For the first time in Portsmouth High School’s history, the local Model United Nations conference will be held at 50 Andrew Jarvis Drive on Saturday, April 11. 

Model United Nations, or Model UN, is an imitation of the UN General Assembly where students play the role of ambassadors. Students act as countries or real historical figures to debate real-world issues.

“It’s really cool to face global challenges and pretend you can find resolutions,” said the registrar of PortsMUN, Colette Hebert, a PHS sophomore. “It’s a great experience. It’s really cool to get to know people in your school and other schools.” 

Some of the topics to be discussed at the upcoming conference include fast fashion, the reform of Yugoslavia, and the Haitian drug crisis. 

Students are grouped into committees based on skill and experience, with the fast fashion committee being beginner-friendly, while the Yugoslavia committee requires seasoned students. Club officials trust advisors to determine which students are best suited for each role.

Nine schools will attend the conference, including Greenland, York, Bishop, Kingswood Regional, and Newmarket.

Model UN is not a competition in the traditional sense, but awards are given out to exceptional participants. “Best Delegate” is given to kids who exemplify leadership. “Outstanding Delegate” is similar but less prestigious.

The “Best Character” award is one introduced and specific to PortsMUN. To qualify for the “Best Character” award, a delegate must stay true to their country or character. 

The club president and PHS junior, Simon Noel, cites the organization’s benefits as “public speaking and networking.” 

“Yeah, you’re learning about the world, but it’s what you do with it,” he said. 

The club was given a $5,000 dollar grant to run the conference, which will be catered by the Portsmouth High School culinary department.

If you are interested in joining Model UN at Portsmouth High School, please see adviser Cynthia Young in the social studies department for more information.