The 2020 Model United Nations Conference for London was held at St Paul’s School during the weekend of 17–19 January and twelve delegates from MPW were among the 250 young people who took part. It took a lot of commitment on the part of our students. The conference organiser complimented MPW on the research the students had done. Each delegate sent a resolution to the Conference for debating.

The opening ceremony address was given by Sir Simon Fraser OP, former Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. During the closing ceremony some of our students’ comments during debate were praised. Some of the students’ and parents’ thoughts on the experience are below:

“A great opportunity to improve speaking skills, gain confidence and acquire knowledge alongside like-minded people!” Polina Naumova

“Model United Nations is an experience that opened my eyes to what goes on behind closed doors in the UN. My experience over the course of the weekend equipped me with skills I can use in both my school life and personal life, such as formal debating and using the conventions of debate. I was fairly sceptical at first, unsure of what to expect, but after having been through it, I can without a doubt say I will be attending MUN next year.” Sophie Dickson 

“MUN was a very good experience, even though I was nervous about the public speaking at the start. By the end I was very happy to take part in the debating. It took me out of my comfort zone but helped me find a new interest in politics.” Mimi Allen 

“The MUN was truly a memorable experience – from the heated debates that kept me on my toes to the hilarious discussions that had me gasping for breath. The three-day event enlightened me on several issues around the world and helped me develop a more analytical mind. I will also not forget the friendships created there.” Nafisa Suleiman

“Thank you for organising this interesting event for the students and to such perfection. My daughter really enjoyed her experience and I am glad to hear they all got good feedback.” Parent

“I think for my daughter it was an eye-opener about things outside her subjects of study. Importantly, she has seen her competition at A level – so she is working even harder. Well done for all the work you put in.” Parent

Our many thanks to Phil Carr for running this most valuable event for our students.