GESM Students Represent at BLUEMUN 2025

by Jeffrey Troyer

GESM’s Model United Nations Club took advantage of an invitation from Ateneo Senior High School to be a part of their first edition of BLUEMUN, held on March 22nd and 23rd.  Six hearty members that had mostly been practicing in simulations this school year, finally got a chance to check out a real conference.  Over 200 delegates representing schools all over metro Manila were on hand.  The conference theme, Navigating Progress During an Age of Fractured Diplomacy, was an appropriate one and set the tone for the weekend.  

Starting off the event on Day 1, the students were introduced to the conference by a keynote by Ateneo University student Mr. Aidan Garrick Mensenares. With over five years’ experience participating in Model UN conferences, Mr. Mensenares provided real-life experiences about how MUN has helped his life development. With that, the students scurried off to their committees to take on such agendas as “The Prevalence of Teen Pregnancy in Society and its impact on Adolescents’ Education and Future” as well as “Navigating the Legal Complexities of Wildlife Crime”.

Day 2 began with students returning to their committees on Crime and Prevention and Criminal Justice and the UN Population Fund.  (Historical Committee) doing an examination of the Spanish Civil War, as well as the ICJ (International Court of Justice) and NATO and even an International Olympic Committee.

After the last of the resolution writing and voting was done, it was time to head to the final plenary session for the awards ceremony and final speeches. The students were first treated to a couple of songs by the Ateneo Senior High School Glee club and received their certificates for their participation and attendance over the two days.  

Representing GESM at BLUEMUN were our newly appointed Secretary General Afraaz (11), Kohwoon (1E0), Sadi (8E), Wendy (10E), Queen (8E) and Shiho (8E).

As always, new relationships, valuable leadership skills along with writing and oral speaking skills were gained.  On the whole, the GESM student-delegates were motivated and inspired to participate in future MUN events and conferences that GESM will offer such as St. Benilde HS MUN this May and MUN LOCALS on offer for the 2025-2026 school year.