At the end of June, the Huish Model United Nations Society proudly hosted the second annual HuMUN Conference, led by Secretary-General Rebecca Barter and Co-Secretary-General Niamh Campbell.
The day began with Tim Law, the keynote speaker who gave a powerful reflection on service, leadership, human dignity, democracy and global responsibility from his experience as a soldier, diplomat, intelligence officer and humanitarian.
The event brought together around 60 students from local secondary schools for a full day of discussion, negotiation and spirited debate.
Delegates represented 12 countries from across the globe, tackling a range of challenging contemporary issues including emerging technologies in warfare, public health education, capital punishment, and deep-sea mining.
Students demonstrated impressive diplomatic skills as they worked through complex global challenges. Remarkably, and perhaps unlike the real United Nations, delegates showed a high degree of cooperation and consensus-building, resulting in successfully passing numerous resolutions.
Among the most notable outcomes was a General Assembly resolution calling for a worldwide ban on social media use for under-16s, highlighting students’ willingness to engage with contentious issues and find collective solutions.
The conference was a tremendous success, showcasing the enthusiasm, confidence and critical thinking of young people as they explored the challenges facing the international community.
