Chennai :

Over 500 students from 27 schools in Chennai turned into delegates representing the members at United Nations, during a model UN organised by Sishya School in Adyar on Monday.

Dressed in their formal best, comparing notes and doling out figures on carbon footprint of the country, the students got ready to get involved in heated discussions on topics of international interest, and tried to emulate the proceedings at United Nations at SISHMUN 2014.

The two-day programme for students to be abreast with awareness on international issues of importance would involve moderated and unmoderated discussions among those representing the nations. The student delegates split into various committees such as the International Court of Justice and Security Council put forth related issues from their country’s perspective, a consensus would be arrived at and a resolution passed. The secretary general of SISHMUN, Vivek Jajoo added that emergency situations would be declared and the delegates from each council would deliberate and arrive at a solution.

The inauguration was presided over by Masanori Nakano, Consul General of Japan and P V S Giridhar, a senior advocate who addressed the student delegates. Masanori informed them about the discussions in the UN General assembly and urged the students to deliberate on international issues, especially those in Iraq and Syria. Giridhar, on the other hand, spoke about the need for disarmament. He also welcomed the initiative of conducting a model UN in schools. “When children leave school and get exposed to the real world, they need to be informed on what’s happening. This goes a long way to help them,” he said.

Student delegates are benefitted as well, feels Malavika Nambiar who has been participating for four years. “This not only keeps us informed of international affairs but lets us think from their perspective,” she concluded.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service  / October 07th, 2014