MEG Tönisvorst - Model United Nations Lower Rhine 2018

On Saturday the 10^th March 2018, the annual MUNLR took place at Schloss Neersen. The delegates, not having to arrive as soon as the chairs, got to the event by bus. After registration, everyone gathered in the Grand Assembly for the opening ceremony, the highlight being a keynote speech by David Jacobs, a former student of the Michael-Ende-Gymnasium. In his speech, he talked about what a gift discussion and debate is and how, after various internships at the UN, it helped him achieve goals he never thought were possible to achieve. Following that was a mock debate, in which the chairs showed the delegates what not to do while debating. It was funny and well prepared.

Our Secretaries General were Sina Kugel and Martin Kauder, also former students at the Michael-Ende-Gymnasium. All in all, there were four Committees. The first one, the Environmental Committee, dealt with water and water pollution. The Social Humanitarian Committee dealt with inclusive and equitable education and the Political Committee dealt with gender equality and LGBTQ rights. Last but not least was the Security Council, trying to tackle to problem of industrialization being possible without harming the environment.

Subsequent to a short break our first Committee Session started at 10:15. I was in the Environmental Committee, where there were a lot of newcomers. To loosen up, we played a few games. Once we got to the discussion, I realized that standing in front of about 30 people was pretty exciting. You really do not want to make a mistake and embarrass yourself, but after a while you get used to your audience and do not mind standing at the front anymore.

In the small yet convenient breaks we had time to eat and walk around the beautiful park around the location. Suddenly we were interrupted in our committees since a crisis situation was called upon. The United States President, Donald Trump, tweeted a wanted attack on North Korea for launching a missile near Hawaii. All committee members were called into the General Assembly to discuss that urgent matter. In comparison to the amount of people who were in the General Assembly, I realized that my Committee was not that large as I had depicted it.

At 16:30, the closing ceremony began during which every committee presented the resolution consisting of the clauses the delegates had been discussing in their committees the entire day. I had the reminiscent opportunity to go to the front as the co-presenter, getting to answer the questions the other delegates had on the resolution as a whole. It was frightening to stand in front of so many people with everyone looking at you. But the fright was worth it. At the end of the ceremony, when the awards were handed out, I was announced the Best Newcomer from our committee. I could not have been prouder, especially because there were so many other newcomers in my committee.