Students Discuss World Issues in Model UN

CU Model United Nations (Model UN) club attends national conferences every year to debate topics such as climate change, foreign relations, and economic reform, however, the true grit of the club can be found in meetings on campus. “In our weekly meetings we discuss issues in today’s headlines and I am amazed at the resolutions given by my peers,” says IAFS student Phoebe Iguchi (’19). “We come from a variety of majors, so we have different topic interests and perspectives to share with one another.” Iguchi also credits Model UN for helping her develop and improve on critical skills needed in the professional world, such as public speaking and group collaborations.

Last month, Model UN club members attended the Southern Regional Model United Nations conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Working together, the team created resolutions to various global issues from the perspective of Brazil. “Attending conferences allows us to meet hundreds of people from all over the U.S. and world--people who are all passionate about making a positive change,” explains club President Vamshi Arugonda (CSCI ’19).

Apart from participating in debates themselves, the team organizes a Model UN conference for high school teams. “In my opinion, hosting the high school conference is the coolest thing we do,” says Arugonda. “Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders, and this conference gives us the chance to get them involved in solving critical issues affecting the world today.” Next semester, the club looks forward to hosting a high school conference in February and traveling to New York for a national conference in April.