Diplomacy in Action
SECONDARY VIA
On Monday 28th April, eight VIA students from Years 8 and 9 proudly represented The Lakes South Morang College at the Model United Nations (Model UN) conference hosted by Ivanhoe Grammar School. The event brought together schools from across Melbourne to debate a series of resolutions based on the theme Conflict and Peace. It was a day filled with lively discussion, critical thinking, and collaboration as students stepped into the roles
speeches, proposed amendments, and negotiated with other nations to build consensus and achieve peaceful solutions. One student shared, “I really enjoyed working with other students to solve real-world problems and speaking on behalf of a country. I learned how countries debate, make compromises, and write resolutions to support peace.” The event also helped students develop confidence and communication skills. Many participants found it empowering to speak in front of such a large audience, with one noting, “It helped me gain more confidence because I saw all these different school kids getting up and talking. It was very motivational.” Others appreciated the chance to meet new people, explaining, “I liked being able to talk with other school students who I would never have met otherwise.” Another reflected on the challenge of representing a viewpoint different from their own: “I learnt a lot about how the Model UN works and it’s not about what you believe is good but what the country thinks, so I had to really get used to talking and representing Bhutan.” The Model UN was an inspiring and educational experience that encouraged global awareness, teamwork, and leadership — and our students represented The Lakes with pride.
of international delegates to experience how global diplomacy works.
Each team represented an allocated country, with The Lakes students presenting the interests of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Bhutan. In preparation, students researched their assigned countries, learning about political
systems, cultural values, and foreign policies. During the debates, they delivered
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