Geelong students have come together to explore international politics during a Model United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
St Joseph’s College Geelong hosted its third assembly on August 29, where teams of students stepped into the shoes of country ambassadors to negotiate and agree on an international topic.
Students debated a draft resolution for ‘Pathways to Peace: Addressing war, Conflict and International Security’ while presenting their country’s position to the general assembly.
Students from 14 catholic and independent schools across Geelong, Ballarat and Melbourne visited the Geelong secondary boys’ school.
Professor Ian Howie presided over the day as the honorary secretary general to ensure students followed UN protocols and that all student delegates had a chance to share the views of their countries.
St Joseph’s has been working in partnership with the UN Association of Australia’s Victorian branch since 2023, after identifying a gap in exposure to international politics for the school’s students.
More than 100 students attended the assembly, including 20 of St Joseph’s Year 10 students and four Year 8 students who were members of the school’s Ad Alta Excellence program, which is for students who have been identified as gifted or exceptional in particular fields.