Another successful Model United Nations Conference is in the books! In our 20th year of presenting this marquee event, a record 832 students from 40 Western New York high schools signed up to brainstorm, cooperate, and debate their ideas at the annual competition at the University at Buffalo.
Model UN challenges future leaders to address pressing and complex issues at the heart of global conversations. The event engages students, requiring them to write, debate, amend, and vote on committee resolutions that simulate those of the UN General Assembly.
Local educators have long touted Model UN as a way to help students with self-confidence, teamwork, public speaking, leadership, research, and writing skills and increase their awareness of complex global issues.
Participants acted as diplomats for the day, learning about national interests and other countries’ foreign policies. They gained a better understanding of global security and economic, humanitarian, and environmental concerns critical to our world’s future. This year, local schools sent student delegations to study and represent countries from around the world in these seven different committees:
- Political and Security
- Economic and Financial
- Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian
- Special Political
- Ad Hoc Political and Security
- Ad Hoc Special Political
- Ad Hoc Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian
Current and retired professors and Western New York community members served as judges.
During closing ceremonies, the following awards were presented to the high school teams and the countries they represented- congratulations to this year’s winners:
- Best Resolution: Ongoing Crisis in Yemen submitted by Iroquois Central (Sweden)
- School Submitting the Most Selected Resolution: Williamsville North
Delegation Winners
- Best Delegation Overall: Williamsville East (Iraq)
- Second Place Overall: Williamsville East (China)
- Third Place Overall: Williamsville North (Austria)
- Special Merit (4): Williamsville East (Rwanda)
- Special Merit (5): City Honors High School (Mexico)
- Special Merit (6) Saint Joseph’s Collegiate Institute (Morocco)
- Special Merit (7): North Tonawanda (Japan)
- Special Mention (8): City Honors High School (Brazil)
- Special Mention (9): East Aurora (Madagascar) TIE
- Special Mention (9): Lancaster High School (UAE) TIE
- Best in Committee/ Economic and Finance: Williamsville East (Iraq)
- Best in Committee/ Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian: Sacred Heart (Ghana)
- Best in Committee/ Ad Hoc Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian: Saint Joseph’s Collegiate Institute (Morocco)
- Best in Committee/ Special Political: Williamsville East (China) and Iroquois (Central Sweden)
- Best in Committee/ Ad Hoc Special Political: Williamsville East (China)
- Best in Committee/ Political and Security: Williamsville East (Iraq)
- Best in Committee/ Ad Hoc Political and Security: Hutchinson Central Technical High School (Australia)
Watch WGRZ-TV’s Coverage of our 2024 Model United Nations General Assembly:
For more information on other IIB educational programs click here.