The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) 2007

On Thursday 18th January, 2007, a group of twelve thrilled IST students departed from this beautifully warm climate to brave the cruel Dutch weather of The Hague. Their aim: to have the voice of Liberia (their assigned nation) heard and to pursue solutions that would contribute to the underlining theme of this year’s THIMUN conference- THE ERADICATION OF EXTREME POVERTY AND HUNGER.

Nine students had the opportunity to attend the conference (as delegates) where they tackled various issues within their specific sub-commissions; whether it was in the OPCW discussing disarmament in war-torn areas or in the Special Conference pondering the effective use of micro-edits, all nine IST students passionately contributed and made the best of their Model UN experience. This year, IST was privileged to have three of its students accepted for student officer positions within the THIMUN conference: Ronald Temu as a rapporteur for the special conference, Sucheta Shone as a reporter, and Elizabeth Stanton as an artist for the conference newsletter MUNITY. Our rapporteur acted as the know-it-all to help all the delegates within his commission whereas the latter two, spent their mornings passionately pressurizing conference delegates to buy issues of MUNITY hot off the printing press.

THIMUN was not only an educational experience but also served as an awakening that made the students understand the complexities involved when discussing world politics with other youth from around the world. Conflicting views and long hours showed the students how determined one had to be to make a difference-whether or not they got the results they bargained for. Nonetheless, the wealth of knowledge gained each and every day equipped IST participants with skills that would help them excel in various areas in their everyday lives. Above all, they obtained the abilities that would permit them to become leaders of the future generation.

Additionally, Dar’s tropical weather was soon appreciated as students spent early mornings discovering their hidden talents for blowing rings with just their breaths whilst waiting numerous freezing minutes for the trams, in the snow. Several more hours were spent shopping in The Hague, ice-skating, touring Amsterdam, and of course eating fast-food.

Amid creating resolutions and going through fierce debating sessions, the week proved to be demanding as delegates arrived consistently back to their hotel (NH Den Haag), approximately two minutes before their curfew. The delegate’s hard earned efforts paid off as they all realized that as youth, they can take action and be an active part of events taking place not only on an international scale but more importantly on a day-to-day basis. The THIMUN 2007 group thoroughly benefited from this experience and recommends all teenagers in IST to grab this opportunity in the future – yes it takes a lot of work, but in the end, it is worth it.