Two weeks ago, ten Pace delegates and two Pace chaperones attended the Georgetown Model UN conference (the largest in-person conference Pace has attended since COVID-19). “The NAIMUN conference was better than the online models by leaps and bounds because, obviously, we got to travel!” said junior Kate Webb. “During the online models, I would just have to sit through committee until 11:30 p.m. and attend school the next day, completely brain-dead.”
With over 3,000 delegates, NAIMUN lasted four days with delegates debating up to 6 hours a day. Delegates debated a variety of topics, including the issues of election fraud, the economic impacts of the African Union, the mistreatment of Nigerian actors, etc. “My favorite part of MUN is definitely all the time during committee, but particularly when everyone is giving speeches during the moderated caucuses,” said Webb. “I thrive when I give speeches off the cuff when I know a lot about a subject. When I’m not talking during others’ speeches, I’m always entertained by listening or by writing my resolutions. I always feel so on top of it.”
The trip was not only about MUN though. “My favorite part of the MUN trip was getting to know students who I don’t normally interact with a little better,” said Pace chaperone Ms. Shakila Williams. Between committee sessions, delegates explored DC, visited Georgetown and toured the National Gallery of Art.
After their busy weekend, tired delegates attended the awards ceremony where Webb was nominated for best delegate in her committee. “Before NAIMUN, I had only attended one in-person conference which was at Georgia State,” said Webb. “The main difference to me was my personal improvement in my MUN skills. At Georgia State, I probably gave only two speeches (maybe less). At NAIMUN, I probably gave over 20 speeches.”