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BYU students honored at National Model UN competition

By Sarah Hunt - | Apr 25, 2023

Courtesy BYU Model United Nations

BYU's Model United Nations team pose for a photo in front of the "Non-Violence" statue outside the United Nations building in New York City on April 14, 2023.

A crop of Brigham Young University students thrived in a five-day trip to New York City for competitive mock diplomacy. Students with BYU’s Model UN team participated in the National Model United Nations competition representing Kuwait and India. 

Both groups were awarded the Outstanding Ranking award, the highest possible, due to partnership work displayed at the conference. The BYU team brought home an additional 14 awards for outstanding delegates and exceptional position papers. 

Students Brendan Armstrong and Emma Cummings represented Kuwait while competing in discussion topics such as healthy aging and age-friendly sustainable development, and safeguarding human rights of persons displaced by climate change.

“I chose to represent Kuwait because I have never represented a Middle Eastern country and I wanted to research a country that would provide me with a new perspective,” Armstrong said. “My favorite part of competing in Model UN has been the people, I’ve met some of my best friends and favorite professors through this program. You are surrounded by people that have the same passions as you, so it’s easy to develop strong relationships with them.”

Armstrong and Cummings both received the outstanding delegates award and a position paper award for their work. Students Megan Brugger and Julianna Updike represented India, also in the General Assembly Third Committee.

Courtesy BYU Model United Nations

Parker Carlquist, one of the teaching assistants for BYU's Model United Nations class, holds a United Nations flag outside of the United Nations building in New York City on April 14, 2023.

“It was a tough few semesters preparing, as we did this on top of all other school work, jobs and other obligations. But it was worth it, because I learned so much more by participating in that conference than I could have in a classroom,” Brugger said. “I learned so much about the world through this research and I have gained a deeper appreciation of people as a whole. Through this experience, I learned how to connect with people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds.”

BYU’s Model UN director Cory Leonard takes particular pride in how the students develop their research, as policy papers get used in the competition’s negotiations.

BYU's Model United Nations team pose for a photo on the stairs of the BYU Kennedy Center in this undated photo.

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