Recently, the STA Model United Nations Club competed in the 2023 NIRAMUN competition hosted by Nova Southeastern University. This was the 11th annual NIRAMUN conference organized by NSU students with university student Kiara Colman leading the competition and serving as Secretary General. For most students, this competition marked the initiation into the world of Model UN, where they were tasked with representing member nations and collaboratively finding solutions to global challenges through alliances with countries. 

This year’s theme centered on the critical issue of food insecurity, an escalating concern attributed to the impact of climate change. Throughout the competition, the student delegates came up with unique solutions and partnered with other countries to form blocs, groups of countries with a shared solution. The delegation of Pakistan proposed a system of irrigation that would limit the amount of water and resources that emitted carbon emission in the atmosphere, Ghana recommended a form of GMO crops that could be grown sustainably and efficiently, Hungary advocated for a switch to renewable energy from fossil fuels through the transportation sector, and other countries invented other possible solutions. Countries then created blocs amongst each other with common interests and created one shared solution. This required sacrificing parts of your own plan to form a consensus. Compromising in MUN involves understanding the nuances of the conflicting viewpoints, acknowledging  the legitimacy of other sides, and balancing competing interests. Ultimately, the lessons learned in MUN extend beyond the classroom, equipping students with a valuable skill: the ability to negotiate and compromise.

The eight hour competition concluded with an award ceremony awarding delegates of countries that stood out for their speeches, position paper, resolution paper, and communication. Freshmen Chloe Kastner and Nicholas Barreiros representing Bolivia won Distinguished Delegation in their first year. Silvia Rodriguez and Elijah Tablan won the Honorable and Distinguished delegation award. Co-presidents Matias Velasco and Connor Graham won Outstanding Delegation. Despite being novices, the STA team exhibited exemplary teamwork, and this competition cemented the foundation of MUN in preparation for the next competition at NAIMUN in Georgetown University.