Our role models at the Model UN COBIS conference

There was a photo riddle posted on our school's social networks a few weeks ago. Here it is, and in case you didn't guess what it was about, everything in explained in this article.

Can you believe it ? Our Year 8 pupils are travelling to London tomorrow to attend a Model UN COBIS conference as active participants!

Our role models, the Year 8s, along with the assistance and guidance from their teachers, the principal and our school counsellor, have spent a lot of time in January preparing to follow the guidelines provided by the organisers COBIS and the Alleyn's School (check it all out here: Alleyn's MUN International — Alleyn's MUN ). This will be the first time for Bright Horizons school to participate and we are all so excited about it!

Our pupils have been assigned into groups to represent the views of the countries they have been assigned to. We have delegates representing the security councils of China, the UAE, Syria and Finland, as well as the Arctic council representing Iceland.

It has been quite a challenge to do research about the facts of each country, but also their laws, so that our delegates could realistically represent this country. And it's not just talking about the country! Each council was given a real problem the world is facing right now and they have to propose a resolution on how their country and the UN should deal with that.

What promised to be a fun activity proved itself as very challenging, because it has taught them that when you represent a country, you are not representing your personal views. Moreover, there is a style and format of language used in diplomacy which matters a lot because of the many nations participating - the same kind of language allows people to understand each other better. All of their lessons on personal goals, history, geography, PSHE and English really paid off this time! In order to be convincing, all the English language lessons on speeches, persuasive style and presentation skills will now be put to serious, international test. Team work was the ultimate goal and even those pupils who will not be travelling along helped in preparations, participating actively with their ideas and hard work.

This is some of them relaxing a bit from preparations...

There are also fantastic perks for all of the participants:

• meeting teenagers from other international schools worldwide

• hearing adult experts from their given fields representing the UN - live and in person!

• going to an official diplomatic dinner (dress code!)

• having a proper masquerade ball

• sightseeing, theatre, fun, fun, fun!

We will be following what they do and how they prove themselves there! Learning how to change the world is not easy, but they are ready for it! Make us proud, Year 8!