wishes Mr. Andrews farewell and good luck for the future, recognizing his achievements throughout his illustrious career in changing so many young lives for the better.