More than 150 students from 14 schools across Hawaiʻi gathered at Punahou School on Saturday, Sept. 26, for PunaMUN, a student-led Model United Nations conference that encouraged collaboration, diplomacy and discussion of global issues.
Organized by the Punahou Model UN Club with support from Wo International Center, the conference provided participants with opportunities to engage in thoughtful debate, strengthen their public speaking skills and explore international relations.
In addition to Punahou, participating schools included Campbell High School, Damien Memorial School, Hanalani Schools, ʻIolani School, Kaiser High School, Kalani High School, Le Jardin Academy, Mid-Pacific Institute, Mililani High School, Moanalua High School, Radford High School, St. Andrew’s Schools and Waipahu High School.
Students participated in five committees addressing a range of historical and contemporary global issues, including human rights and privacy, refugee crises, the use of artificial intelligence in the U.S. military and the Soviet-Afghan War. Designed for varying levels of experience, the committees challenged delegates to consider different perspectives, debate complex issues and work toward solutions.
The conference opened with a presentation by journalist Jean Lee, who shared stories from her time reporting for The Associated Press in Pyongyang, North Korea. Her experiences offered students a firsthand perspective on international journalism and the complexities of reporting abroad.
The student-led conference gave participants an opportunity to put their diplomatic skills into practice while gaining a deeper understanding of different perspectives on issues shaping the world today.
