In this Model United Nations event hosted by fountainhead school that I participated in, out of the various UN committees offered, I was placed in the Special Political and Decolonization Committee or SPECPOL with the agenda being “Mitigating the political and social implications of mass migration with special emphasis on forced displacement”. In the event, amongst various esteemed chairpersons, I represented the delegation of France with several other countries pertinent to the issue were present such as the delegation of Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine and many more.

Within the committee, we discussed several motions and had many moderated caucuses pertaining to the issue and agenda at hand for presenting probable solutions and resolutions for the matters along with discussing the causes for it, the impact it has on all parties involved, various kinds of impacts and policies applied for the same, whether they be currently functional or issued for a previous span of period in the past. We also had to present the countries we delegated for accurately and to the highest degree of accuracy possible in accordance to their respective foreign policies. In this experience, I also worked along other people who represented many countries for forming blocs with them in order to have alliances that can provide for the people in need as well as ideological partners for the progress of their own country and their citizens’ wellbeing and welfare.

Learning Outcome 1 –  Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth:

In the process of research upon the given agenda and topics, working on my opening speeches and motions and researching points on my delegation as well as of those whom I can form a potential bloc with and those who might oppose it, I realized many things about myself too. Working on the research, I identified many of my strengths in debating which I could rely on in the MUN and many strong points I could wield in my favor during the sessions such as my conviction, my data display and analysis for research as well as my unmoderated lobbying with people in my cohort. I also found many scopes of growth for myself during the sessions and the debates. I learnt many things about myself I could improve such as my voice modulation, my talking speed and my vocal pitch for the better understanding of those I debate with as well as the moderators. During the two-day event, I did make a conscious effort to rely on my strengths and work on areas of growth.

Learning Outcome 2 – Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills:

As mentioned earlier, I identified many of my areas of growth and places I could improve and working on those was a big challenge to me as it would determine my degree of impact and learning as well. I also had a lot of aspects I found challenging as this was only my second MUN. The inexperience and lack of acquaintance with the format, rules, procedure, courses of action and other significant aspects of the chronological order of the MUN where always a challenge to me. I had to work on all of these aspects, especially on the procedures and courses of actions of the MUN sessions by contacting other experienced people I knew or the ones in my committee. I also studied and researched about it online which helped me understand it better and gain a profound understanding. Through this, I developed better understanding, more personal research acumen and worked on identifying and developing on my areas of improvement which will be really beneficial to me in the future.

Learning Outcome 4 – Show perseverance and commitment in CAS experience:

The challenges mentioned earlier, the issues undertaken and the confrontations bore, all required a great deal of perseverance and commitment to the CAS experience. The problems I faced were new, overwhelming and required a great deal of attention amongst other things too. Working on these problems whilst juggling other things and managing my time effectively was also a challenge on its own. Working through all these problems was difficult and persisting through it and ploughing on was a hard path I had to follow to work through them. Apart from a great deal of mental exhaustion, hard work was also required. All these issues that I worked on had to be given complete focus and took a lot of work.

Learning Outcome 5 – Demonstrate skills and benefits of working collaboratively:

In the MUN, I formed blocs and coalitions with several delegates with profiles in accordance to my country delegation. Working through communication and synergy with all of them, we performed wonderfully once we were united. All of us backing each other and working with one another in terms of motion passing, speeches, support inquiries and even defending against opposing delegation helped not just me but each of us a lot. It taught us a lot too in terms of people skills, important life adeptness and compatibility as well as competence in different situations, developing collaboration skills and teamwork.

Learning Outcome 7 – Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions.

Whilst deciding the direction and path forward in the committee sessions according to the country profiles and the situations presented to us, whether they be emergency crisis or a regular moderated caucus, each action and choice I had to make was according to the ethics and repercussions of my actions, even though this was a simulation I did understand the situation and put myself into the respective positions and did think of how my actions could impact the stakeholders. Considering the ethics of my choices helped me understand empathy and sympathy better on a new level and in a different framework. In this visualization, I also went through many dilemmas and that just taught me to recognize the ethics of my choices better. This skill will really help me make better decisions in the future.

These were the key takeaways of mine through this experience and this activity. This venture helped me understand things about myself that will prove really pertinent to me in terms of life skills and important requirements for my future. I understood and learnt to identify my strengths and weaknesses, work on them and rely on them in times of need too. I also developed courage to face difficult situations and persisting through difficult times to strengthen my willpower and exhaustion capacity. Through working in a group, I developed my teamwork, cooperation skills and synergy and learnt the importance of the same. Along with this, I learnt to better consider the repercussions of my actions and I learnt to better ask myself how something I do will impact others through which I learnt to step into someone else’s shoe. These skills are really important 21st century skills and will help me better myself and in my future as well.