Student’s Reflection: DIAMUN in Dubai

 

The MUN culture at Oakridge Newton campus has been steadily growing over the years going by the representation of our students in all the leading conferences across the world. Abhiram Reddy from Grade 9 CIE was a part of one such conference — DIAMUN in Dubai. He chaired the International Court of Justice Committee and won the Best Judge Award.

Abhiram’s Reflection of DIAMUN

The magnificent city of Dubai is truly a unique place of wonder. It played host to one of the largest MUNs in the Middle East — DIAMUN. Initiated by the prestigious Dubai International Academy (DIA), DIAMUN was a 4-day magnificent event. I began to see DIAMUN as not just another MUN but as an institution within DIA committed to providing a platform to debate about issues concerning our planet today as well as a place to forge friendships that will last a lifetime.

The opening ceremony of DIAMUN took place at the American University of Dubai (AUD). DIAMUN drew upon a central theme for its conference: The “Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).” These goals were established by the United Nations at the beginning of the new millennium to advance human society to levels unmatched throughout recorded history. The 8 goals included halving the world poverty rate as well as curbing the spread of deadly diseases such as HIV.  The MDGs created a unified vision throughout DIAMUN as each committee attempted and succeeded in referencing specific MDGs.

After the opening ceremony, DIAMUN continued with 3 days of intense deliberation over major issues from nuclear weapons to youth unemployment. I held the position of a Judge in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and decided the verdict on a case between Australia and Japan concerning whaling in the Antarctic Ocean. I received an award for the ‘Best Judge’ after days of ensuing debate.

Another notable event was the invigorating social event that took place at “Atlantis, The Palm.” An enormous tent was set up on the beach for the participants of DIAMUN to dance the night away with the Dubai skyline watching over peacefully.

The best part of the whole experience was forging bonds with delegates and student officers from across the globe. After attending 7 MUNs within 2 years, I can say that each conference is an exciting experience to create connections at an international level.

After an amazing experience at DIAMUN 2014, my passion for MUN only burns brighter than ever before. MUNs offer you a fantastic opportunity to connect with people from around the world to work towards changing our planet one conference at a time. In a rapidly changing world, it is more important than ever for our generation to confront the issues of our international community head on, because we are not many nations — we are one planet that must be united to work together for the betterment of all.