HMUN, the world in a classroom

Wide awake in the middle of the night, suitcase packed and backpack ready to lift on shoulders, with a sort of euphoria which is difficult to conceal: this is how it all started for the 20 students from  Liceo Salesiano Valsalice as they embarked on their adventure to Boston for the 73rd edition of the Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN), the most prestigious simulation of the Model United Nations After three months of preparation, they were ready to turn into ‘Delegates’ of the Syrian Arab Republic and get involved in conferences organised to help them enter the spirit of the HMUN with debates and formulation of solutions to global problems such as poverty, technology, disarmament, AI,  human rights, to name just a few.

On 27th January after their arrival at Caselle airport at 4 a.m. the group boarded a plane to Paris, and from there the connection to Boston, capital of Massachusetts. The students, together with two teachers, stayed at the Marriot Copley Place, in the city centre. After settling in, they visited the area of Bark Bay, where they were able to admire the antique public library and the famous Copley Square. The day came to an end with the “View Boston from the Prudential Centre” followed by a leisurely walk along Newbury Street and concluded by dinner and return to the hotel.

The group dedicated the following day to visiting the city, starting from the Freedom Trail, stopping off at Quincy Market for lunch. In the afternoon they visited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where they were able to explore the world of Science and Technology thanks to interactive applications.

Finally, on 29th January the 73rd session of HMUN kicked off and 3.200 high school students from 60 different Countries gathered together for the opening ceremony, followed by “delegate training”. The first day of the conferences concluded with the first “committee session” during which the topic for discussion was chosen, and the first alliances among the various nations began to form.

The next morning, despite the biting cold weather, a visit to  Harvard University Campus was organised  and Valsalice students were told about the history of the place, its founder, the many benefactors and  Harvard legacy. They could also admire some of the oldest American University buildings. After returning to the hotel they took part in the “Opportunities Fair” where the various educational opportunities available were illustrated. The day proceeded with two three-hour committee sessions, during which “Resolution papers” were prepared – that is,  documents in which solutions to certain global problems are proposed by the nations involved in each Committee , including the challenging Crises Committee.

On 31st January work carried on with further conferences, debates and resolution papers being completed. The evening was time for  the Cultural Extravaganza, during which the group was able to experiment the cultural traditions of each country, by visiting stands where each nation displayed its traditional products – from food to clothes and artifacts.

The following day the HMUN experience ended with a session where members voted for the best resolution paper and in the last session prizes were awarded to the most deserving delegations.

All good things come to an end – and for Valsalice delegates it was time to pack, leave Boston and fly back home via Amsterdam where the long stopover gave the group the opportunity to visit the city and the splendid Van Gogh Museum.

When eventually the plane touched down in Turin, although quite tired, both delegates and faculty advisors were aware of having lived an invaluable experience. Participation in the Harvard Model United Nations meant dealing with the international reality, helping even the shiest students to leave their comfort zone and develop critical thinking, communication and diplomacy skills, and deal with topics of global interest.

What a great adventure both at personal and academic level!