Introducing MUN Impact Nigeria

By Audrey Pinson

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In a time where global crises are increasing and becoming more dangerous by the day, the youth of the world are taking a stand. While pushing through adversity, students and young leaders across the world are speaking out against the injustices of current issues. In Nigeria, many advocates are coming forward and speaking in support of the SDGs that focus on quality education, no hunger, affordable and clean energy, gender equality, wildlife trafficking, and clean water. 

I interviewed Ayotunde Aboderin, an inspiring, young teacher from Oyo State, Nigeria, whose goal is to introduce the SDGs and MUN to students and create a strong passion to better the world we live in. By sparking an interest in young, spirited people, he hopes to mold leaders that will help to make a difference. Over the past six months, Ayo has connected with over 200 teachers in Nigeria who are committed to enlightening students from ages 10-25 about MUN and the SDGs. In addition, 17 clubs in more than 17 schools have been created for teaching the youth of Nigeria.

Before founding MUN Impact Nigeria, Ayo had previously been interested in the United Nations and their work on the SDGs. While on Twitter, he came across some information about MUN Impact and it immediately grabbed his attention. He explored their website and discovered a common interest in the SDGs. He quickly discovered that MUN Impact is a program that is completely involved in the development goals, and he recollects, “I fell in love.” He wanted to find young, responsible people who could potentially become leaders, so he reached out to others who had similar visions and who were willing to help. Many of those were already volunteers for various SDG programs and as he involved others with a common passion, the movement began to grow.

Ayo has had many accomplishments thus far, however, he expressed that his greatest accomplishment is the fact that his movement has spread to many places he would not have expected. For example, the MUN program and teachings of the SDGs have been implemented in North-East Nigeria. He described a current issue where children are being recruited as fighters for terrorist groups in the North. He believes MUN Impact can change that and the introduction of leadership skills, decision making, and public speaking can help shape leaders in the North to stand up against challenges like these. Most recently, students have also prepared research for debates concerning SDG 15.7: Combating wildlife trafficking and poaching, which was held in February. 

MUN Impact and the Sustainable Development Goals have helped the youth in Nigeria feel that they can positively impact their world and spread the passion for creating change. When asked a question about how young leaders in his town are liking the experience, Ayo replied:

“They can make an impact and promote the SDGs. To them, there’s nothing better to do. They can help teach; influence their peers and people around them. So, it’s a fun experience for them to represent a country; defending it, and making policies that can support the SDGs.”

Ayo has strived towards his goals, molding leaders and effectuating change, and he has inspired many to do the same. 

Why MUN@Home Matters

By Arushi Katyal

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When people ask me to introduce myself, I usually respond with a generic description of a 15 year old girl who goes to John Burroughs School in St. Louis, Missouri. Quarantine has taught me that I am bad at baking, and an even worse hairdresser. Sure I have my own talents and hobbies, but deep down, I feel like I don’t have much to contribute to others around me. 

This is why I joined Model United Nations — because I knew my experiences would matter more if I was surrounded by diverse people with unique backgrounds. I was right. During my very first MUN@Home meeting, everyone began introducing themselves and where they were from. We sparked a dialogue about various issues in our countries, and I was amazed at everyone’s distinctive experiences. I soon understood that there wasn’t a single “generic” person at MUN@Home. 

In many cases, we’ve all experienced different and sometimes opposite facets of the same thing. For example, in my school, no one questions the value of feminism. Girls are encouraged to express themselves in any way that they want. And yet, in this MUN meeting there were girls who were struggling to convince their families of the importance of feminism, being labeled “anti-men.” In the second session, there were students from Nigeria speaking about the direct impact of poaching, women’s rights, and poverty on their day to day lives. You might think that you already understand these topics because you’ve digested facts about the amount of illegal poaching, or the wage differences between women and men; I used to think I knew a lot too. But what MUN@Home made me understand is that these issues cannot be truly represented by numbers, facts and statistics. When I listened to people’s struggles it felt so human to me. I could see the faces and experiences behind the injustices we’ve all heard about. 

The fact of the matter is that so many issues don’t truly affect us until we see those hurt by them. When I heard the ambassador speaking about women’s rights in India, or the Nigerian children speaking about their situation, I was moved and felt more responsible for finding a solution. Luckily, my mentors had me covered. Each of us were assigned a cohort with mentors who would guide us through the process of making a resolution. They were inspiring and encouraging, despite me having asked some dumb questions in the beginning (and in the middle. And even towards the end). They were always supportive. They taught us effective research techniques, how to properly phrase clauses, how to create viable solutions and understand our country enough to incorporate its strengths into the resolution. 

The entire process of Model United Nations is refreshingly optimistic. Which surprises me, because given the current state of the world, the 100+ of us at the last Zoom meeting had much to complain about. Instead, everyone had a drive to distance themselves from this rhetoric and focus on ways they could personally make a difference. I was impressed by the specific, nuanced questions that were asked about ways to support women’s rights or stop poaching. I could tell that whoever was asking them truly wanted to make a difference in their community. If I had to choose a favorite part of MUN, this drive and attitude would be it. Especially during these uncertain times, it feels like a breath of fresh air to be around people who want to find a solution to the bad news that has piled up around us. 

I think that a lot of our solutions are viable, and they give me insights on how I could help the people around me. It makes me feel less overwhelmed, because my generation has been told that it is our responsibility to stop Climate Change, malnourishment, disease and other issues. People tell us that we are all in the same boat and we must work together as a world to solve problems. I agree, and I think that this is a skill we should practice early on because our future depends on it. If we don’t find solutions together, we will feel distanced from the world’s problems and lose motivation. 

So, I encourage you to join us; familiarize yourself with the people in your boat. 

The Unlikely Coincidence of a Global Pandemic

“Model United Nations challenges students to think critically about the world’s most pressing events. But MUN also pushes us to be ‘ahead of the game.’ It’s a think-tank that makes us anticipate issues we are bound to commonly face.”

By Francesca Poupel

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I attended my very first THIMUN Conference in 2017. After quiet introductions, the chair announced, “the first issue on our agenda is measures to reduce pandemics in a globalized world. Lobbying begins now.” I immediately rose and walked around hurriedly, quickly befriending the USA and Uzbekistan, and approaching other delegates. Momentum built as we exchanged clauses and created constructive dialogue. We questioned whether it was realistic to test customers before they entered a store, and fought through similar points of contention. However, the spirit of MUN, grounded in cooperation and compromise, allowed us to push past the opposition. We ultimately passed our resolutions with a clear majority.

Collaboration, compromise, mutual understanding are the foundation of the MUN experience. Model UN has taught me to look past the selfish goal of being the “winner,” but look instead for tangible, tactful solutions. True success comes not from the number of awards you gain, but from the number of times you’re able to overcome individual differences to improve the collective. 

Fast-forwarding three years later to our current COVID-19 crisis, our resolutions seem more relevant than ever. I distinctly remember conversing with other delegates during THIMUN; none of us perceived a global pandemic as remotely threatening. Still, our committee proposed interesting legislation, much of which is currently being implemented. 

In committee, we predicted that nations would have to drastically boost funding for medical personnel and equipment. We were spot on. Today, I see more people with masks than without, and the demand is only growing. However, we should have included ways for countries to independently produce medical supplies and decrease their reliance on other nations.

We also believed that communication about the pandemic would be key and emphasized the role of the media. Yet, I personally find the overload of information from today’s news sources exhausting. Although the intent of our clause was to spread awareness, the current diffusion of news is simply counterproductive and demoralizing. 

Our legislation emphasized airport-health-checks and international transparency. Yet little did we know that the pandemic would halt travel and keep us at home. And the dishonesty surrounding COVID-19 got us into this mess in the first place.

As young students who have never directly experienced anything like this, there are definitely aspects that we missed. Seeing firsthand the pitfalls of countries’ actions, I would’ve added that the World Health Organization should have evaluated the outbreak as soon as it began. I would have also urged governments to ensure a constant surplus of hospital beds and critical equipment to prevent the hospital overflow we are facing. 

We are in a chaotic and disruptive time. It seems as though the entire world has reached a standstill; schools are closed, companies are struggling, and people are living in constant fear. But I firmly believe that this is the biggest consequence of the pandemic. Fear holds us back and deceives us.

Power lies in our hands. Just as I learned in Model UN, we need to look past our presumptions, selfishness, and fears, and strive to better the collective. We must take precautions seriously (social distancing, wearing masks, etc.), and nations must evaluate the economic impact of their decisions.

It is only when we allow determination and solidarity to dictate our actions that the international community will get back on its feet, hopefully arising with a comprehensible vision and a solution to the pandemic. 

The Second Round of MUN@Home

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With only a few weeks of experience in online MUN under our belts, MUN Impact’s MUN@Home program kicked off its second round of free online MUN mentorship for students all around the world. Driven simply by our passion and diligence, we held the first meet-and-greet a week into the program, gathering over 70 delegates, mentors, and directors–a meeting that wasn’t too late for the students in Taiwan, but wasn’t too early for Executive Director, Ms. Lisa Martin, in California. It’s a tough balance to strike. 

With a better understanding of our delegates, a new team structure, and guided by our newly-appointed Secretary-General, Jaideep Singh, the MUN@Home team had gained some newfound confidence. We were only introducing ourselves, giving some background on the SDG targets that the delegates would be working on and discussing the delegates’ future assignments. However, the energy you could feel in the room (albeit a Zoom room) was evidence enough of the team’s development. That energy seemed to be contagious, as the delegates engaged by asking questions which the mentors were now able to answer with certainty, according to their experiences from the first round.

The highlight, however, had to be Mr. Natabara Rollosson speaking on how he reached his current position in the UN and his anecdote on directing Greta Thunberg to the right place at what might have been the wrong time after she had spoken to the UNGA. As is usually the case when young MUN enthusiasts get the chance to interact with an actual UN official, the delegates and mentors in the call were definitely awed and inspired. It was the perfect concluding note for the meeting and the perfect boost to kickstart the real work of the program.

Unity, Dialogue, and Enrichment: MUN@Home Sessions with MUN Impact Nigeria

We were all set for another lackluster “SDG Briefing” with MUN Impact students from Nigeria. At least that’s what the MUN@Home mentorship teams had planned for our weekly Saturday zoom call. However, we had a feeling that this “SDG Briefing” would be much more than the title we gave it. The students from MUN Impact Nigeria were some of the most unique and insightful individuals we have come across.

MUN Impact Nigeria itself was founded about six months ago by educator Ayotunde Aboderin, with the goal of introducing the SDGs and Model UN to students ages 10-25 around Nigeria. In six short months the initiative has reached over 17 clubs in over 17 schools. What makes MUN Impact Nigeria so unique and fuels its rapid growth is the dedication and passion of its students. And it is these spirited individuals that raised the excitement of our typical zoom meetings. 

After each mentoring cohort had a brief meeting to discuss upcoming assignments and engage face-to-face, all of the 300+ MUN@Home participants came together to learn from the MUN Impact Nigeria students about their personal experiences with the Global Goals. As each student presented his or her perspective on certain goals, the chat lit up with questions. I, like the rest of the participants, was inspired. It was clear to me how passionate they were about advancing the SDGs. I wanted to soak up every ounce of knowledge I could from their experiences in a country half a world away. 

One of the most profound experiences was hearing one student discuss her perspective in Yoruba, her native Nigerian dialect. I smiled to myself in that moment, finally understanding the ostensibly abstract concepts of connection, globalization, and inspiration. I wanted to capture that moment in my mind and remember it forever as a testament to what we, the youth, were able to accomplish amidst one of the most unprecedented global catastrophes of the modern era. 

The dialogue that emerged between the Nigerian delegates and the rest of the MUN @ Home participants soon morphed into full fledged “open mic” discussion on COVID-19. One by one, students took the floor and shared how the coronavirus pandemic has affected their own lives. They shared their suggestions for world leaders in and out of their home countries and expressed frustrations with current policy. In just an hour, I had traveled from Nigeria, to France, Taiwan, Singapore, and to Afghanistan–all from the comfort of my own bedroom. I also noticed that amidst the virus’ turmoil and chaos, we were undoubtedly united. We were connected by the same hardships despite the expansive seas and deep valleys that separated us. I never knew I would be able to relate on such a personal level to the life of a peer living in Egypt. But there we were, bonding over school closures, sick family members, and economic loss. 

What was meant to be an “SDG Briefing,” turned out to be a global dialogue. MUN@Home undoubtedly made one of the most disastrous periods of time uplifting, enriching and hopeful.

A Trip to the Beach in Qatar

Students from Middle East International School decided to volunteer at a beach cleanup on December 9, 2019. The program was organized by the Doha Environment Actions Project and took place at As Salwa Beach in Qatar.

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Qatar is one of the most developed nations in the Middle Eastern region and classified by the UN as having a rate of high human development. Yet this drastic development has its costs. Underneath its enviable, beautiful exterior, the nation faces pressing environmental issues.

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Qatar is vulnerable to coastline pollution from marine debris due to its quick urbanization and economic growth. Various studies have been conducted to monitor coastline debris as well as micro-plastics in the ocean to protect marine life. One such study, by Qatar University Environmental Science Center (QU-ESC), identified the most common types and amounts of micro-plastics. They stated:

The impact of plastic pollution in the marine environment is of increasing global concern. As plastic is durable and degrades slowly in the environment, plastic debris is now widespread in the world’s oceans. Approximately eight million tons of plastic waste ends up in the oceans every year, and it is predicted that by the year 2050 the amount of plastic waste in the world’s oceans could exceed the amount of fish present, on a weight-to-weight basis.

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Several programs exist that enable communities in Qatar to help reduce pollution and prevent harm to marine life: the recurring Purple Beach Cleanup, Doha Bank’s beach cleanup events, AlMafjar beach cleanups, and many others initiated by schools and communities. 

In one such initiative, students from Middle East International School took a trip to the beach to help clean up.

During this experience, students got to see the dangers that threaten Marine life. There were immense amounts of trash carelessly thrown onto the ground and into the ocean. “It was overall a fun experience and an eye-opener to the issue of pollution that’s been affecting marine and plant life,” student-volunteer Lois Nojadera reflected,”it was shocking because of the amount of pollution we saw in the most unexpected areas. The deeper we went into the place, the more trash we saw and the bigger the chance of all the trash entering the ocean.”

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This initiative was primarily centered around SDGs 14 and 15: preserving and protecting life below water and on land. Middle East International School’s project and other similar initiatives are brain-stormed, created, and put into actions by communities of students and volunteers. It truly illustrates that students, MUN chapters, and communities all over the world can have a far-reaching and important impact. 

Munabe School: Learning about Ecosystems by Cleaning up Waste

Over the last year, Munabe School, located in Bilbao, Spain, completed three river clean-ups, all while learning a great deal about the ecosystem. Subsequently, primary, middle and high school students compiled presentations about climate change, connecting their previous knowledge to what they learned through these clean-ups.

Munabe has been actively involved with promoting the SDG goals; they have successfully completed three MUN Impact activities since the start of last year, primarily concentrated around SDGs 13, 14 and 15:

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  1. First river clean up:

On Friday 22 of May 2019 Munabe School took on the river cleanup initiative which consisted of the following:

Investigation

The investigation consisted of a process involving the pH level of the water, its fluidity, and its oxygen level to gain some intel on the current situation of the river. They discovered that summertime temperature was 12.5ºC. Reactive tests regarding pH levels came out to a level of 7.1, while dissolved oxygen-level tests were at high levels (10 mg/L). In order to see why this occurred they also checked the fluidity of the water, as the more it moves the more oxygen there is. It appeared quite high. In regard to life in the ecosystem, students found an array of invertebrates from efímera larva to trichoptera larvae–a good amount for such a small river.

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Cleanup

The cleanup consisted mostly of picking up all the plastic waste which ended up in the river via gusts of wind. They covered a portion of the river, land and surrounding banks that belonged to their school.

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Continue reading “Munabe School: Learning about Ecosystems by Cleaning up Waste”

Together in time of crisis: MUN@Home

This is indeed a testing time for all of us. While some of us are separated from our families as International University students (including myself!), others in High School and Middle School are locked in their homes, all for their own safety as well as that of others. COVID-19 has indeed brought a dynamically uncertain future which is difficult to be foretold. However, even in these times of uncertainty, rays of hope lie in how united the youth remains. Today’s youth has the power to change the world, and includes the leaders of tomorrow responsible for guiding the course of communities in the future. With these ideas in mind, MUN Impact has initiated a new youth outreach program for empowering students from High School and Middle School, right in the comfort of their home. This revolutionary idea, is MUN@Home. 

The initiative follows up from the footsteps of our jrOMUN program, but differs in the target group. We essentially recruit students from High School and Middle School, and even University to register as mentors. We then recruit interested delegates from HS and MS, who are allocated into mentoring groups, or cohorts, on Edmodo- a safe online educational platform. Over the next three weeks, delegates were given assignments teaching them the basics of Model UN and SDG 6.1: Clean Water and Sanitation. These included finding research links, finding out about the progress made in their delegated country, policy statements, opening speeches and of course, the all-important Resolutions!

The highlight of this program has been its mentorship. Our mentors did an amazing job, with regular feedback being provided on assignments and suggestions being given on research methodologies and debating techniques. 

At the end of this three-week cycle, it was finally time for delegates to put their skills to the test! For this, we came up with an online debate on ZOOM for SDG 6.1 on April 11, Saturday. Open to registration by our cohort delegates, the debate was moderated by our mentorship team. As a mentor for the first round, I had the opportunity to chair the debate, alongside my colleague Ameena El Agha, who is now the Deputy SG of the program. 

All my colleagues from MUN@Home, as well as the Board members present as observers were THRILLED to see the level of enthusiasm coming from 30+ delegates in the room. Our delegates were prepared and ready to showcase their skills learnt over the past three weeks, with almost every delegate speaking more than once. Braving the challenges of using a new forum for debate, a new environment which may have been difficult to understand at first, our delegates and moderating team gave their very best to engage a successful debate, with several delegates expressing their wish to remain involved in the program in future sessions as well!

Watching young people in action online, with such involvement and activity, makes me recall the purpose for which an organization such as MUN Impact was convened in the first place. We want the youth of the world to learn about the pressing issues of today, about the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, and understand how significant they are for the present and future generations. Such a program unites us as ONE YOUTH COMMUNITY, and binds us together to work on common goals irrespective of social backgrounds. The HELA Initiative, Salam Centre for Peace, Nigeria’s Oyo MUN and now MUN@Home- are all testimony to the idea that circumstances don’t control us, but it is WE who control our own circumstances and make the best use possible of them. 

My sincerest gratitude goes out to the jrOMUN team under SG Brain Lain, who helped us establish this program extremely well right in its very first round. As of today, we are in the middle of Round 2, and are now going on to plan Round 3 of our Mentorship- Debate cycle. 

I wish to see this program grow to limits beyond imagination, and add yet another successful initiative to the likes of OMUN and jrOMUN- both of which are integral parts of MUN Impact. 

We are ONE. We are MUN Impact. 

Jaideep Singh 

Secretary General 

MUN@Home

 

CNN #MyFreedomDay at AISC

In support of the CNN #MyFreedomDay initiative, MUN Impact at the American International School Chennai conducted a week-long, school-wide campaign to raise awareness about modern day slavery. Inspiring members of Kranti, an NGO which empowers women in red-light districts of Mumbai to become agents of social change, were also invited on Zoom calls and into classrooms throughout the week to have interactive Q&As with students.

 

Throughout the week, students from all grades were invited to collaborate on an interactive chalk blackboard display designed by MUN Impact members. Online newsletters were also written by MUN Impact members for each day of the week, featuring facts and stories about modern-day slavery for all of our students to learn more. A video was created which ran on televisions around school all week, to raise awareness among students.

On Day 1, the Peace Chain was set up, interweaved between trees in the school’s Unity Courtyard. Students were provided materials to write their own responses to key questions about modern day slavery on the individual paper strips. They were then invited to join their link to the rest of the chain throughout the week.

On Day 2, #MyFreedomDay, a “Blue Band Campaign” was carried out, where MUN Impact designed and handed out blue wristbands with the hashtag in the morning before school started. Students, parents, and faculty were all invited to view the display featured in the Unity Courtyard. Kranti had also contributed physical displays of their stories, which were shared with the students. Day 3 featured an awareness photo with all students and faculty wearing blue and their wristbands to show their support.

On the final day of the campaign, a school-wide lap-a-thon was conducted. Students requested sponsors throughout the week and were able to run with their peers to raise money which would be donated to Kranti. At the beginning of the lap-a-thon, the runners ran through the Peace Chain which was created throughout the week as a symbol of breaking the chains of modern day slavery and promoting peace for all.