I have always wanted to participate in the Model United Nations (MUN) that are conducted at my school, but because I developed a fear of public speaking in recent years, I had not participated in any yet. However, to overcome that fear, this summer, I took part in the International Peace Model United Nations (IPMUN) conference that happened in Surat. Many students from my grade were part of the organizing committee and secretariats, and my friends were also attending the conference hence I felt comfortable partaking in it.

I was on the Lok Sabha committee and my portfolio was Shashi Tharoor from the Indian National Congress (INC) and the topic up for discussion was the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.

LO 2 Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process: I had to do research on the topic and prepare according to my portfolio. I also had to make sure that the sources that I refer to are credible and that the data conceived is official hence my research skills were developed.

LO 5 Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively: Because INC is a community in its own, I had to collaborate with other representatives while creating motions and making decisions. It was easy for me to do that because I think I am a friendly person and I get along well with new people, although it also helped that the other representatives were also friendly, open-minded and collaborative. Albeit INC and BJP (Bhartiya Janta Party) have opposing concepts most of the time, the greater good of India is what brings both the parties together to resolve issues and formally discuss them in Lok Sabha. Both the parties held the press conference together to present a united front putting their differences aside.

LO 6 Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance: Demonstrated successfully as the conference was about the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits and it also made me more empathetic as we discussed about their socio-economic well-being and tried to find solutions for the same.

After attending the IPMUN conference, I also participated in FSMUN 9.0 because I enjoyed these conferences and found them very engaging.