NGM Major High School of Buckleys, Long Island, has won this year’s Model United Nations Simulation (MUNS), a competition in which students from a cross-section of public and private schools competed in a ‘Diplomat-for the-Day’ event sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Rotary Clubs of The Bahamas on Friday at Holy Trinity Activity Centre.

NGM’s winning team of India Wells and Chrysanthea Fox, representing Canada in their simulation, will travel to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, as members of the delegation of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in order to view a session and to sit in the audience as the Bahamas gives its National Statement to the General Assembly.

The MUNS gives students the opportunity to assume the role of diplomat and address current global issues in line with the policies, ideals and cultures of the countries they represent. This year’s simulation required debate of the topic, ‘Migration: Should Governments Consider Large Movements of Migrants a Human Rights Issue or a Security Threat?’

The session provides students with a better understanding of the inner workings of the United Nations and provides a forum to sharpen skills in diplomacy, critical thinking, compromise, negotiation, public speaking, writing and research. This year marks MUNS’s 20th anniversary.

The runners-up, Gabriele Josephs and Kyan Outten of Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Academy of Grand Bahama, representing the Dominican Republic, were awarded laptops with printers, courtesy of the Rotary Clubs of The Bahamas. Third place went to Lucaya International School of Grand Bahama (Lauren Ritchie and Julia Tychoniewicz), who represented Haiti. They also won the “Best Debater Award” given by the President of the Toastmasters Club 1600.

The “Crisis Moment Award/Minister’s Cup” went to Serenity Hanna and Celeisha Elebute, of St Augustine’s College, who represented Germany.