"The World Is Changing": RENMUN XI Ushers in a New Era with the Theme of "Rejuvenation"

By Sally Lee and Nadia Hung

With Renaissance College’s (RCHK) diverse range of extracurricular activities, the beginning of March brought RENMUN XI  — a phenomenal Model United Nations conference hosted by RCHK.

On the first day, approximately 400 delegates arrived, eager to discover what the two-day period had in store. New friendships, gripping debate, and perhaps most notably, the thoughtful merch designed by RENMUN’s Head of Design this year, Sophie Tong.

MUN, or Model United Nations, is an academic simulation of the United Nations. Acting as delegates of countries from around the globe, students deliver speeches, draft resolutions, and debate solutions to the world’s most pressing problems based on their committee groups, guided and supported by their committee chairs.

RCHK students at RENMUN XI

As the first committee sessions kicked off, delegates slowly settled into their seats, ready to turn the room into a mix of ideas and perspectives. Soon enough, delegates raised placards, made motions, and passed scribbled notes to allies and adversaries alike. From discussing illicit wildlife trafficking in UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) to revisiting The Banana Wars in Crisis Committee, each council tackled real-world issues with nuance, precision, and eloquence.

When asked how she found RENMUN XI, Michelle beamed: “I had so much fun!! I really enjoyed being in a CRISIS committee, and it was great seeing friends from other committees afterwards. It felt especially nice after spending hours in a room full of mostly strangers. The snacks were also awesome and kept me going throughout the conference.”

Amirah, a delegate in the Disarmament and International Security Council (DISEC), echoed the sentiment: “I found RENMUN XI very enjoyable, since I made new connections, learned more about politics and international relations, and had an overall entertaining time.

Another delegate, Minahil, who participated in the Human Rights Council (HRC), shared a similar view: "I found RENMUN XI a fruitful experience, where I was able to bond with other students who share similar passions in global events."

Megan, a chair for a General Assembly committee, shared her favorite part of the conference: “My favourite part was witnessing the dramatic improvement of the delegates from Day 1 to Day 2. In a large General Assembly, it’s common for first-timers to feel intimidated. Seeing a few initially quiet delegates find their voice, actively participate, and eventually be a huge drive for the debate was incredibly rewarding.”

Ella, who took part in the CRISIS committee, added with a smile: “RENMUN XI was my first double delegate committee, so that was special to me. My favourite part of this year’s RENMUN was collaborating closely with my friend to write our speeches and plan how we’d split or say lines in chorus for theatrical impact. I think the interpersonal connections and friends we make are a big part of what I like about MUN in general.”

The theme for this year's iteration of RENMUN was "Rejuvenation." Rumi Nanwani, Secretary-General of the conference, explained how the leadership team arrived at this vision: “I thought of this right after the conference last year. As the eleventh year of the conference, this is a historic milestone, meaning that we can’t follow the same ways. In the world today, we’re also facing a lot of change, and in terms of international relations and diplomacy, we can’t see the world in the way we saw it before.” He paused before adding, “The world is changing. It was time to change the conference as well.”

This idea of renewal and embracing a fresh start was evident not just in the theme but in the research process before the conference. For many delegates, gearing up for RENMUN XI required significant time and dedication. Michelle, navigating her first advanced committee, admitted: “It was honestly a mix of panic and fear. Since it was my first time in an advanced committee, I had to do a lot of extensive research… not just on my own delegation, but on others as well.”

Similarly, Amirah explained: “I did a lot of background research on the topics beforehand and the stances of the country I was representing. Seeing as I was representing Iran, a country that is heavily involved in major current events, I knew that I had to conduct in-depth research. I was also in a double delegate committee, meaning I was working with another person throughout the conference, so we had frequent meetings to write our speeches and position paper, and to coordinate and distribute speaking time.”

Another popular element was the food and snacks. Throughout grueling committee sessions, delegates found themselves enjoying a bellyful of chips, Subway sandwiches, and Ebenezer’s chicken and wraps. When asked about their favourite part at RENMUN, Amirah smiled: “Honestly, it was the food. RENMUN always has excellent catering and the meals from Subway and Ebenezer’s were delicious!”

“Definitely the snacks everyone kept munching on during each session,” agreed Michelle. “Our chairs were amazing. They kept bringing snacks throughout the two days!”

When asked about her favourite part of MUN in general, Minahil responded: "My favourite part of MUN is building bonds and connecting with others, along with putting them in stressful situations after delivering POI's (a Point of Inquiry that challenges a delegate’s stance and speech)." 

Of course, with the amazing catering and gripping debate, a conference of this scale doesn't plan itself. The Secretariat team faced considerable challenges in bringing RENMUN XI to life. Kal-el, the Deputy Secretariat General, revealed the most difficult hurdle was getting “the schools to sign up. We obviously needed enough participants to ensure we could have a strong debate throughout; however, a lot of schools that I reached out to were busy or unwilling to come during the time we had arranged for the conference. Therefore, it was a struggle to get people to sign up, and we had to really hone in on individual signups.”

When further asked how they divided such an enormous workload, Kal-el shed light on the team's collaboration: “We all had our own roles in the conference. If any of us felt a bit overwhelmed with our workload, we always reached out to another person in the secretariat to help us out.”

“It couldn't have been done without the team we had; everyone had the same determination,” agreed Rumi. “The planning was definitely the most challenging part. You have to organize the food, collect payment from schools and individual delegates, organize merchandise, and handle the setup on that day. There is a lot to do and organize, but overall, I think the conference came out quite well.”

Furthermore, Rumi also explained: “Although it sounds easy, planning the food was a challenging part. We had funds from the previous years to buy the food. We had quotations from Subway and Ebenezers and organized the delivery time. There was a lot of back and forth with coordination.”

At the end of day 2, as delegates packed up their placards and swapped Instagram accounts, many were already looking forward to RENMUN XII, the twelfth iteration that promises even more debate, diplomacy, and delight. Looking ahead, as one suggested improvement, Megan stated that: “Because the General Assembly was held in a relatively large room, we occasionally struggled to hear speeches clearly, particularly from quieter delegates or those sitting toward the back. For future iterations, providing a microphone for delegates at the back or a dedicated podium microphone for speeches would improve accessibility and ensure every delegate’s voice is heard.”

RENMUN XI proved that MUN is not just about winning awards or collecting gavels. It's about listening, discussing, and working collaboratively with people you've never met. Whether you are a seasoned debater or a first-time delegate, you'll always leave with new friendships. Who knows? Maybe next year, we'll see you at RENMUN XII — ready to make new friends, try something new, and, of course, enjoy all the food RENMUN has to offer.