It's been a week since UNICEF Malaysia's Young Leaders Programme Showcase 2023, now this is my first appearance since the showcase at the 8th Sunway Model United Nations (SUNMUN)! During my campus visit last month, Xin Qi - the Deputy Secretary General booked my date for the opening ceremony as they needed a home grown SUNMUN alum - representing the campus to various institutions at Model United Nations conferences.
After lunch, I head to the college side and straight up to the second floor at Auditorium 7 - where the opening ceremony is going to be. I take my seat in the first row and have a chat with Xin Qi and Sean Yee - the Secretary General of this year's SUNMUN. What's more, right behind me and Xin Qi are the delegates of the UNICEF council. "When UNICEF Young Leaders meet the delegates of the UNICEF council," I tell Xin Qi. We take a picture with them.
A reunion with veteran MUN-ers alike - Ke Wen, Danny, Michelle and Alexis etc. Zara, as the emcee of the event, welcomes all delegates and distinguished guests to the 8th annual SUNMUN - and it is the first physical conference since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ke Wen and I chat, and he asks me "Katelyn, when are you heading to New York, USA, to visit the real United Nations?" I say "I'm not sure but we never might know what will happen in the future. I'm hoping to achieve before I'm 30 but if it doesn't, there's always another way,"
After the opening remarks from the teacher advisor, it's my turn to be up on stage. I share about my experience heading to the MUN scene - from that one video of Roy Wang - a singer and member of the Chinese boyband TFBoys to my passion in mental health - inspired by the current Prince and Princess of Wales (Prince William and Princess Kate) - led me to the person I am today. My speech is out of the script a little, "Who knows I might represent Malaysia to New York at the real UN one day," I say. As always I end my speech with a quote from Raya and the Last Dragon:
You just have to take the first step even before you are ready
It's Shahil's turn to make his speech, he shared about how MUN shaped his personality starting with his first council in a crisis council as a Russian delegate. The crisis council is always a firm favourite in the MUN scene and the first to fill the spaces up as compared to other regular councils.
After a photo session and some housekeeping rules, delegates made their ways to their respective councils. Of course, I head to the UNICEF council to see all the actions. Most of the delegates are new to the MUN scene, the chairs give everyone a MUN 101 before serious (and fun) council session begins.
Michelle is playing as the journalist of The Star (which I also used to play back in FairMUN 2019). We have fun on the iPad writing to each other. I also share my position paper when I won at Global Goals MUN 2021 - I delegated under the UNICEF council and sure enough I was delegating as Malaysia and representing Malaysia at the same time - also I was the only Malaysian at Global Goals MUN.
By evening time, the first day of SUNMUN has ended. We go around the room by introducing ourselves. The new MUNers ask me what are the tips for them in council, "Observe and attack at the right time, always be firm with the policy of the country you are delegating."
It's good to be back on campus again! Thank you Sean, Xin Qi and the SUNMUN team!
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