As winter comes to a close, Flint Hill’s Model UN Club is readying to send delegates to its final conference of the year: the Global Classrooms DC Spring Conference at the US State Department, set to run on Tuesday, April 28th. As always, Flint Hill’s team is sure to give their best efforts to the event with thorough research and eloquent speeches on the day itself.
This trip to the State Department is set to cap off one of the best years Flint Hill Model UN has had. It will be the fifth conference the club attends this year, following the successes of VAMUN at the University of Virginia and WMHSMUN at William & Mary in the fall and AMERIMUNC at American University and NAIMUN at Georgetown University this past winter. These conferences covered a variety of topics, with students debating in committees covering everything from energy crises in the modern day European Union to the political tensions of the American Revolution, as well as many, many more.
Though it is a relatively smaller conference, attracting schools mostly from DC, Maryland, and Virginia, the State Department nonetheless offers a variety of committees to get involved in. Flint Hill’s delegation will be split up between three committees. A double delegate team will take on a general assembly modeled after the UN Office for Drugs and Crime, focusing on the topic Cyber-Facilitated Financial and Organized Crime in the modern world. Another general assembly, this one single delegate, will take on the topic Strengthening Global Governance for Safe and Sustainable Use of Outer Space in a committee mimicking the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Finally, a single delegate crisis committee will cover the topic of Addressing Non-State Actor Threats and Nuclear Security Gaps, reacting to simulated events unfolding throughout the conference as a part of a model of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Unlike the previous weekend-long conferences, the State Department is set to be a one day affair, with students leaving Flint Hill at 7:45 AM and returning by 4:00 PM. However, this does not mean it is any less of an amazing experience for students interested in international relations. While the previous conferences were hosted at universities, the upcoming one provides students with the unique opportunity to debate inside the actual US State Department building, offering an inside glimpse into the spaces where the department operates. Additionally, in the past, the conference has included keynote remarks and speeches by high ranking officials. This year promises to be no different, allowing students to learn even more about the work of the State Department.
Like all Model UN events, the US State Department Conferences promises to be an excellent experience for students interested in international politics and the operations of the United Nations. Though this year’s conference season is coming to an end, any student interested in Model UN should be sure to keep an eye out for the club’s trips next year.
