THE prestigious Jakarta International Model United Nations (JMUN) recently gathered diplomacy and governance students for an enriching experience.
A simulation of UN conferences, JMUN—the largest international model of the United Nations in Indonesia—offered the opportunity for global negotiations and diplomacy for the next generation of diplomats.
Delegates took on the roles of country representatives or news agencies to discuss pressing relevant issues. They joined in council sessions and debates, wrote position papers, and proposed resolutions to world problems.
The participants were assigned to various committees such as the UN Security Council; UN Educational, Social, and Cultural Organization (Unesco); UN Environment Programme (UNEP); and UN Correspondents Association (UNCA). Other embodied entities were the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization, Asean, and the Historical Crisis Committee (HCC).
Over 200 learners from Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Cuba, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States, and Uzbekistan attended the hybrid forum.
Those from the Consular and Diplomatic Affairs, Diplomacy and International Affairs, plus the Governance and Public Affairs Programs of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Diplomacy and Governance, comprised the Filipino team.
Among the outstanding delegates, Tala Barcena—who represented the United Arab Emirates—earned the “Best Position Paper Award” in the UNEP.
Jewel Vargas and Hanna Dizon, who spoke for the Kingdom of Spain and the Indonesian historical figure and activist Soetan Goenoeng, were hailed as honorable mentions in UNEP and HCC, respectively.
Deirdre Abibas and Cole Casem, who stood for the US in the Asean, plus Yehan Nolledo for the Agence France-Presse in the UNCA, as well as Bianca Diaz for the Republic of Indonesia in the Unesco, likewise received “Verbal Commendations.”
Other members of the Philippine delegation included Marie Alcoriza, John Michael Almaden, Julian Binalla, Bryana Calimag, Cyril Carandan, Mae Claveron, Keziah Cuison, Nathaniel De Jesus, Abraham Dizon, and Nico Mata.
The roster was completed by Justine Mendoza, Kyla Mendoza, Elijah Mercado, Reimund Navarro, Joven Reyes, Maria Roxas, Riana Sison, Frances Toyocan, Lanz Vaswani, and Gwyrdeth Villacarlos.
Program chairpersons Catherine Dee Samaniego and Maricel Fernandez-Carag accompanied and provided guidance.
Samaniego shared that the students had intense training such as in-depth research and technical writing, and even underwent public-speaking drills: “It broadened and deepened their appreciation of the challenges that stakeholders must address in order to create a path toward a sustainable, peaceful, and inclusive future.”
