Connecticut Students Debate International Issues at Model UN This Week

Local students throughout Connecticut are gearing up for this year's Model UN Conference, where they'll offer solutions to the world's most contentious issues and continue their individual journeys to becoming future leaders. The Connecticut World Affairs Council (CTWAC) Model United Nations brings together over 1,000 students from around Connecticut to interact with each other through debate and diplomacy, as they discuss numerous cutting edge – and often contentious and controversial – issues in respectful and informed dialogue.

This year’s event will take place at the University of Hartford, on December 2 and 3.

Ritika Aggarwal, CTWAC Model UN Student President, explains that “Model UN gives me the ability to step into the shoes of a global leader and solve international issues through collaboration and compromise, while simultaneously preparing me to be a compassionate and conscientious global citizen.” Aggarwal, a Glastonbury High School student, adds that “I am interested in pursuing a career as a foreign service officer. Model UN not only exposes me to some of the most pressing global issues, but it also gives me the communication skills needed to be an effective leader.”

The World Affairs Council of Connecticut Model United Nations program “engages high school students in international affairs and develops students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills,” according to the program mission. “We empower students to become global citizens and to motivate positive change in the world.”

The Model UN program in Connecticut is one of the country’s most established, continuous Model United Nations programs for high school students, with roots tracing back to Hartford High School in 1952. That event had about 130 participants. The international education program has grown each year since then, with 1,000+ high school students from more than 30 schools around Connecticut currently participating in the student-run program.