How often do we have the chance to sit down in a room of people from other countries and exchange ideas to reach understanding?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Not too often. But it did happen for 59 northern NSW students last weekend at Macintyre High School.
The event was the Model United Nations Assembly, or MUNA, a project organised by the Rotary Club. MUNA finds its roots back as far as the 1920s, and came to Australia in 1980. The program is popular with students in countries across the world.
It tasks young people to research and represent other countries.
They are asked to put themselves in the shoes of a national when it comes to debating the motion they are assigned, and second or oppose other motions with the perspective of someone from their adopted country.
Among the fun that often ensues and the charged air of discussion and frenzy of lobbying other nations, the Inverell MUNA organiser, Josephine Kelly said the event does something very serious
“While there was a lot of humour, there was also great evidence of research and understanding,” she said.
Becoming another person from another place, if only in play, can be transforming. Young people often have flexible imaginations, and assuming the identity of an entirely new culture might make a difference to our future.
In our world today, we see the mass migration of humans from countries.
Though we see the images on media outlets, as Australians with nearly guaranteed shelter, food and health care, education and employment possibilities, it might be difficult to put ourselves in the shoes of those escaping an entirely different and sometimes dangerous life.
MUNA, like the United Nations, seeks to build bridges over barriers between our countries and share ideals such as friendship and compassion, while respecting the elements that make each global community unique.
So congratulations to those young students, who have put time into leaning about some of our neighbouring nations, and those further afield.
Perhaps in taking part in MUNA, they will also take away some empathy for other cultures, languages and situations very different to our own.