February 1, 2024

WASHINGTON ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY IN THE NETHERLANDS FOR MUN CONFERENCE RECAP

18 students from Columbia Union Academies participated in the 56th The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) conference January 22-26, 2024. THIMUN — the oldest and one of the largest MUN conferences in the world — is held at the World Forum Conference Center in The Hague, Netherlands and this year was host to over 3000 student delegates from all over the world. Throughout the conference, ten of the students served as delegates from Lithuania and eight students represented Samoa. This is the second year that a group of students from SDA schools have attended the conference. Participation in THIMUN is organized by the Washington Adventist University Center for Global Programs, which housed in the WAU Honors College.

Students from six academies (Atholton Adventist Academy, Highland View Academy, Pine Forge Academy, Shenandoah Valley Academy, Spencerville Academy, and Takoma Academy) served as delegates to the conference. The conference theme was “Peace, Law and Justice” and delegates debated issues including the war in Ukraine, measures to improve sustainable forest management, protecting migrants in war zones, tackling plastic waste pollution, Iran’s nuclear program, and more. Each delegate was part of a United Nations committee that engaged in debate on resolutions that were written to addressed specific global problems.

On the first day, the students engaged in the invigorating experience of ‘lobbying’, the process of meeting with other student-delegates to create
effective resolutions that would address the specific issue their committees would be dealing with for the next 4 days.

“Lobbying was a really cool experience,” said Asher LeVos, a Junior at Highland View Academy. “It was a great way to make connections with people from other countries and other cultures. It was pretty chaotic at first, but once everyone got in the flow and figure out how it worked, we were able to be productive in discussing the issues at hand.”

During the official Opening Ceremony of the conference, dignitaries from THIMUN and student leaders of the conference spoke about why THIMUN is such a terrific opportunity for students. The ceremony also included a welcome from the Mayor of The Hague and two keynote addresses from international lawyers from the International Court of Justice, which is based in The Hague.

For next 3 days featured formal debate on any of the more than 40 issues that THIMUN 2024 had on the agenda. The debates were spirited and often included strong statements from delegates from the various countries. By the end of the conference, each committee was able to pass between 10-14 resolutions — all of which were designed to find a solution to a specific global problem.

In addition to attending THIMUN, the group spent one day in Amsterdam where they visited the Anne Frank museum and had a chance to explore the city. On the Thursday of the week the entire group enjoyed a group dinner at a local restaurant in The Hague. On Sabbath, January 27, the group was welcomed at The Hague Seventh-day Adventist church, which included Sabbath School with the church’s youth group, and wonderful service put on the (visiting) British Union Conference, and concluded with a delicious lunch. In the evening, the students connected once again with the church youth group for an evening of bowling, socializing, and a visit to a traditional Dutch pancake house in the beach town of Scheveningen, which is just a few kilometers from The Hague.

“This is a once-in a lifetime opportunity for students and we are so happy to be able to facilitate the experience,” said Dr. Jonathan Scriven, the Associate Director of the WAU Honors College, who led the delegation as they travel to Europe. ‘Last year was a ‘First’ for Adventist school at thi conference and we are delighted that we were able to do it again. We look forward to continuing to provide this kind of education and global experience for students in the coming years. .”

To prepare for the conference, delegates met with Dr. Scriven via Zoom each Wednesday in December and January. On Friday, January, 19, the delegates met with Marijus Petrusonis, the Political Counselor for the Embassy of Lithuania, who helped students better understand Lithuania’s official position on some of the issues up for debate at THIMUN.

The WAU Honors College actively participates in Model United Nations through its MUN program, which allows university students to participate in national and global conferences each year, including this year’s International Labor Organization MUN (MUN-ILO) conference that will be held at the U.S. State Department on February 23. The Honors College also hosts a conference for high school students each Spring called CAPITALMUN. This year’s CAPITALMUN conference will be held on the WAU campus in April. Please contact Dr. Scriven at jscriven@wau.edu for more information.