• Question of combating the use of chemical and biological weapons

• Question of reforming the UN Disarmament Machinery

• Question of strengthening international cooperation on space security

It was an honor to work with our mentor Mr. Tomas Evans, from the ES department. Mr. Tomas teaches Grade 5 at UNIS. When asked what global, regional, national, and/or local issues he is passionate about and why, his response revolved around quality education, making a link with SDG 5. He says he has had this interest ever since he has been teaching. Having worked in different countries, he has a passion for supporting young children with their learning. 

Now, moving to more MUN-related terms, I asked Mr. Tomas about his past experiences with MUN. While he himself has not participated in MUN, he is the grade 5 team lead so he has worked with other MUN mentors. His daughter is 4 years old, so he hopes one day, she will participate in MUN. The upcoming conference theme is “What role can integrity play in the balance between development and security prioritization”, upon asking Mr. Tomas about what he thinks about it, he responds; that having integrity towards the environment and towards all members of a society connects it with how sometimes when there is development, only some people benefit from it and the rest are left behind. He is also curious to see how different governments really value the idea of integrity and how that plays a role in development. 

For the GA1 topic of space exploration, Mr. Tomas, states that the Western or European aspect to progress in space exploration shouldn’t be the only perspectives that are considered. He believes that a global perspective has to be looked at to involve the work of all nations. Also, for the 1st topic he speaks about the use of chemical weapons in Vietnam itself, that there are probably still people with real memories of this, and making sure this isn’t overlooked is important. 

The last question asks the mentor if there were any recommendations for sources our chair team may use for our research. Mr. Tomas says that it is important for us to not only use direct sources like articles and documents, but also conduct actual interviews will prove to be useful.

This concludes the interview and I really appreciate Mr. Tomas help and insight as a mentor!

For the upcoming conference, I had the privilege to work with Ms. Cait Winstanley, who is the MSHS deputy principal. During the interview, her responses were insightful and will very much be useful for our chair team. Her first response, on what global, regional, national, and/or local issues she is passionate about, she majorly speaks about gender equity and supporting LGBTQIA rights and access. Having studied at an all-girls school, she became interested in these topics and always thinks about how different genders are involved. 

To introduce a MUN aspect, I asked Ms. Winstanley about her past experiences with MUN and what she thinks about it. She never participated in MUN and would really like to learn more about it. The upcoming conference's theme is “What role can integrity play in the balance between development and security prioritization”, and upon asking Mr. Tomas about what she thinks about it, she responds; this makes me think about the role local cultures play. She talks about how integrity towards local groups could be useful in places where global firms work. Being respectful of local communities and cultures is an important idea. 

Formerly a science teacher, Ms. Winstanley shows interest in the 1st and 3rd topics. The “Question of combating the use of chemical and biological weapons” is the first topic, and she remarks that it is extremely relevant because of recent space exploration. She talks about how waste is dumped into space and how satellites create space debris. She says we are already polluting the earth but are now starting to pollute space. 

The last question I asked Ms. Winstanley was asking if there were any source recommendations and she said would get back to me after doing some research. 

Thank you very much for the insight Ms. Winstanley and I look forward to working with you!

Working with Ms. Morgan Dobroski, one of our mentors, to prepare for the upcoming conference was a pleasure. Ms. Morgan is a MSHS learning support teacher here at UNIS. Responding to the first question, on what global, regional, national, and/or local issues she is passionate about, she expresses interest in wildlife conservation, inclusive practices, and education. 

After asking Ms. Morgan about her experiences with MUN and what she thinks about it, she says that she has experience as a mentor previously. She was the mentor for SDG5 during the last UNISMUN conference. She was able to help the chairs and delegates with refining their work and clearing any doubts. The upcoming conference theme is “What role can integrity play in the balance between development and security prioritization”, and upon asking Ms. Morgan about what she thinks about it, she responds; the levels of cooperation are likely to be dependent on how the progress and security is equitable for every nation. Then I asked her for her opinions on the topics for the GA1 committee. She believes that these topics are highly relevant because there is so much going on in the world right now. She also states that the topics are quite sensitive, which means that students need to be careful while writing on the topics. She says that her guidance as a mentor will involve making sure our work stays respectful. She doesn’t speak much on the actual topics and says she would need to dive deeper into research to answer, however, she does mention that there is a service group that works with Agent Orange victims and she says that this could be a good source while considering the implications of the 1st topic of the “Question of combating the use of chemical and biological weapons”.

Upon the last question, for source recommendations, Ms. Morgan says she will get back to me with some sources after research but again mentions how interviewing or working with the Agent Orange service group could prove useful. 

Ms. Morgan's responses were very useful and I look forward to working with her as my chair team's mentor!

Greetings honorable directors, fellow chairs, distinguished delegates, and most esteemed guests,

My name is Solbi Yun, a senior at Brent International School Manila. It is my utmost pleasure to serve as the Head Chair for General Assembly 1 for this upcoming March 2025 Conference. I have been a part of the Brent MUN leadership team since 2023; this marks my third and last UNISMUN conference, seventh conference overall, and fourth as a chair. 

The theme of this year’s conference, “What role can integrity play in the balance between development and security prioritization?” highlights a pivotal challenge in the global arena. I am genuinely convinced that integrity based on transparency, accountability, and fairness forms the foundation of preventing security measures from hampering sustainable development. Our deliberations must reconcile the necessity of countrified robust security with the necessary drive toward achieving greater global prosperity.

The General Assembly 1, also known as the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC), plays a critical role in addressing threats to international peace and security. Tasked with disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control, General Assembly 1 works at the nexus of diplomacy and security.  Its work not only preserves peace but also fosters an environment conducive to development.

First and foremost, the “Question of Combating the Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons” calls for attention since these weapons carry the threats of catastrophes upon humanity and violate international norms. While the second topic, “ Question of Reforming the UN Disarmament Machinery” poses a challenge to improve what already exists in order to make disarmament more effective and inclusive disarmament. Finally, the last topic, “Question of Strengthening International Cooperation on Space Security” is yet another rapidly emerging domain that is determined by integrity, of whether space is a commons or a battlefield. 

All these critical issues, therefore, highlight the urgent need for concerted action throughout the world to guarantee peace, security, and sustainably shared resources. 

I eagerly look forward to the contributions of all delegates who will collaborate as they think critically, creativity, and bring innovative solutions into the house. 

Greetings honorable delegates, fellow chairs, directors ,and most esteemed guests,

My name is Shreyan Pathak, I am a junior at Singapore International school at Gamuda Gardens (SIS) and it is my pleasure to serve as the deputy chair for General Assembly 1 for the March 2025 conference. This upcoming conference marks my 6th UNISMUN conference with this being my first experience as chair and I am eagerly excited to meet all the delegates and hopefully create a memorable experience for everyone attending!

The theme of this conference is, “What role can integrity play in the balance between development and security prioritization?” I find this theme especially interesting as it provides a medium for delving into many of the current global issues that need to be tackled. Integrity plays a paramount role in all discussions, actions and policy-making. Many of the key issues where the question of integrity arises such as corruption, political manipulation, or disregard for human rights, can undermine both security initiatives and sustainable development efforts. Conversely, integrity fosters trust among nations and stakeholders, facilitating meaningful cooperation.

The General Assembly acts as the main policy making organ for the United Nations fostering a truly multilateral and cooperative platform for diplomatic discussions. General Assembly 1 in UNISMUN deals with disarmament and international security.  GA1 brings about discussions which are crucial to achieve international security and also deal with arms control and non-proliferation of weapons. It is at the cornerstone of diplomacy and is a key part of the UN for maintaining international peace and tackling crucial issues.

In this conference there will be the questions that will be discussed. The first one is  the “Question of combating the use of chemical and biological weapons.” This holds great importance as the use of chemical and biological weapons in warfare brings into question humanitarian concerns and global stability as it can exacerbate conflicts. The “question of reforming the UN Disarmament Machinery” asks for improvement to already existing frameworks to better tackle disarmament by looking into several factors such as efficiency and overall trust and integrity of member nations. The last question which is the “question of strengthening international cooperation on space security” allows a platform for this emerging issue to be discussed, asking for ways multilateral cooperation can be used to ensure space security.

I look forward to meeting all the delegates and having a fun and memorable MUN experience. See you in March!

Greetings honorable delegates, fellow chairs, and most esteemed guests,

My name is Vihaan Seth and I am a freshman at the United Nations International School of Hanoi. I am very excited to serve as procedural chair for GA1 during the upcoming March 2025 conference. I look forward to collaborating with both external and internal chairs, delegates and mentors. The conference will mark my 5th MUN experience, and 3rd as chair. 

This year’s UNISMUN conference theme is “What role can integrity play in the balance between development and security prioritization?”. This theme holds utmost relevance to current affairs and requires recognition. With an otherwise inevitable accretion in the inequalities between and within nations, the idea of integrity plays a strong role in how every nation puts in appropriate effort into overall progress. With integral cooperation, individual nations are given the opportunity to prioritise their security and development stances while considering the stances of other nations for an overall philanthropic idea of progress. If integrity is successful, its implications on development and security prioritisation is certain to make our world a better place.

This would be my first time being part of the General Assembly 1, my previous experiences being with SC or RSC. While both committees focus on international peace and security, the general assembly attains more specifically to disarmament and security related topics like arms control or nuclear status. Furthemore, the fact that every nation of the UN has an equal vote and the absence of VETO power in the committee suits the theme of integrity.

The committee will debate on 3 topics. The first: “Question of combating the use of chemical and biological weapons, the second: “Question of reforming the UN Disarmament Machinery” and the third: “Question of strengthening international cooperation on space security”. 

The first topic will initiate debate on the restrictions and regulations over the use and even the ownership of chemical and biological weapons. This topic is important as the use of these weapons have recently been flagged in conflicts in Syria and Ukraine. The second topic will discuss the actuality of the effectiveness of the UN disarmament machinery and is important because many nations have begun to question its relevance. The last topic, which I find the most interesting, will spark insight on how the implications of space exploration are controlled while prioritizing security.

Again, I am looking forward to meeting everyone during the conference and good luck with your preparations!