Singapore Chinese Girls’ School Model United Nations (SCMUN) is one of the most highly anticipated overseas conferences for the DGS Model United Nations Team. Nine members of the MUN team from S2 to S5 had the honour to travel to Singapore to participate in an exchange programme and a 2-day conference hosted by Singapore Chinese Girls’ School. This was the first outbound overseas educational trip in three years.

Our teacher-in-charge, Miss C.R. Lau, led us throughout the Singapore trip and provided much guidance and care to ensure our trip was held smoothly and successfully. Departing Hong Kong in the afternoon on 12th March, we arrived in Singapore in the evening and spent the night having a group dinner and desserts at nearby restaurants before returning to our hotel to prepare for the conference.

Our members were invited to attend an exchange programme hosted by SCGS on the next day, during which we had ice-breaking games with students from SCGS and another local school from Hong Kong. SCGS student ambassadors also led a tour around the campus, and we also got to understand the differences in timetables and curricula between Singapore and Hong Kong. The exchange programme truly helped us relax and engage in fascinating dialogue, through which we came to learn about the different cultures in Singapore and Hong Kong. Friendships were also formed when we were asked to make a group presentation on diversity and education, and one of our members even had an impromptu dance performance with a student from SCGS after we learnt that both of them shared the same passion for dancing!

The next two days of the conference were the highlight of this educational trip. The Opening Ceremony of the conference kickstarted with inspiring keynote speeches from Singaporean representatives at the UN to various activists, and our members learnt about the challenges and complexity of international diplomacy and formulating foreign policies in the modern world today.

Undoubtedly, the actual council sessions were the most challenging yet fruitful segment of the conference. As overseas delegates, our members were relatively unfamiliar with Singapore MUN procedures, which differed from the usual ones implemented in Hong Kong conferences. Facing unforeseen challenges, we were pressed to react and adapt immediately by stepping out of our comfort zones to interact with the Singaporean delegates. Moreover, given that this was also the first in-person overseas conference we have ever attended, we quickly noticed the differences in speaking and debating styles of Singaporean delegates with those we usually meet in Hong Kong. They were particularly engaged in sharing their opinions through making speeches and valued seeking common ground through dialogue and discussions over resolution debate. Nevertheless, our members were able to figure out ways to lead in council discussions and make our voices heard while taking into account various countries’ interests. By responding quickly while the council progresses and altering our tactics in submitting amendments and making speeches, all our members were able to further challenge themselves to polish their MUN skillsets and learn to communicate with culturally diverse delegates.

Our efforts and hard work were also recognised by the chairs of the conference when five of the representatives were awarded the Best Delegate and Outstanding Delegate awards in their respective councils. To our surprise, the DGS MUN Team was also awarded the Best School Delegation Award for our commendable overall performance, for which we were extremely honoured and grateful.

The conference eventually ended on a high note with the SCMUN social dinner night. Our members were finally able to relax after two days of rigorous debate and intellectual discussions as we sang our hearts out during group karaoke sessions and took pictures with the Singaporean friends we made over the course of two days. SCMUN not only was an overseas conference that allowed our members to challenge themselves and debate global pressing issues; it was also a cultural exchange opportunity where we created lasting friendships with Singaporean delegates while chit-chatting at the canteen during lunch and defending each other’s nations as bloc mates during council sessions. Moreover, our MUN team spirit was also further strengthened after this educational trip. During late-night preparation sessions in the hotel, the more experienced members also became mentors and listened to the speeches made by junior members to give feedback and advice on their preparation. Group dinners searching for Singaporean food and cuisine were also opportunities for us to understand and take care of each other better throughout the trip. SCMUN was undoubtedly a memory that all our members will cherish in our hearts.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Diane Hu, representative of SCGS who has helped us settle in, welcomed us to the exchange programme and even gave us recommendations on Singaporean restaurants. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the SCMUN Secretariat team members and student ambassadors for organising such an engaging 2-day conference and for hosting the exchange programme which we had the chance to tour around the school campus led by their students. Our deepest gratitude goes to Mrs. S.A. Leung, our teacher-in-charge of the Model United Nations Team, for the administrative work to make the necessary travelling arrangements for the team to make this educational trip possible; as well as Miss Lau, for the unwavering support and generous care that was given to our members throughout the whole journey, making this experience an enjoyable and safe one for all. Lastly, we would also like to thank our Headmistress Mrs. Lau for her continuous support towards the Model United Nations team and for giving members the privilege to partake in this overseas conference, enabling us to develop a greater understanding of the world and broaden our horizons.

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