Two weeks ago, the Model UN group gathered in Philadelphia for a three-day conference to discuss global issues with other high school students from all over the world. Haverford has competed in ILMUNC (Ivy League Model United Nations Conference) for fifteen years.
Fifth Former Ryan Shams has participated in Model UN in his first three years in the upper school.
“Good leadership and teamwork is key to success.”
Ryan Shams ’26
“Good leadership and teamwork is key to success,” Shams said. “Also, it is crucial to be clear and concise in the 60 seconds you have to deliver your speech.”
Shams researched air quality and environmental protection and regions of conflict, earning Honorable Mention. He thinks time management, teamwork, and speaking skills are all necessary to deliver a remarkable speech.
“Public speaking is a very important skill,” Shams said. “It is my third year doing Model UN, so I felt comfortable and less nervous because I have done it so many times. However, you need to prepare a lot in order to find success. This year I spent about fifteen hours on the committee.”
Third Former Wilson Schiffer thinks Model UN representatives need to be dedicated, as conferences can be a significant time commitment.
“The overall experience was great. I met kids from all around the world and also made some friends. I found this experience helpful because I was able to go out of my comfort zone by speaking to many people,” Schiffer said. “It was a very long and busy trip. One of our conferences did not end until midnight. Even though I couldn’t get much sleep that day, it was worth it.”
Latin teacher Ms. Theodora Naqvi, one of Model UN’s faculty advisors, finds Model UN unique.
“It is different from debate because Model UN has a different goal and is less inherently competitive. Model UN is built around coalition building and teamwork,” Ms. Naqvi said. “The most valuable skill Model UN teaches you is to speak off the cuff and to react to the changing nature of the debate in the room. In high school, you are not often asked about big-picture topics in the world.”