An Interview with Our Secretary General
The following is an interview with our Secretary General, Hemma Jari, about her own MUN experience and what advice she has for WiMUN delegates.
What do you like most about MUN?
Debating an issue with people, representing other countries and learning what they think about it.
Why did you decide to join MUN?
Because I was interested in current affairs and learning more about other countries, and after doing a mini MUN conference in school in Year 8, which I really enjoyed, I decided to carry on with it.
What’s the most important thing that someone who’s never done MUN before should know?
That standing up and speaking is not as scary as you think it is, and that the more you do it the less nervous you get beforehand.
What current affairs issues do you think the UN should be debating right now?
The Central American refugee crisis and the high levels of violent crime in several Central American countries, sexual and gender-based violence in conflict zones, and sexual exploitation and abuse by UN aid workers.
What’s one thing that you have learnt from doing MUN?
That compromise is key to making progress on issues.
What are your favourite issues to debate?
Any issues to do with human rights or civil liberties.
What has been your favourite MUN experience so far?
Ooh that’s a tough one… probably my first away conference in Bath, BISMUN 2015, in Year 10. It was on that trip I got to know someone who is now one of my closest friends, as well as several girls in older years who I wouldn’t have otherwise become friends with. The conference itself was also an exciting experience, as I was in a committee of over 100 people, so taking the floor felt more how I imagined it would be in the real UN.
Why should people do MUN and how does it contribute positively?
There are so many reasons! Firstly, MUN gives you a lot of personal skills, from researching and analysis to public speaking, which will help with A Levels and university work, as well as job interviews and presentations. It enables you to better understand and to respect different points of views to your own and to see things from others’ perspective and encourages compromise and dialogue, which are more important than ever in a time of increasingly polarised and divisive politics and more confrontational international relations. Researching and debating issues from a particular country’s point of view means you learn not just about the issue but a country as well, increasing understanding of different societies and cultures, which is crucial to ending racism and xenophobia. But most importantly, MUN teaches us that we have a responsibility as global citizens to work together to find solutions to issues we care about and to stand up for and protect the rights of those who are not as fortunate as we are to have a voice.