Last year, 2018, Model United Nations was introduced to the Comeragh College by Ms. O’ Toole and Ms. Smith as part of our extra-curricular activities. Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an educational/academic activity in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations.

Students research global issues in the world and work together as delegates of countries and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to resolve these issues. Schools from all over Ireland attend the conference and this year there were schools from Germany, Spain, Portugal and Ghana in attendance. The beauty of MUN is that it is a student led event – all aspects of the conference are organised and run ny students.

This year, transition year and 5^th year students from Comeragh College took part in Davis College Model United Nations in Cork from the 21^st to the 25^th of January. This involved taking part in a four-day assembly of delegates in Cork City Hall.

Our delegates explored issues over the course of the four days that included the question of promoting safe working conditions, ensuring the rehabilitation of drug users into society, reduction of pollution in oceans, protection of user data online, prevention of domestic violence and the prevention of desertification, to name a few.

Our first and second year students also have an opportunity to represent the school as honourable delegates in Davis College Junior MUN. Last May junior delegates explored issues that included the question of gun control, animal rights and child obesity and look forward to attending this year’s conference.

MUN events allow students to develop their knowledge in global issues and allows them to generate the knowledge and skills to debate, discuss, amend, resolve and lobby with fellow delegates on important world issues.

Comeragh College MUN has grown from just twelve students in 2018 to over thirty students of TY and 5^th year in 2019. Over the course of the year, students attend MUN meetings after school in which they discuss pressing world issues and generate resolutions to help solve these issues. The meetings allow students to work collaboratively with each other and gain a better understanding of the world.

We wish these students every success in their future MUN endeavours.