Model United Nations (Model U.N.) attended the 20th Annual Northwestern University Model United Nations (NUMUN XX) conference at Northwestern University on April 13, where several South students won awards, Jesse Sisler, Model U.N. Head Adviser, said. 

At NUMUN XX, seniors Angelo Karadimas and George Kunnel, Model U.N. Co-Directors of Speaking Activities, won Best Delegate, and senior Mikela Striker, Model U.N. Crisis Director, won an Honorable Mention, Karadimas said. 28 Model U.N members from South and over 500 student delegates from the Chicagoland area gathered to debate in two types of committees: general assemblies, which tackle present-day issues such as climate change and women’s rights, and crisis committees, which debate topics such as the Kenyan government at a quicker pace, Sisler explained. 

“[The] competition [at NUMUN XX] was pretty intense, but I think [our] perseverance  helped us achieve success,” Karadimas said. 

NUMUN XX, being the last conference of the year, is considered a final send-off to seniors and an introduction of newer members to Model U.N., Sisler explained. This conference was different from past travel conferences Model U.N. has attended, such as the Stanford Model United Nations Conference (SMUNC) and BosMUN, as it offered more downtime. Each  student was assigned a role in a committee with a certain topic, and had to write a position paper for their role; additionally, they do research regarding the problem their committee debated, Sisler explained.

As a newer member of Model U.N, Pawel Odziomek felt fortunate to attend NUMUN XX and used that opportunity to gain experience for his future endeavors.

“Being able to attend the conference was definitely [beneficial] because it was a starting point I could grow from,” Odziomek said. “I [didn’t] really know what [NUMUN XX] was going to look like, but [at the next conference] I’ll have experience and be able to perform better.”

For Karadimas, NUMUN XX was his last Model U.N conference in high school. 

“I feel sad about NUMUN being my last conference since all the conferences I have been to over the years have given me such amazing memories and experiences,” Karadimas said. “However, I will always be grateful for all the friends I made along the way.”

Sisler said he enjoys the growth newer MUN members show, and laments graduating seniors experiencing their final conference.

“As cliche [as] it is, it’s bittersweet [seeing seniors at their last conference],” Sisler said. “This group in particular had so much of their high school and Model U.N. careers interrupted by the pandemic, so it’s been great to be able to get back to traveling and giving them those experiences.”