As previously reported, earlier this year, Matthew Dobbs (Year 13, Major), was selected to attend the New Zealand Model United Nations (NZMUN) conference. This was held in Wellington during the July school holidays with more than 220 students from across New Zealand attending.

Organised by the NZ UN Youth Association, the conference brings like-minded students from all across New Zealand into one place to discuss and debate key and controversial issues that would also be debated at the United Nations in Manhattan, New York City.

At the conference, each student represented one of the 192 member-states of the UN (with some member-states, for example, The Russian Federation, having more than one student representative) with the aim of debating the resolutions presented in each assembly in the interests of your given country. Matthew exlained, “ You had to step into the shoes of your given country and debate what it would stand for, ultimately trying to get the best outcome for your country whether the resolution passed or failed.” Matthew’s country was Benin, a small developing, third-world nation on the West Coast of North Africa.

“Most of the students who attended the NZMUN had three years or more Model UN previous experience, both regional and national, prior to this conference but nevertheless, although I had not attended any Model UNs in the past, I found it an incredible experience debating alongside them.” Matthew commented.

The last day of the conference was held in the Wellington Town Hall and final debates were made as member-states amassed to lobby each other either for or against each resolution.

At the closing cermony, the delegates who would represent New Zealand at The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) were announced. Held in The Netherlands for a week in January each year, over 4,000 students from across the globe gather to do exactly what had just been done at the NZMUN but on a much larger scale.

The College is delighted to learn that Matthew was chosen not only for the delegation who will travel to The Hague, but was also selected to be the head delegate for the team. This is a  huge honour, especially given that he had no prior experience at Model UN.

It is first time that a King’s student has been selected to attend the conference and clearly Matthew represented the College admirably. We wish him well for  his future endeavours.