by Jeffrey Troyer | 15 October 2021
GESM’s Model United Nations Club recently resumed their activities with an exciting and invigorating two days of MUN LOCALS 2021, hosted by International School Manila. The event got off to a meaningful start on Friday, October 8th via Zoom with about 250 student-delegates from eighteen schools being treated to a wonderful speech by actual UNHRC ambassador, Mr. Andrew Clinton. Mr. Clinton awed the students with a vast array of photos with famous and influential people and his retelling of unique experiences in international conflict zones spanning many years and continents.
After the keynote speech, the Secretary General slammed down the gavel, officially opening the conference and sending the delegates off to their committees for two days of heated debate, compromise and resolution. The topics ranged from illegal migration into the EU to regional drug control.
GESM’s Secretary General Rasesh Barot (Gr.12) as well as our Deputy-Secretary General Shagorika Kar (Gr.10) spearheaded the GESM team. Also participating in the event were Cathryn Lagemann (Gr. 10) Reeja Subramanian (Gr.9) John Lueck (Gr. 9) and Axell Moza (Gr. 9). We are proud of all of these participants' involvement in LOCALS and welcome any students in Grades 7-12 at GESM to join our MUN club as there are more events scheduled throughout the 2021-2022 school year that GESM will be involved in including Yale MUN and YMUNA in January.
While the GESM student-delegates were the winners in experience and confidence about current world affairs, another winner was local public education. This year, all LOCALS proceeds generated from conference fees will be donated to UNICEF Philippines Education.