Last week from February 14th to 16th, 12 Hanova secondary students participated in the 14th annual Model United Nations conference hosted by Concordia International School Shanghai, or CISSMUN. With over 900 students and faculty from 56 international schools all over China and around the globe—including Gabon to the United Arab Emirates, from New Zealand to Japan—the experience provided Hanova delegates with the opportunity to engage with students from different cultures, fostering global awareness and public speaking skills.

CISSMUN featured a variety of topics, including 17 different committees, where delegates represented different countries and debated pressing international issues. We’re very proud of our students for their risk-taking, principled, fun approach to learning and engaging with peers from around the world! Read on for student perspectives on the incredible experiences our students had while growing as global citizens.

Y12 Lalita Kusuma

"The CISSMUN trip was truly an eye-opening experience! The journey built on my confidence and extended my appreciation for people all around the world who gather to make the world a better place.

One highlight was on the second day of the conference where CISS invited a keynote speaker, Dr. Jordan Hattar, to speak about his experience in helping refugees, his organization Help4Refugees, and a Fellowship opportunity in the summer to volunteer in helping Palestinian refugees in Egypt which encouraged me to work towards bridging the divide.

CISSMUN provided me with the brilliant opportunity to make connections and new friends with students coming from Brunei, Iran, New Zealand, Japan, and so much more! We had so many fun laughs, detailed discussions, and enlightening explorations.

MUN, in general, inspires me to research more about the events of today’s world and what led up to it, helping me be able to advocate for the benefit of us and future generations."

Y13 Yulia Yuan

"Last week, a group of Hanova’s sharpest minds changed from our regular green and beige school uniforms to professional clothing and delegate badges for the MUN conference in Shanghai!

While MUN does sound like heated debate, speeches, no personal pronouns, and some very official-sounding resolutions, it is more than just the conference room—we had an unforgettable experience. MUN is not only about trying to get called in a room with 50+ delegates, it is also about meeting amazing people from other schools, and being surprised by all the different countries that they come from. (Not to mention realizing how hard it is to wear formal shoes all day!)

From late-night snack runs to deep conversations about world issues (and which bubble tea spot was the best), we had the greatest time in Shanghai!

With Hanova’s MUN program growing for less than a year, we are still open to various other experiences both this year and next year. Thinking about joining MUN? Come for the speeches, stay for the friendships—and maybe a little city adventure on the side. Who knew global politics could be this exciting? "

Y12 Benny Gao

"As a student, I recently participated in the Model United Nations Conference held in Concordia International School Shanghai. This experience has broadened my horizons like never before. I had conversations with students from a girls' school in Iran and a school in West Africa. Their stories, cultures, and perspectives were completely different from mine. There was also the Oriental Pearl Tower and other skyscrapers, as well as a sacred and melodious choir. All these made me realize that the world is far more complex than what is presented in textbooks or laptops. The knowledge and images that once only existed in textbooks and on computers have now come to life in reality. The feeling of jumping from the virtual to the real is both wondrous and physical.

This journey is not only for learning but also for experiencing the diversity of the world. I sincerely hope that more students can join the big family of Model United Nations or at least dare to explore the world. Don't just sit yourself to short videos on TikTok or social media. Go and see how the world operates and why there are so many tragedies and comedies. Feel the world. When you take this step, you will surely gain a completely different understanding."

Once again, well done to all Hanova delegates to the 14th annual CISSMUN conference!