Moorestown High School’s Model United Nations will hold its 21st annual conference on Saturday, Feb. 3.
The conference is the Moorestown Model UN’s largest by far and is expected to feature more than 300 delegates from surrounding school districts to debate international issues.
“We’re really excited and we’re hoping that this can open up more opportunities for us to go on overnight conferences, to other colleges …” said Aarna Tekriwal, co-secretary general of the high-school club.
“As we grow larger and larger, we can maybe start going to other conferences as a group.”
“I feel like there’s so many discrepancies between schools in maybe curriculum or the way they learn different things, so I feel like talking with people and learning not just how they approach Model UN, but (how) they just approach everything, it’s kind of cool just to know what they’re going through and it might be the same as what I’m going through, it might be completely different…,” said Alexandra Hickman, also co-secretary general, of the UN experience.
“I think just talking to other people from other schools and getting an outside perspective outside the bubble of Moorestown is really cool.”
According to the Model United Nations’ website, Model UN simulations engage hundreds of students each year, helping them to learn more about the principles of the UN and how it functions.
“It’s just a way for people to learn more about international affairs, so it’s a fun way to learn and also be engaged in the conversation without just having someone talk at you in a class or just read about it online,” Tekriwal noted. “You can actually be involved in the discussion.”
The conference will include opening and closing ceremonies, committee sessions and a guest speaker.
“This year, we didn’t go for the Zoom route, we asked one of our state senators, Sen. Troy Singleton, to come and speak,” Hickman explained, “because he does a lot (for) environmental issues but also helps with a lot of grassroots community building, trying to help with housing reform as well. And I think it’s really important to get a state senator that does legislation (who’s) also helping with the turbulent times that we’re in right now that’s really hard with all the partisanship.
“I think it’s really important to get (an) inside perspective on our state legislation.”
Tekriwal and Hickman, both juniors, are excited for this year’s conference and next year’s. They praised their peers for all the help that they’ve given, and they acknowledged that the event is something special.
“I feel like once this whole thing is over, I’m going to look back on it and see how rewarding it was just because I love to see people talking about these issues and I love to see the collaboration that happens because of it,” Hickman noted. “I just think it is the most rewarding role out of it all.”
“It’s definitely something to be proud of for us, like our entire group of people, us, leadership, the chairs …” Tekriwal said. “It’s something to be proud of and it’s really rewarding.”
