Debates, deliberations and discussions, part of the Model United Nations (MUN) conferences that many schools in the city host annually, are something students look forward to. However, with COVID-19 and its resultant lockdown forcing educational institutions to remain shut, a school in the city has hosted an MUN conference online, with around 115 delegates. A team of students and staff members from the Chettinad Hari Shree Vidyalayam hosted the two-day MUN on Friday and Saturday. Students from Chettinad Vidyashram, Vidya Mandir, APL Global School, DAV Boys Senior Secondary School Gopalapuram and Sishya OMR Hiranandani Upscale School and National Public School, Gopalapuram, were among the participants.
MUNs held in schools and colleges are marked by heated debates and spirited discussions about various agendas. “We wanted all things that make up a regular MUN conference to translate well online,” said Raghav Subramaniam, a Class 12 student from the school and the secretary general for the MUN.
“Even though the MUN was completely online, we worked together to ensure that there was a strong and effective executive board in place to guide the committees. We focussed on maintaining the quality of debates and discussions, just as how it would have been if the conference was held in school,” he said.
Gowri Sivashankar, principal, Hari Shree Vidyalayam, said that despite the limitations in place, the students were able to plan and host the conference entirely online.
“Registrations were done online and word about the same was spread through social media. The students shared responsibilities and it was a well-rounded learning experience for them,” she said.
