Black Rock Middle School recently welcomed their cross-District classmates from Bala Cynwyd for the inaugural Model United Nations (MUN) Conference as the Royals and Knights participated in a fun-filled and educational simulation of the UN General Assembly and its other multilateral bodies.

At a MUN conference, students serve as representatives of a country, organization or individual, and are tasked with solving a problem with other delegates from around the world. MUN helps students learn about diplomacy, international relations and the inner-workings of the United Nations, while also helping foster skills like research, public speaking, debating and writing, in addition to critical thinking, teamwork and leadership.

The conference featured a total of 38 student-delegates, who each worked tirelessly over the last several weeks in preparation for the big day. On the morning of the event, it didn't take long for both the Knights and Royals to prove they were impeccably prepared for the program.

This year's Model UN was highlighted by a pair of committee sessions. The first was a joint effort led by student-representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on the topic of Universal Health Coverage, while the second saw the Special Political & Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL) tackle issues related to Space Politics-Militarization and Sustainability.

Throughout the day, students engaged in lively discussions and impassioned arguments as they diplomatically worked to find common ground and ultimately found peaceful resolutions in both the moderated and unmoderated caucuses. The program concluded with an awards ceremony where students received recognition for their exemplary performances. Congratulations to all of the participating students! To view a slideshow of images from this year's Model UN, click play below!