One of the “hottest clubs at Oratory”, according to English teacher extraordinaire Mr. Kearns, Model UN, attended the Horace Mann Model United Nations Conference at the Horace Mann School in the Bronx on Saturday. Described by the organizers as one of the premier one-day conferences on the East Coast, Oratory fielded a delegation of nearly twenty students between all six classes.

After leaving early in the morning, the delegates entered simulations of United Nations committees to solve problems running the gamut from renewable energy accessibility to holding UN employees accountable for improper actions. Opening speaker Susan McPherson, part of the Pittsburgh-based organization Hello Neighbor, jokingly said that the point of the conference would be for delegates to solve the problems that her generation could not, and sure enough, each committee did not disappoint. The United Nations Environmental Programme, for example, enacted a plan encompassing the provision of economic aid to developing nations to spread renewables such as solar panels.

Oratory delegates spoke highly of the conference. Sebastian Bravo said, “I thought we were a great group of men to participate in such a big conference, along with some newcomers as well.” And despite the large conference body, Oratory delegates (representing Israel and the Dominican Republic) still were able to have their opinions have an impact on their committees.

(To close, I speak as a leader of the Model UN club: We are always welcoming those with a passion for politics to come and join us. We regularly meet on Wednesday in Room 403. If you have any questions whatsoever, Tommy Gress, Rocco Rodrigues, Matt Fazendeiro, or I would love to hear from you.)