Student shines in model United Nations Summit

Aminah Nafees

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

Aminah Nafees shone in the spotlight of a high-pressure UN summit on Wednesday night, where students from five top independent North West schools were locked in talks over the global scale of malnutrition and the importance of international food security.

Aminah, aged 17, of Chadwick Hall Road, took centre stage in the model United Nations event, hosted by Abbey College Manchester and organised by the Geographical Association of Manchester, which coincided with the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations’ week-long conference, being held from 3-7 December.

Seven teams from Withington Girls’ School, Bury Grammar, Bolton Girls’ School, King’s School Macclesfield and Abbey College Manchester replicated the high-pressure environment of a UN General Assembly at the Unitarian Chapel on Cross Street, where each team of student ‘diplomats’ debated the global issue of food security, representing the views of allocated countries such as United States, China, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Russia.

The purpose of the popular annual debate was to develop students’ leadership, management, team-work, public-speaking and communication skills as well confidence and awareness of world issues.

Not a competition as such, the challenge for students was to get as much as possible for their particular country in the negotiations and the eventual resolution.

Aminah, who represented the views of Ethiopia in the debate, said: “This debate was a fascinating and really enjoyable experience and the atmosphere on the floor really was electric.

“Prior to the event we researched our assigned country’s background and culture as well as whether our country is a food aid donor and/or has a population suffering from undernourishment.

“Each country made a speech outlining their policy and opening position when it comes to either providing (donor countries) or receiving (undernourished countries) food supplies.

“Negotiations then took place between each of the countries, deals were struck and a final resolution was thrashed out, voted on and passed.

Abbey College Manchester’s Head of Geography Mike Johnson explained: “There were some excellent arguments put forward by all the students and besides the challenge of debating, the event was a really engaging way of expanding their understanding of vital international issues. It was also a way of developing communication, leadership, management and presentation skills.”