MMUN Hangzhou International Conference a Success to be Repeated

Students lead the way in international understanding at the MMUN Hangzhou International Conference, with more than 600 participants. The opening ceremony shined its limelight on student delegates, including:best kindergarten in hangzhou

Hong Yi, who presented her expectations from the conference and her eagerness to meet delegates from the Wes. She is a 12 years old student from Hangzhou Mordern Experimental Primary School in Xiacheng
Luke Kirchner, a Post Oak student, shared his experiences and growth through 6 years of MMUN participation, including increasing his proficiency in public speaking, expanding his inter-personal skills with fellow delegates, and develping an interest in global affairs.

The Opening Ceremony reflected the international character of the event with welcoming addresses from H.E. Denis Antoine Ambassador to China from Grenada, H.E. Hans Hoogeveen Ambassador to the FAO from the Netherlands and H.E. You Shaozhong, China’s former Ambassador to UNESCO. Arriving guests were welcomed by young musical artists and choirs from Hangzhou schools. During the Opening Ceremony, China shared its culture with entertainers from the Youth Peking Opera and a choral group that had performed before the world leaders attending the G20 last year.

At the committee sessions, the delegates were actively engaged in negotiating their Resolutions, with almost all of them passing by consensus. Only one failed to pass and two were passed by voice vote.

Although some of the Chinese students were limited in their English, the cooperation among the Delegates soon rectified that as bi-lingual Delegates stepped in to help them express their positions and thoughts.

At the closing ceremonies, Julie McClanahan an official representative of the US Mission in Shanghai assisted with a closing statement recognizing the delegates hard work, and Executive Director Judith Cunningham reminded the delegates that their work was only beginning. “Now that you know your voice can be heard, let it be heard by sending copies of the Resolutions you worked so hard to craft to the Ambassadors of the countries you represented. Let them know you care!”

The conference was supported by the Hangzhou government and was such an outstanding success academically and socially for all attendees, that the conference will be repeated in 2019 (dates to be announced by the first of May).

Thanks to a grant from the Hangzhou government, local sponsors, and the MMUN Hangzhou representative team, the cost of the conference, which included Registration, 5 nights and 6 days and all meals at the luxurious Blossom Water Hotel plus a lunch following the closing ceremonies and a two day tour was only $695 plus airfare.

Followring the voting on the Resolutions at the elegant Great Hall of Zhejiang and a beautiful lunch in the decorated dining hall, the delegates began a 2-day tour of the historical and cultural heritage sites of the Hangzhou area.