Developing Oracy and Confidence at BMUN XVI

On Monday 4 December, Pupils in Lower School, Middles, and Lower Sixth visited Benenden School in Kent for the first Model United Nations (MUN) event of the school year. All Haileybury MUN delegates exhibited outstanding confidence, leadership and technique at BMUN XVI, especially those experiencing a MUN Conference for the first time among veterans.

Haileybury was awarded two chairing positions in the Disarmament and International Security Committee, which were represented by Lower Sixth pupils Emily and Lucy (pictured). Proudly, their chairing proved to be some of the strongest at the conference. The pair managed a fruitful debate on the topic of the illicit arms trade. Emily and Lucy will be continuing their chairing roles—as Head Chairs of the Conference Special Committee and the Ecology and Environment Committee respectfully—at the Haileybury MUN 2024 conference this March.

Special mentions go to Lower School 1 (Year 7) pupil Charlotte, who demonstrated growing confidence in her Human Rights Committee, representing Saudi Arabia on the topic of the Rohingya crisis; along with Oleg, Georgie, and Jemima in the Environment Committee, and Charlie representing Brazil in the Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian Committee.

The Benenden MUN Conference acted as a great warm up for upcoming January debates at Wycombe Abbey School and The Hague International Conference. Preparations are well underway for Haileybury’s own conference in March, which is the largest and most popular in the United Kingdom with over 800 attendees and staff.