Fifteen members of Tappan Zee High School’s Model United Nations Club participated in CMUNCE XX, the Columbia University Model United Nations Conference & Exposition, last month. Sophomore Matthew Tobin earned an honorable mention for his committee work.
This year’s virtual event leveraged technology to support debate and enable students to intellectually engage in intense crisis simulations ranging from the Cuban Missile Crisis, the 1992 U.S. Presidential Election and a Constitutional Convention set in 2100.
Advisor Martin Patmos reported that a Zoom Session with Jukka Salovaara, Finland’s Ambassador to the United Nations was a highlight for members. “While it might seem humbling to speak with the representative of a country on the world stage, Salovaara proved an extremely down to earth individual, answering students’ questions on a range of issues such as initiatives on the climate, international diplomacy, technology in politics, the European Union and US relations, women’s rights and more,” he said.