2nd Anatolia College Model United Nations
2nd Anatolia College Model United Nations
23 - 25 February 2007
Anatolia College played host to 300 students from Greece and abroad at the 2nd Anatolia Model United Nations conference held February 23-25 at the school. Model UNs allow students to hone their diplomatic skills in a simulation of real-world United Nations sessions. The conference, held in English, drew student delegations from Poland, Germany, Egypt, and Turkey as well as from schools in Athens and Thessaloniki.
The opening ceremonies in Tracy Hall began with speeches by Anatolia President Richard Jackson, by Mr. Spyros Vougias, former Deputy Minister of Transport, by U.S. Consul General the Honorable Hoyt Brian Yee, and by Mr. James Wasserstrom, Head of Public Utilities Oversight at the UN Mission to Kosovo. The Secretary General of the conference, senior IB student Argyris Tsiaras, also addressed the gathering. Next, the Anatolia Chorale sang three beautiful songs, and the topics for the committee debates were presented in the form of an impressive video compiled by Miltiades Allamanis ’06. President of the General Assembly Line Kristensen, from Denmark, also a senior in the Anatolia IB Program, then declared the conference open.
The proceedings were carried out in the style of Model UN that is followed at Harvard, with a speakers’ list and an emphasis on debate, discussion and compromise. Students were divided into committees to discuss issues of international importance, such as the prevention of an arms race in space, and torture and rendition of terrorist suspects. The student delegates had all prepared themselves well and there were many fruitful exchanges.
Several Anatolia alumni and MUN veterans were present to help with the running of the conference: Joanna Pervou ’05, Deputy President of the GA; Angeliki Antoniou, Christos Kyriakopoulos, Dimitris Liolis and Ellie Melliou, all class of ’06, Committee Directors; Michael Dolianitis ’99, Evripides Tsakirides ’00, Edlira Nasi ‘06, and Konstandinos Emmanouil ’06, Awards Committee.
Student officers from Anatolia were: Ifigenia Derekli, Magda Bakali, Katarina Kourbeti, Paniotis Progios, Alexander Beltes, Lilliana Aslanidou, Valia Magras, Konstandinos Vavelidis, Faye Mylonaki. Maria Makri was Chief of Staff, with Stavros Michalopoulos her Deputy. Alexandra Papatheodorou was head of the Journalists.
All the participants were amazed at the high standard that was set in terms of technology and organization, due in large measure to the vision and energy of Secretary General Argyris Tsiaras and President of the GA Line Kristensen, combined with the exceptional talent of alumnus Miltiadis Allamanis. English teacher and IB CAS Director Helen Koliais organized the conference together with Director of Student Services Ellen Proestopoulos. The Anatolia delegations, representing Cuba, Ghana, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Iceland, India, Denmark, Iran, and Afghanistan, totaled 58 students and were prepared by teachers and club advisors Alice Eppinga, Helen Tavantzis, John Gateley, Leda Andoniou, Xenia Dolopoulou, and Leslie Orrell. Another cohort of Anatolians served as conference security and press, putting out a newspaper (with full international coverage) by the close of the session. Congratulations to all!
