Last month, the FLHS Model United Nations team attended the Global Citizens Model UN Conference in New York City, held from February 22nd to 24th. Model UN is an extracurricular that simulates diplomacy. The General Assembly committees seek to form resolutions addressing global issues. Ludlowe’s team won a total of 11 Honorable Mention awards, which were the highest award available at the conference to individual delegates, and Ludlowe’s delegation won a Best Small Delegation award recognizing its overall achievements.
Over the course of the weekend, the delegates participated in multiple General Assembly committees, which included topics like AI warfare, the space economy, the right to privacy in the digital era, international maritime law, and the rights of people with disabilities. “I think the effort that our club put in was really impressive,” said Campbell Treschuk ‘24, a conference attendee and the club’s secretary. “We had a lot of members for whom it was their first out of school conference, and I’m really proud of everybody’s performance.”
In researching and discussing complex international challenges, the delegates formed strong connections and practiced their public speaking and communication skills. In between committee sessions, the delegates met and participated in cultural exchanges with many international delegates, with the Global Citizens conference attracting students from across the world, including many from Italy. Sabrina Tomei Gonzalez ‘25 said, “As it was my first conference I thought that it was a great experience, I learned so much and met people from many different countries.”
Ludlowe’s team stayed at the Sheraton Hotel located in the bustling and vibrant Times Square, where the conference was held and a variety of nearby restaurants and accommodations enhanced the overall trip. The opening ceremony of the conference took place in the actual United Nations headquarters, with notable speakers such as famous Italian musical artist and rapper, Big Mama, who spoke of her struggles with depression and the importance of art. In the closing ceremony, Martin Luther King III spoke to the attending delegates. During the delegate social, Ludlowe’s delegates socialized and networked with students from many different backgrounds, including doing push-ups and hitting the hotel gym.
