Following what has been an incredible year for the team, Hurst’s delegates held one final conference before the holidays: HurstMUN24. With the new challenge of chairing and managing the conference, the Lower Sixth welcomed a total of 140 students from 11 different schools across Sussex and beyond. It was certainly set to be a memorable conference for all who had the privilege of being involved.
The opening ceremony saw speeches from Ms. Calver, Nate Andrawos (MUN participant), and Mr. Nash, which set the tone for the day. For many visiting students, this marked their first ever MUN conference. The Hurst team aimed to make the day as welcoming and unintimidating as possible, and give all participants a positive memory of their first experience. Throughout the morning, students worked in their respective groups to hone their arguments and construct their joint resolutions. Hurst chairs used the morning as an opportunity to coach newcomers and ensure that everyone was clear on the day’s agenda. Whilst debates were a little tentative at first, it was great to see everyone growing in confidence and stepping outside of their comfort zones, demonstrating their in-depth understanding and quality of preparation. MUN is an excellent opportunity for students to develop their skills in public speaking, alongside debating and political engagement, and visiting teachers described their pupils as particularly proud of their personal development over the course of the day.
The second resolution added another layer of controversy and sensitivity to the topic of debate, and the Hurst chairs were certainly put to the test. They passed with flying colours, managing the majority with empathy, maturity, and awareness. One particular highlight for those chairing proceedings was the General Assembly, when all 140 delegates were together in the same room and engaging in passionate debate. The awards ceremony concluded the day’s exciting events, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive; all in all, a ‘fabulously run event’ which ‘far exceeded [the] expectations’ of our visitors.
“ A huge thank you must go to the Senior Management Team, for making this conference logistically possible, and an even bigger thanks is owed to Mr. Nash and Ms. Coogans. They have made this year possible for us—we would never have even been in the team, let alone got this far, if it wasn’t for them. ” Nate Andrawos, MUN participant
