Diplomacy in Practice: Groton Students at Yale Model UN

The elevator of the Omni Hotel in New Haven was a sardine can of students. Yet, despite the discomfort of standing elbow to elbow with 20 sweaty, blazer-clad high schoolers, it was mesmerizing when Chinese, Portuguese, French, and English blended into a singular cacophony of curious students there to grow their worldviews together. This Model UN Conference attracted over 2,000 students from more than 30 countries. It was often during simple moments, like a three-minute elevator ride, that I learned some of the most valuable lessons.

On January 15, Groton students, alongside faculty advisor Azmar Williams, PhD, drove three hours to New Haven to attend the 52nd annual Yale Model UN Conference. Model UN simulates the United Nations and other conflict scenarios where students assume the role of diplomats to work together to pass a resolution that addresses a problem.

Groton students were placed in 11 different committees, seven of which were part of the General Assembly, two in Regional Bodies, one in Specialized, and one in Crisis Management. While one of us was debating expanding digital literacy initiatives in developing countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, another was navigating how to get away with robbing a bank in a Specialized “Money Heist” Committee.

The conference began with an opening ceremony in Yale’s Woolsey Hall, where former ambassador Frederick Barton, along with the Yale MUN student secretariat, gave speeches. The next day was “Yale Day,” where university professors held open lectures to all YMUN participants on topics ranging from “The Future of Marriage in China” to “The Leverage Cycle in Financial Crashes,” both of which I attended and truly piqued my interest in matters I had not known little to nothing about. That evening we had a four-hour committee session, and the next day was an entire day of committee.

“I thoroughly enjoyed our Groton delegation dinner that we had on our final night,” said Allyson Lu ’27. “On that final night, we got to catch up on all of our experiences from our different committees, share various things we learned, and even laugh over some funny moments.”

Allyson added it was her “first time doing Model UN, so it was slightly out of my comfort zone, but I quickly caught on to all of the specific rules and procedures with the help of other students in my committee. Although it was certainly competitive, everyone was extremely supportive.”

Sena Browning ’29 said the diversity of participants gave her a new perspective on global issues.

“The people within my committee were from very diverse backgrounds and places around the world, so it was very interesting discussing a singular issue from so many different perspectives,” said Sena. “I learned how to assume a leading role amongst students my age. It made me realize that when discussing global issues, there is not only one solution, but countless if we all work together.”

Nikhil Luthra ’27 said that Model UN “makes you ask questions” you might not normally ask. “Where is this money coming from? What priorities does this country have? Learning how to speak to people you do not know and turn research into real resolutions to solve real-world problems is such a critical skill to have.

“I think that it really pushed me to look at the world with much more nuance,” he added. “It taught me about many emerging sectors, or specifically, how Lebanon has been expanding its renewable energy capabilities since that was my assigned country.”

Dr. Williams, a Yale alumnus, is the faculty sponsor for the Groton MUN club. He recalls being “genuinely pleased with Groton’s performance at YMUN. The recognition we received at the awards ceremony reflected how prepared our students were, and it showed that our delegation can hold its own against schools that attend multiple conferences each year.”

For the spring, MUN is planning a Groton conference open to all students that would be spearheaded and chaired by the YMUN attendees. And for next fall, Groton is working with other ISL MUN clubs to organise an interscholastic high-school conference, possibly hosted at Deerfield Academy.

Although MUN is a simulation of United Nations proceedings, it serves to sharpen conflict-resolution and problem-solving skills on any scale. Regardless of whether you are interested in international relations or public policy, Model United Nations can mold you into a better speaker, listener, thinker, and—most importantly—persuader. These tools will be handy in any challenge you could encounter.