The Illinois State Model United Nations team was recognized as a “Distinguished Delegation” at the end of the annual National Model United Nations (NMUN) conference. This is the fifth time that the ISU National Model UN team has received some form of recognition. In addition, two students were voted best delegates of their committee by their peers.
A group of ten Politics and Government students led by faculty advisor Noha Shawki participated in the NMUN conference in New York City April 14th – April 18th, 2019. The students who participated in the Model UN program this year are Hayden Athey, Grace Burgener, Ryan Cinotte, Colleen Horne, Devon Kelly, Trevor Nyland, Maya Rejmer, Maddy Riggs, Billy Stripeik, and Angel Zamudio. The students voted best delegates are Maya Rejmer and Billy Stripeik.
The ISU delegation represented The Bahamas on five different committees and each student researched a number of global issues. These issues included nuclear disarmament and international security; human trafficking; marine plastic litter and microplastics; access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy; and capacity-building for combating climate change in developing countries. Besides researching a variety of global issues and the policy positions of The Bahamas, students also studied the UN’s rules of procedure.
The “Distinguished Delegation” recognition reflects students’ deep knowledge of the global issues they debated with other delegates, their correct application of the rules of procedure, and their leadership in proposing creative solutions to critical global problems and in drafting working papers jointly with other delegates and working to create consensus around these working papers.
