MISSOULA — Monday, the 60th Montana Model United Nations Conference kicked off in Missoula, bringing high school students from across the region to the table. More than 300 students descended on the University of Montana for two days of diplomacy.
“I’m Algeria, so I’m pretending to be Algerian for a day or two days,” said Roger Hoskins, a delegate from the Coeur d’Alene area. “It’s kind of fun talking with other people who are doing the same thing, trying to find common ground, pretending like I’m a bigger deal than I am, I guess.”
For 60 years, the conference has brought together high schoolers and the University’s Model United Nations class, like junior Morgan Larson.
“This is actually my first ever experience with Model U.N. I grew up in Dillon and we didn't have a Model U.N. program there, but it's been so much fun just getting involved in the program,” Larson said. “You meet a lot of really smart engaged students, so it's been awesome.”
Montana Model United Nations class students, like Larson, facilitated discussions and helped students hone leadership skills and explore international relations.
“I’m on the Security Council, so our topics in that committee are the ongoing political situation in Haiti and the use of A.I. in military equipment, as far as autonomous weapons and things like that,” Larson said. “So, they're both really important topics.”
The conference will continue through Tuesday, focusing on topics from the environment to economics to social crises.
“These are, you know, the future leaders, the future members of Model U.N,” Larson said. “Our civic engagement as a country is really going to depend on these students in the future. So, it's awesome just to see them so engaged and really buying into the program.”
While college students offer expertise, the solutions are left up to the high schoolers.
“The situation in Haiti, the crisis, we're talking about different ways to mitigate it. Suppressing the gangs, sending humanitarian aid, that sort of thing,” Hoskins said. “There's some people in there that I think I'm making some good progress with and I think we're all very talented in that room and we'll be able to get somewhere.”
