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Debating topics from the role of poetry in politics, to global warming, to abortion, 250 high school students from the KMC, Russia, Ukraine, Norway, Germany and England gathered April 26 and 27 at the Ramstein Officers’ Club for RAMUN, the second annual Ramstein Model United Nations conference.
“There’s just nothing else like it for students to learn how international politics work, how the U.N. functions,” said Pillip Schmoll, history and MUN teacher at Ramstein American High School and host for the event.
“Just think of how these eastern European kids, their nations’ next generation of leaders, are here learning democracy in action.”
Many students from both RAHS and Kaiserslautern American High School attend the annual MUN assembly of 3,500 delegates in The Hague, Netherlands.
This smaller assembly gives more students a chance to participate, Mr. Schmoll said.
All students were required to role-play in delegations from countries other than their own, representing 95 nations.
In addition, each delegation was comprised of students from various countries.
“It really makes you interact with the foreign students and learn their views on all kinds of world topics,” said RAHS junior Maurice Barfield, representing Monaco in a business-like gray pin-striped suit.
“I only ended up here by chance. The MUN class just fit my schedule, but I’m so glad it happened. I’ve learned so much about other countries, and about history.”
This was the first MUN experience for delegate Shaheena Anene, KAHS freshman, although she followed in the footsteps of two older brothers who participated in previous years.
“I have a great passion for helping people and improving our planet,” said Shaheena, serving on the non-voting Greenpeace delegation, “I didn’t really have much time to prepare, but thanks to the debates we have in class with Mr. (Martin) Kollar (KAHS MUN sponsor), I felt comfortable just jumping in. It’s so great to be able to go home after the debates and discuss these issues with my family, too.”
In addition to mixing during the event, the visiting students were immersed in American culture by staying with host families in the KMC.
“The business we do during the day is educational,” said Mr. Schmoll, “but it’s the personal in-home experiences that will really make lasting memories for them.”
The students met for two full days in general assembly and security council.
All debate and resolutions were presented in English, so all students needed a thorough working knowledge of the language.
“Some of the students aren’t quite as fluent as they thought,” said Mr. Schmoll, “and some of the Americans have learned they need to slow down, even for fluent speakers to understand them.”
In addition to 100 students from RAHS and 25 from KAHS, Lakenheath American High School also sent a delegation of 10 students.
The conference was completely organized and coordinated by the RAHS MUN club of 75 students.
“It was also a great lesson in the logistics of conference planning,” said Mr. Schmoll.
