November 24, 2024

Costa students participate in annual LAIMUN Conference

STUDENT-LED: Chairs Sara O’Brien (left), Cameron Fraenkel, and Jackson Alexander lead a debate in Costa’s annual LAIMUN conference. Prior to the event, all students picked if they wanted to participate in or lead debates. Photo by Natahsa Randeniya/La Vista

By Natasha Randeniya
Online Editor

Costa’s Model United Nations (MUN) hosted the Los Angeles Invitational MUN (LAIMUN)
conference on campus from Dec. 3-4.

The 28th-annual LAIMUN conference hosted 850 student-delegates from 19 different middle
and high schools throughout Southern California. They discussed various issues, such as the
conflict in Ukraine and ocean acidification.

“Being in the secretariat this year, I learned a lot about the behind-the-scenes of the conference,
and I thought LAIMUN XXVIII was really successful,” said junior tech legal Kailena Song.
The annual LAIMUN conference is always held at Costa. Each classroom that participated in
the conference hosted a debate hosted by students in Costa’s MUN program. According to
junior press corps Abby Simmons, the goal of LAIMUN was to create solutions that apply to
global problems.

“It was an amazing experience, and I feel so lucky to have been able to share with the whole
MUN program,” said senior secretary general Brady Stephens. “It really taught me the
importance of teamwork and trusting those around you for a project as big as LAIMUN.”
In the MUN Conference, there were two main committees, the novice committee and the
advanced committee. Within the novice committee, there was a general assembly followed by
the economic and social council committee (ECOSOC) and a specialized section where
students spoke. The advanced committee consisted of a general assembly, specialized section,
crisis section and ECOSOC.

“Being secretary general this year was a fantastic experience because of all the people that
helped along the way,” said senior Alyssa Lessinger. “It taught me that having a group of people
who are so supportive and helpful is truly the most important part of anything.”

Costa’s MUN team has had a productive and successful fall semester, according to Simmons.
The team has already participated in William and Mary High School Model United Nations
(WMHSMUN) and Berlin Model United Nations (BERMUN).

“I’ve been involved with LAIMUN since 2019,” said senior specialized under secretary general
Izzy Hory. “This year I held a new position, and it was super exciting to experience the
behind-the-scenes of the conference. I had an amazing time working with everyone and felt that
all of our hard work paid off.”

According to Simmons, members of Costa MUN have been planning for the conference since
May, as MUN conferences are student-run events. To prepare, delegates wrote topic summaries
of matters presently being addressed in the United Nations.

“I really think it is incredible how all of the people in MUN are able to run this student-led
conference,” said Simmons. “I really appreciate the amount of leadership we have, and I am so
thankful for everyone who participated.”

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