Model UN students excel in debate at Brown University

The Island Now
(Photo courtesy of Herricks Public Schools)

More than 40 students from the Herricks Model United Nations team attended the Brown University UN Conference during the weekend of Nov. 8. Over the course of two days, they endured intense debate and practiced professional diplomacy.

Brown offered all types of committees from all across history, from the Gilded Age in 1892 to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes in 2019. Topics ranged from government corruption in early capitalist America, the French Revolution in 1789, and even the massive drug trade in the Middle East. Students interacted and debated with other high school students from all over the country. Later in the year, these same students will go on to debate at Boston University in late March 2020.

While all delegates performed extremely well, a few delegates were acknowledged for their achievements in debate.

-Stella Chu (11), Best Delegate  – China Daily 2, Press Corps (2019)
-Stephanie Chan (10), Best Delegate  – Portugal, United Nations Economic and Social Council
-Carrie Hsu (12) , Outstanding Delegate – Patrick Leahy – Vermont, Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women
-Riya Mohan (10), Outstanding Delegate – Sweden, UN Women
-Andrew Liu (12), Honorable Delegate – Nigeria, Accelerando 2030

Senior Swara Patel was recognized individually for her extensive work on menstrual equity in India as well as her commitment to Model UN by the BUSUN secretariat when they gave her the Erin Phelan award. The award recognizes the delegate at BUSUN (the Brown University Simulation of the UN) who best demonstrates their devotion to the empowerment of women. She possesses extraordinary leadership skills, dedication, and commitment to service.

Swara will receive $500 to be donated to an NGO of her choice. She is considering the Apne Aap Women’s Collective which works to rescue, support, and rehabilitate women who have been trafficked to Kamathipura, one of the largest red-light districts in India as well as Cents of Relief, a 501(c)(3) which works with women in red-light districts in India especially in HIV/AIDS prevention, and the Period Movement, a non-profit based in the United States that seeks to achieve menstrual equity and improve accessibility to menstrual hygiene products. Swara runs her own non-profit that seeks to provide eco-friendly reusable menstrual hygiene products to women in low-income communities in India and holds menstrual hygiene education sessions.

Submitted by Herricks Public Schools

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