Model United Nations travels to Georgetown

By Angelina Vollucci
Staff Writer

Mira Costa Model United Nations members competed at the North American Invitational Model United Nations conference, hosted by Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., from Feb. 16-19, for their second major conference of the year.

Before MUN left for the Georgetown conference on Feb. 13, MUN students prepared weeks in advance. These preparations for this event began upon return from winter break.

“Knutson and I have made them [students] do 30 second quick speeches for the past two weeks,” MUN Co-Advisor Bob Timberlake said. “We are rather insistent that they do well, through excruciating grading [of the speeches], but we also offer different techniques for them to employ, as well as levels of confidence and fluidity.”

Forty students attended the conference. The majority of them were juniors and seniors, with the exception of a few sophomores. For this debate, over 15 committees covered topics such as drug trafficking, rights of indigenous people, and conflict in African countries.

“For my topics, freedom of press in the Americas, and the war on drugs and its social implications, I prepared extensively outside of class as well, with a lot of research, organization, and practice speeches,” senior Tyler Julius said. “But that’s what these types of national conferences demand and call for.”

Two to three thousand students from the top 10 to 15 U.S. schools attended NAIMUN, one of the most prestigious competitions in the nation.

“Since all of the top teams will be there, this is the conference for which we can measure ourselves against the best,” MUN Co- Advisor Wayne Knutson said.

The conference took place at the Washington D.C. Hilton as it is large enough to accommodate this event as opposed to Georgetown’s campus in past years.

Given that Costa MUN members attend this conference every other year, the majority of this year’s group experienced the event for the first time.

“This is as good a team as we ever had,” Knutson said. “Going against probably the best competition ever faced, this is a real challenge, but as always, our goal is to take home the award for best delegation.”