French UN Conference
On Friday, 24 July, seven Year 12 VCE French students travelled to The University of Melbourne to take part in a mock United Nations conference conducted in French against other schools in Victoria.
A Model United Nations Conference (Model UN) is an authentic simulation of the debates and deliberations of UN bodies, in this case the General Assembly, during which participants (known as delegates) step into the shoes of country ambassadors to the UN and try to find solutions to the contentious global issues on the UN’s agenda through debates and discussions.
The Ivanhoe students were divided into two teams, one representing Mauritius and the other Sao-Tomé et Principe. Along with these two countries, there were 22 other countries represented in the conference by Victorian school students.
Students were required to deliver a formal speech in French on the topic Refugees: Rights and Risks through an authentic simulation of the UN General Assembly as well as speaking off the cuff whilst defending or confronting other countries on policies and clauses.
Through this interactive forum, students not only learned about the role and structure of the United Nations and the complexities of multilateral diplomacy, but they also deepened their awareness and understanding of key global issues such as sustainable development, human rights, peacekeeping, etc. This role play also promotes tolerance and respect for diversity and difference of opinion and highlights the importance of dialogue, diplomacy, negotiation, and participatory democracy.
All students did an amazing job representing their countries, this was a difficult subject to discuss in English, never mind French and they put in a lot of work and effort making sure they were thoroughly prepared.
The School would like to congratulate the following students:
Liam Hales
Jordan French
Lara Woolley
Jaycie Zhao
Milla Teodosijevic
Lukas Kafrtisas
Luke Rezk
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