This article is brought to you in part by Garden International School Kuala Lumpur (GISKL).
From 17th-19th February 2017, Garden International School Kuala Lumpur (GISKL) hosted its ninth annual Kuala Lumpur Model United Nations (KLMUN IX) conference. The event involved around 300 students from Years 6 to 13, representing 10 international schools, and facilitated the convention of seven different committees for a weekend of debate.
KLMUN delegates are tasked to arrive prepared to represent their assigned nation, within a specific committee. They must strive to support the interests of their people and uphold the values of their culture, whilst considering practical opportunities and limitations that may impact upon their negotiating power.
Perhaps what makes the committee experience at KLMUN so enriching is that students gain an appreciation of diversity, as they are challenged to diplomatically debate from a point of view that may well be far removed from their own.
The eight student leaders within the Secretariat (the team which is at the centre of the event and its planning) and the leaders of each organisational team (Admin, Design, Media and Press), combined to coordinate the vast network of activity that makes an event of this scale possible. Students value the opportunity to develop transferable leadership skills, with one acknowledging the following:
‘I think that being a member of the Secretariat really allowed me to learn and develop a unique range of skills that I could not have acquired from anywhere else’ The inclusiveness and scale of such an event, which promotes interaction, collaboration and camaraderie, whilst enhancing global awareness and fostering such a plethora of transferable skills, makes it a calendar highlight each year here at GISKL.
Thanks to all of the students and staff who made this such a fantastic event – here’s to KLMUN X!
By Jim Pendred Head of MUN at GISKL
A version of this article was originally published in The Expat magazine (April 2017) which is available online or in print via a free subscription.
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