TCC Taiwan Trip 2012: MODEL UNITED NATIONS: San Sin High School and TCC

For the first time, San Sin High School is building a Model United Nations team that will participate in a Model U.N. Conference in Kaohsiung, Taiwan in August. Coincidentally, two of the American teachers from the San Sin Summer English Program are active participants in the Tallahassee Community College Model U.N. group. Josi Markel is the current President, and Frank Vasconcelos is the TCC team's head delegate and ex-officio Vice-President. They took this opportunity to meet with the San Sin students to provide a detailed introduction to Model U.N. and to help prepare the new team for the upcoming conference.

Two lengthy meetings were held, and both Josi and Frank provided extensive information to the students and their sponsor, Julia. They reviewed the United Nations structure and conference procedures. They discussed the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). They also introduced the San Sin students to important terms and phrases that would be used repeatedly at the conference, such as: placard, delegate, caucus, agenda, speakers list, committee, and formal debate.

Frank and Josi taught the San Sin students the formal procedure for addressing the Chair and fellow delegates: "Honorable Chair and Distinguished Delegates..."

Then, Josi directed a simulation, where everyone was invited and encouraged to participate. Delegates included not only members of the San Sin Model U.N. team, but American teachers, San Sin teachers, TAs, and friends of the English program. Each person chose a country to represent, and then it was time to put all of the new knowledge into practice! Roll was taken, the agenda was set, and the participants jumped into a riveting discussion of nuclear non-proliferation. There was very enthusiastic participation from the "students," and a tremendous amount of information was learned by all. Best of luck to the San Sin Model U.N. team in August!