The world’s countries participate in the United Nations to facilitate world peace. At Darlington, the Model United Nations Club does the same.
The Model United Nations is a club where students can learn about diplomacy and how to solve common issues. Throughout the year, the club takes trips to conferences where they simulate the United Nations debates.
“We start with our first committee sessions. This will be where we decide the topic for debate and state our position on said topic,” senior Orafiri Koko said. “Throughout the other committee sessions, delegates debate on this topic and work with other delegates to write a resolution, detailing their ideas for how to solve the problem.”
For these conferences, the club spends their time between them preparing. They work on debate summaries, research the country they will represent and practice debates. Other than preparing, the club also engages in games such as Trivia and Kahoot.
“We also run mock committee meetings for students who are new to Model UN so they gain more experience in the debate style,” Koko said.
The club’s faculty advisor is Samuel Clark, who started the club after falling in love with the idea when he was a student himself.
“When I was a student at my own boarding school, I loved Model UN and it’s been great to share the excitement with these great students,” Clark said. “Mr. Owens, who now helps run a club at his new school in Savannah, knew that and recruited me to help out with the club back in 2018. Since then, we have attended conferences at Georgia Tech, Emory, Alabama, and Boston University.”
The club will likely continue for years to come, as Clark has expressed his aim to keep it going in the coming years.
“I have no doubt the club will continue to thrive next year,” Clark said. ”We have a tremendous base of students that are passionate about MUN and I know they are excited to continue.”