New Zealand Youth Heads To The United Nations

Sixteen of New Zealand’s top Year 12 and 13 students will represent New Zealand at The Hague International Model United Nations Youth Conference in January 2011. The THIMUN delegation was selected last weekend at the national Model United Nations in Wellington run by the United Nations’ Youth Association of New Zealand.

Wellington, July 10, 2010 – At the New Zealand Model United Nations last weekend sixteen year 12 and 13 students were chosen to represent New Zealand at The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) for a week in January 2011. The United Nations Youth Association of New Zealand (UNYANZ) will also take the selected students on a study tour through Europe, which will focus on places and cities that illustrate the principles behind the United Nations. This will include visits to the United Nations, other international NGOs, war memorials and New Zealand embassies.

The students demonstrated the high academic, cultural and sporting successes of young New Zealanders. The delegation includes: Syvie Admore and Jenny Zhang (Carmel College), Jason Armishaw and Isabelle Russell (Albany Senior High School), Bethany Axby-Rabbitt (Rangi Ruru Girls’ High School), Courtney Black (Palmerston North Girls High School), Jonty Blundell (Rathkeale College), Fern Cheetham (St Matthew’s Collegiate), Zoe Crook (Wellington Girls College), Elia Kim and Wilson Liu (Mt Roskill Grammar School), Brendan Madley (St John’s College), Daniel Madley (Hamilton Boys’ High Scool), Mathew Rex (Wellington College), Kohe Ruwhiu (New Plymouth Girls’ High School) and Harry Tothill (Christ’s College).

The Director of the 2011 delegation, Katrina Winsor, recently left the law firm Russell McVeagh to undertake a PhD in international law. Miss Winsor described the standard of all applicants and the difficulty of their task in choosing just sixteen as “inspiring. It was incredible to see the high calibre of youth today and those that are willing to be open to opportunities. The delegation we have compiled are the future leaders of New Zealand and beyond.”

Miss Winsor selected the students with the help of the Delegation’s two Assistant Directors for THIMUN, Helen Stiff and David Tong. Richard Evans, President of United Nations Youth Association of New Zealand, was also involved in the selection process; including a formal application, interview and a high level of participation at the New Zealand Model UN conference. Matt Dobbs, the 2010 Head of Delegation described the trip as being “an unforgettable experience to explore the world of international affairs; a true honour to represent New Zealand on the world stage for such an event."

Over the next six months the THIMUN students will be preparing for the conference alongside their usual commitments. This will include extensive research, training in public speaking and the procedures of the United Nations, and fundraising for the trip. They will then take part in the Conference at The Hague in January 2011, alongside hundreds of students from around the globe.

The students will be assisted in their funding and preparation by the three THIMUN Directors, who will then accompany the delegation to The Hague. About the United Nations Youth Association of New Zealand: The United Nations Youth Association of New Zealand is an organisation run by youth, for youth, dedicated to upholding the spirit of the United Nations through raising the awareness, involvement and empowerment of young people in local, national and international spheres.

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