Students from Prince Albert and Shellbrook were at the Carlton Cafetorium in Carlton Comprehensive High School for the Rotary Model UN Assembly on Monday and Tuesday.
Students debated a resolution on Global Media Censorship and Safeguarding Freedom of Journalism during the second day on Tuesday.
During that debate the teams from Russia and Iran were very active in putting forward amendments.
Grade 10 students Hannah Ikoye and Davina Akinjobi from Ecole St Mary were the Russian Federation Delegation.
Ikoye explained that being placed as Russia was difficult for the team because of the way Russia is currently perceived.
“It’s really difficult, actually, because it feels like everyone’s against us when we only have like two allies. It’s quite difficult to be Russia, but we just have to hold our head high and just stand firm in what they believe in,” Ikoye said.
They both took part last year as Grade 9 students. Ikoye said that being in the Model UN has helped her.
“It’s been really good. I feel like it really helps with public speaking and also just learning how to speak well and all that. It helps in instilling confidence in young people, so I think it’s good.”
Ikoye said that it is difficult to pass amendments because they were Russia and they had two allies.
“They don’t even want to like listen to our amendment. They just want to say no. It’s really difficult to get things done. But we’re trying,” Ikoye said.
Hannah Ikoye from Ecole St. Mary High School addresses the assembly during the Rotary Model UN at Carlton Comprehensive High School on Tuesday.
Sisters Sarah Mansoor who is in Grade 12 and Rija Mansoor who is in Grade 11 were the delegation from Iran and are former Ecole St. Mary students. Iran supported the resolution on censorship.
“Iran wholeheartedly supports this resolution. However, it does have some capabilities to deny a lot of situations in here because we do not support uncensored materials to cross through the, and it needs certain guidelines as well,” Sarah said.
“Because we believe that journalists shouldn’t get full freedom. We believe that there should be some guidelines so that it doesn’t spread misinformation,” she explained.
Sarah said that from Iran’s standpoint the Western Media does not show what is true in the Middle East.
“What is happening inside of the Middle East right now is being changed and the narrative is being changed by the Western media. This is what we’re standing for, is to protect those journalists who are out there trying to spread news, true news, who are going out of their way, and just for the Western media to change it up and present a narrative that is not true,” Sarah said.
Rijja agreed about the perception being scewed by Western Media.
“We usually perceive new news as about the Middle East through Western media. And oftentimes if we look at news from the Middle East, that can be contradictory and it clashes with Western media,” Rijja said.
Being a controversial country like Iran was challenging for both Sarah and Rijja.
“It’s just fun to watch all these different standpoints of countries and to defend your country and to stand on one point and be like, ‘this is what we stand for,’ and they’re going to have to switch for us,” Sarah said.
They said that they were trying to get Carlton the victory.
“It’s just healthy competition,” Sarah said.
Sarah said that the Model UN has been great for herself.
“I absolutely love it. Like grade 10, I was forced to do this. I was forced to do this. I grew to love it, and I kind of regret not joining it in grade 9 and staying quiet in Grade 10. I should have participated more.”
Rijja is also thinking she will continue on in Model UN next year, even though her sister will have graduated.
“Next year, she’s going to be gone, so it’s going to be my turn to actually step up and just carry on what we both have going on. But yeah, it’s really exciting,” Rijja said.
Sarah wants to find a way to join the Model UN in university as well even though she is planning on studying medicine.
“It’s so fun and I absolutely love Model UN to the point that I want to continue this in university,” Sarah said.
Sarah hoped that the Iran delegation would finish well.
“Hopefully we get a good standing. I’m very happy with what we’re doing right now and hopefully Carlton gets a win and we get up there,” Sarah said.
Grade 9 students Kayla Klaasen and Brody Moe from WP Sandin were the United Kingdom. Moe is the nephew of Premier Scott Moe who addressed the Model UN along with Prince Albert Mayor Bill Powalinsky and NDP Leader Carla Beck. Moe explained that the United Kingdom was in favour of the resolution.
They were one of the groups that were opposing the Russian resolutions.
“We’re trying to speak against the Russian amendments,” Brody said.
Brody is in his first year as a representative after some previous experience.
“It’s really good because I’ve been a page before here. It’s pretty fun to actually get to do it and get to talk with other people who share the same values as I do,” Moe said
Klaasen was also in her first year as a representative. She attended previous years as a page.
“My brother was in it, and he seemed to really enjoy it, so I thought I might as well try it,” Klaasen said.
Carlton swept the top three finishers at the event with China finishing first, Iran finishing second and France placing third. The United Kingdom from WP Sandin, Russia from Ecole St. Mary and Australia from Ecole St. Mary earned honourable mentions.
