On Sunday 21st June, ten Year 12 pupils attended their very first Model United Nations (MUN) conference at Cheadle Hulme School.

Despite some initial nerves, they quickly embraced the experience. Several pupils even took part in the opening ceremony, proudly waving flags from around the world as the United Nations was officially declared open.

The morning was spent in smaller committees, where pupils debated a wide range of global issues. Representing different countries, they were challenged to discuss topics, negotiate solutions and make contributions from the perspective of their assigned nation.

Following a delicious barbecue lunch, it was time for the General Assembly. Delegates were presented with a crisis scenario: a major cyber-attack had struck. Pupils had to propose how their country would respond to the attack and question other nations on their approaches. It was fantastic to see so many of our pupils making confident and thoughtful contributions in front of an audience of approximately 150 pupils and numerous staff involved in the conference.

I was incredibly proud of how our pupils conducted themselves throughout the day, and the organising committee was equally impressed. We were delighted to receive the following awards:

Millie Butterworth – Commended Delegate

Alex Eccles – Commended Delegate

Rafael Casteneda – Commended Delegate

Chris Bhattacharya – Highly Commended Delegate

Poppy Lamper Howard – Highly Commended Delegate

George Waugh – Outstanding Delegate

Ben Eckersely – Oustanding Delegate

Isobel McKeown – Special mention for contribution

While it is always wonderful to receive recognition, Model United Nations is about much more than winning awards. It is about developing the ability to communicate effectively, listen to different viewpoints, collaborate with others and work towards shared solutions—skills that are invaluable in today’s world.

It was a highly successful and enjoyable day, and our pupils represented the school community exceptionally well. Congratulations to everyone involved!