Students Find Their Voice Through Model United Nations
By Communications Team and Anaika, Ben, Emilyn, Esha and Neil, Grade 10 students, UWCSEA East
19 May 2026
Last term, a team of five students hosted UWCSEA East's tenth Middle School Model United Nations (MSMUN) conference. One of the largest conferences of its kind in Southeast Asia, the two-day event brought together hundreds of students aged 11–14 from ten schools, including nine from Singapore and one visiting from Thailand. Through MUN, students step into the role of international diplomats, debating real-world issues and working together to draft possible resolutions.This year's theme, Decennium Concordiae (a decade of concord), was a fitting nod to the conferences hosted at East Campus since 2017, reminding everyone that “concord does not mean the absence of conflict—it means the commitment to resolve conflict through dialogue rather than division.” The team also had the privilege of hosting guest speaker Mr Gerson Garduño, CEO of the Singapore-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, who shared his insights on the recent Singapore state visit to Mexico and what diplomacy looks like in today's world.
MSMUN Director and Middle School Humanities teacher Mrs Yada Mak, encouraged students to “actively practice the diplomacy the world needs,” reminding them that every voice at the table deserves to be heard with dignity and respect.
For the student leaders organising the conference, much of the learning happened behind the scenes. Months of planning brought challenges, problem-solving and plenty of collaboration, giving them the opportunity to grow both individually and as a team.
For Deputy Secretary-General Anaika, Grade 10, UWCSEA East, one of the highlights was seeing the same sense of connection that first drew her to MUN come alive throughout the conference.
"No matter the differing individual backgrounds of the students, they all interacted positively–both in and out of committee rooms, which was lovely to see. Conferences like these help you learn so much, from uncovering novel global issues, to using persuasive techniques in debate. But even more, the friendships you make along the way stay with you, and act as a reminder of the beauty of diplomacy, and how it can extend far beyond a committee room."
– Anaika, Deputy Secretary-General, UWCSEA MSMUN
For Conference Manager Esha, Grade 10, UWCSEA East, the MUN programme helped her build confidence and find a community of like-minded individuals.
"Like a lot of things in my life, my journey in MUN began because of my brother. I used to watch him dress up in formal wear and throw big words around the house; it was only a matter of time till I did the same. Freshly moved to Singapore, I was in search of a means for character development. Luckily enough, I found it by participating in MUN. Starting off unconfident and confused, I used each opportunity to learn. Not only was I able to grow my confidence, but I got to spend every Thursday afternoon building friendships and meeting new people. MUN offered me a sense of belonging and growth that I will always be extremely grateful for."
– Esha, Conference Manager, UWCSEA MSMUN
For Secretary-General Neil, Grade 10, UWCSEA East, attending his fourth MSMUN conference highlighted just how much he had grown since his first experience as a delegate in 2022.
"As a delegate, sitting in an auditorium and watching my trainers and mentors speak so eloquently about what MUN means to them, I was deeply inspired and honestly overwhelmed—I couldn’t imagine that just three years later, I’d be standing in their shoes. As a chair, watching a young delegate go from being really nervous at the podium to delivering impassioned speeches without any hesitation, I found it hard to believe that that delegate was me just a few years back. And now, as one of two Secretaries-General, I felt nothing more strongly than warmth and gratitude in my heart. I would not be where I am today without the support of those more senior to me, and without UWCSEA East’s incredible MUN programme."
– Neil, Secretary-General, UWCSEA MSMUN
For fellow Secretary-General Ben, Grade 10, UWCSEA East, the weekend helped answer a question he had been asking himself for some time:
"Why do I do MUN? Seeing these discussions take place, I realised that if we want to have change for the better, then it starts at the local level, meeting new people and discussing ideas with a goal of creating solutions."
– Ben, Secretary-General, UWCSEA MSMUN
For Parliamentarian Emilyn, Grade 10, UWCSEA East, the event was a deeply rewarding milestone that celebrated the group's collective effort.
"It was truly an honour to be a Parliamentarian at our 10th and largest MSMUN conference. MSMUN@UWCSEA X meant more than a conference to me; it was the culmination of over a year of hard work from every member on the Executive team. The memories made during our conference weekend can never be replicated and will never be forgotten!"
– Emilyn, Parliamentarian, UWCSEA MSMUN
Of course, bringing an event of this scale to life came with its challenges. Coordinating logistics, solving unexpected problems and managing pressure gave the team valuable lessons in resilience.
"When organising something on a mass scale such as this, the reality is that there is a large challenge to it," Ben explains. "Through that challenge, I gained a tremendous amount of experience. Coordinating so many moving parts pushed me to learn quickly. There were moments of frustration, stress and uncertainty, but I learned how to work through them."
For Esha, a deck of custom MSMUN X-themed playing cards gifted to delegates served as the perfect metaphor for navigating those challenges.
"In life, just like when you are dealt a difficult hand of cards, the odds are not always in your favour. Unfairness lies at the core of the way our world functions. Planning and running this conference was in no way easy, but nothing in life ever is. It is what you do with challenges, and how you navigate through them, that shapes the success of an experience. The little challenges along the way instilled the importance of resilience and collaboration—key qualities that lie at the heart of the UWCSEA profile.
Without one another, this conference would not have come about. Each one of us is unique, equipped with our own skill sets and perspectives, much like individual cards that complete a deck. The playing cards serve as a reminder that just because you lose one hand, does not mean you have lost the whole game.”
As the weekend came to a close, the student leaders left feeling optimistic about the younger delegates following in their footsteps.
"A highlight for me was seeing everything that we’ve been working towards for the past year being realised," Neil reflects. "When stepping into committee rooms, I was blown away by the depth and thoughtfulness of delegates’ contributions—especially given that they’re only in Middle School."
For Anaika, watching the Middle School students engage so deeply was incredibly inspiring. "In today’s political landscape, it is easy to lose hope. It is easy to focus on negative news headlines and to dismiss genuine efforts towards positive change," she says. "But having observed debate in all of our 13 committees, I was so proud to see students from different schools, representing different countries, working towards peaceful resolutions to better the future for all. Every one of our conference attendees was evidently passionate about making a difference. That level of engagement gives me hope, knowing that this generation will go on to lead our world and, hopefully, change it for the better."
For Anaika, Ben, Emilyn, Esha and Neil, organising MSMUN X was a chance to put into practice everything they had learned as delegates in the past—building resilience and growing into leadership with confidence. Their journey reflects what MUN at UWCSEA is ultimately about: finding your voice, and learning how to use it with purpose.