Joyce Banda Foundation students attend Montessori Model UN conference in America

Two students from the Joyce Banda Foundation (JBF) schools in Malawi attended this year’s MONTESSORI MODEL UN (MMUN)from March 26 to 29, 2015 at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, USA.

The USA-based Brewer Group, who are among JBFI’s international partners, in collaboration with the MMUN secretariat sponsored two Malawian students from JB schools to attend this year’s conference.

The students are Panashe Edwin Mudzengerere and Dalitsani Tusiwe Mauluka. These are GCSE year 3 and GCSE students respectively. Selection was based on their performances in a particular contest.

They were accompanied to New York by Joyce Banda Foundation International (JBFI) official, Dennis Mapemba.

The main objective of MMUN is to “inspire youth”. MMUN students formulate, present, debate, and revise positions on current issues that are affecting people of the world.

According to Mapemba, by assuming the perspectives of a citizen of their selected countries, MMUN students not only develop an understanding of the needs and rights of others, but also learn to the respect the cultures, the political views, and the belief system of others.

“Taking on their ambassadorial roles in a Model UN simulation, students research the issue that their UN committees will address. Model UN participants learn how the international community acts on its concerns about topics including peace and security, human rights, the rights of the child, child labor, the environment, food and hunger, economic development and globalization.

“Model UN delegates also look closely at the needs, goals and foreign policies of the countries they will represent at the event. The insights they gain from their exploration of history, geography, culture, economics and science contribute to the authenticity of the simulation,” Mapemba told Nyasa Times in an interview.

When they arrive at the MMUN conference, students transform themselves into UN Ambassadors and assume the rights and responsibilities of world leaders, according to Mapemba.

“Their imaginations propel them to collaboratively create resolutions to the world’s most pressing problems. MMUN encourages students to know that they can make a difference,” he said.

This has been an amazing experience for Panashe Edwin Mudzengerere and Dalitsani Tusiwe Mauluka because it was the first time for Malawian students to attend an MMUN conference and that on return, they will be able to share a lot of experiences with their colleagues, according to the JBFI official.

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