XJTLU hosts Model UN conference for school children

High school students from all over the Yangtze River Delta came to the fifth Yangtze River Delta High School Model United Nations Conference, held from 20 to 22 November at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.

Students represented different countries and argued about recent topics of global significance, including women’s rights, conflicts of interests among third world countries, education and development in Africa, and Middle East refugee resettlement.

During the opening ceremony, the XJTLU Model United Nations group showed a video providing general information about the conference. Following the video, XJTLU Vice-President Minzhu Yang delivered a speech about the importance of being a global citizen.

One of the delegates from XJTLU Affiliated School, Han Xiaqiuzi, expressed her thoughts on the event: “I prepared for the conference by collecting background information on different countries. I’d never had an opportunity to analyse international relationships before. I feel I’ve improved in terms of expression, communication and comprehension.”

Vice-President Minzhu Yang made positive statements about the conference, and underlined the advantages of holding the conference at XJTLU: “The Model United Nations is a good place for students to communicate in English, and compliments XJTLU’s aim to develop an international learning environment.

“Students in modern society should become global citizens and take responsibility for the development of the whole world. I hope high school students can broaden their thoughts after participating in this Model United Nations conference. They have to manage their own world.”

The academic director of XJTLU Model United Nations Ziyan Zhang and Yixuan Dai from the Model United Nations at Renmin University of China (Suzhou campus) also gave speeches.

Professor Ewout Van Der Schaft from International Business School Suzhou talked about the relationship of business affairs with this conference and stressed the importance of having an international perspective.

At the closing ceremony prizes were awarded to certain delegates. Director General Sun Lin from the XJTLU Model United Nations made a speech to conclude the two-day conference.