From 16 to 18 January 2019, Vienna International School co-hosted The Model United Nations conference of Vienna, providing an opportunity for 150 delegates from all around Europe, to engage and allow them to gain a deeper understanding of the current issues our world is facing.
Model United Nations is an academic activity in which students learn about diplomacy and international relations, by simulating the role of the United Nations organizations. The Model United Nations Conference teaches the participants speaking, writing and debating skills, in addition to critical thinking and leadership abilities.
The topic selected for the conference this year was “Promoting peace in a polarized world.” 150 student delegates were placed in committees, conducted research before the conferences and formulated positions that they later debated with their fellow delegates in the committee, staying true to the position of the committee they represent. The opportunity to host the conference in one of the four United Nations headquarters worldwide was a great chance for our participants to witness first hand the positive impact the UN organzations achieve in our world and provide the most authentic environment possible for practicing and enriching their skills.
Vienna International School celebrated 40 years of existence last year. Over the course of the past 40 years our school has been fortunate to have had highly qualified long-serving faculty and solid programmes, such as Model United Nations, which have provided a compass to ensure that the direction and orientation of VIS remain true to its original mission, to support and nurture our students as they strive to become effective citizens of the world we live in.