RGS hosts first ever on-line MUN Conference
RGS proudly engineered the UK’s first on-line MUN conference on Saturday 3rd October.
Taking place in the Harrison Centre, we opened doors at 7 am to ensure we would be ready to welcome virtual guests across the country – and eat a few doughnuts. With some pre-filming the night before, we were ready to host the conference with some regular ReiMUN staples, including the keynote address and the thorough Chairs briefing, executed by our laudable veteran, Mr Sargeant.
This year’s keynote speaker was Alan Bates, who left Reigate in 1996 to pursue studies in law at Cambridge University and is now a top junior barrister working in competition law in London. Alan was able to shed light on some topical issues, including the making and breaking of international law. He also deeply encouraged participation in MUN at RGS, harking back to his own involvement as the first ever Secretary General at ReiMUN in 1995.
Welcoming 16 schools to our all-day virtual conference, we were deeply impressed by the quality of debate on topics spanning issues such as gender pay equality, sharing of water resources to the colonisation of Mars.
Secretary General Ved N was delighted, saying that
“In terms of the level of debate around these complex issues, I don’t think I have ever heard better!”
Impressively orchestrated by our very own think-tank, Alex C, we were able to direct students to different committees over the course of the day, as well as hosting Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Further speeches were given by Max S-P who gave a review of the incendiary politics that have dominated 2020, in particular the Black Lives Matter Campaign.
MUN Director Andie Fullalove said,
“I have never seen such dedication in a group of young people. We were told we had to cancel our MUN conference as all the other schools have. But the team found a way round it and this has been a hugely impressive collaboration; RGS has not only kept the MUN flag flying for all the schools, we have now been advised that other schools will attempt to follow our model so there should be more on-line MUN conferences popping up later this year. This will give our young people many more opportunities for fun and fruitful debate.”
