Diplomacy in 2022
On February 10, members of the Norwin Model United Nations Club participated in the 2nd University of Pittsburgh’s Asia Challenge.
A typical day-in-the-life for a high school student consists of waking up, throwing on casual clothes, traveling to school, and spending the day sitting in classes. On Feb. 10, students in the Model United Nations Club did things differently. Instead of casual clothes they dressed in business formal, traveled to school earlier, and spent the day in the library, practicing the art of diplomacy.
On February 10, members of the Norwin Model United Nations Club participated in the 2nd University of Pittsburgh’s Asia Challenge. Like last year, the conference was virtual and held through Zoom. Eight students- senior Mitch Kenney, juniors Brady Johnson, Maleah Phetsomphou, Oliver Hinson, sophomores Paige Sullenberger, Olivia Ivory, Andrew Brown, and freshman Harneet Singh- attended, representing a variety of Asian countries.
This year’s Asia Challenge focused on modeling the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The RCEP consists of fifteen countries within the Asia-Oceanic region. Norwin students represented the People’s Republic of Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Cambodia. This years assigned debate topics were Climate Change: Global Warming and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Climate Change: Global Warming and Its Effects on Coastal Cities, Democracy Protests: Hong Kong, and Democracy Protests: Myanmar.
“Asia Challenge was as good as it can get,” said junior Oliver Hinson. Hinson represented New Zealand along with partner Olivia Ivory. “This conference had no technical errors which was nice. I’m looking forward to a real, in-person conference again though.”
Other attendees look forward to in-person conferences as well.
“I’m proud of how well students did regardless of it being virtual,” said club adviser Mrs. Sturm. “They are always very prepared, and I cannot wait to seem them in action at in-person conferences.”
The Model UN Club plans to attend at least three more conferences this year at Duquesne University, Westminster College, and another at The University of Pittsburgh. Duquesne will be held in person and is on March 3. Westminster will also be held in person during April. The University of Pittsburgh’s Africa Union will be virtual and held in April as well.
Maleah Phetsomphou is a senior at Norwin High School. This is her third year writing for the Knight Krier Newspaper. She is co-host of “The To-Knight...
