• The question of the privatization of armed forces and warfare

• The question of enhancing international cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and verification mechanisms

• The question of preventing an arms race and the weaponization of outer space

As the Deputy Chair of GA1, I have gotten the opportunity to discuss with Mr. Muhammad, the director of Technology at our school, whose path into tech was anything but straightforward. He started out interested in academic research in late elementary school, first drawn to pure chemistry, then shifting into physics, especially nuclear and theoretical physics. Somehow, he always found himself circling back to higher education and educational institutions.

His journey into technology began casually when a friend showed him an old green-screen computer with no images, just text. He started experimenting with it and quickly dived deeper. Later, he took over his father’s business and transformed it into a more technology-focused company. He eventually moved to the UK to work in the tech industry. When his partner began working at a school that needed help with its business operations, he stepped in to support, and that experience gradually shifted him fully into educational technology.

Having lived in Beijing and Singapore, he is familiar with Southeast Asian culture. He sees similarities between Vietnam today and China during its rapid development years, even recalling winters in Beijing that stayed below zero for long stretches, once reaching -18 degrees. He remembers AQI levels in China going over 500 and sees how development and environmental challenges often come together.

Right now, he is most interested in AI and the anxiety around how it will impact every sector of life. He believes AI is fundamentally different from previous technologies. Traditional computers act like calculators; you input data, the software processes it, and you get a predictable output. AI, however, does not simply return a predetermined response. It feels more like a thinking partner, drawing from vast amounts of human-created data. That unpredictability is what unsettles people. AI is still built by humans and large companies, which raises questions about ideology, profit motives, and ethics. He closely follows debates between companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, especially around commercialization, advertisements, and whether ethics or capitalism will shape the future of AI. He is concerned about how private tech companies influence governments and global conflicts, and how AI adds another layer of complexity to an already heated world.

At the same time, he reminds students that a computer is just a machine created by humans. It can seem magical because of what it can do, but it is not magic. It is programmed, designed, and limited. It will never equal human creativity and imagination. Understanding those limits is essential.

He believes technology plays a major role in global security and disarmament, but ultimately it is humans who decide how it is used. If people do not take action, technology will not automatically serve the right purposes. He encourages young people to speak up and be vocal about how technology should be shaped. When using AI for research, he advises setting clear constraints and specifying trusted sources. AI can mix truth and falsehood in subtle ways, which can be more misleading than obvious errors. Being precise about what you want and where information should come from is key to using technology responsibly.

Thank you so much for your help, Mr. Muhammad!

As the Deputy Chair of GA1, I have gotten the opportunity to discuss with Mr. Christie, the MSHS Science teacher, who has been teaching for over 20 years. He first stepped into education while working in a DNA sequencing lab, where he helped teach lab techniques to PhD teachers and students. That experience made him realize he genuinely enjoyed the teaching aspect, and he decided to pursue it fully.

He began teaching in Korea for two years, then moved to Egypt and Dubai, and has now been in Vietnam for seven years. He enjoys the region and its culture. While each country was very different, he found it exciting rather than difficult to adapt.

His main academic interests are biology, space science, and genetics. He is naturally a storyteller and loves bringing science to life. He often finds catchy, interesting videos or news on platforms like YouTube or Instagram and shares them with students to spark curiosity and discussion.

Family is also a big part of his life. His wife teaches middle school and has a background in anthropology and science, and their daughter, now in Grade 7, enjoys both science and art. Conversations at home often revolve around ideas, learning, and creativity.

He has been a mentor for many years and is eager to stay involved. While global politics and MUN were never his personal background, he sees how valuable they are for students’ futures. As a Canadian, he feels a strong sense of national identity and keeps track of political relationships, power dynamics between countries, AI policy shifts, and how money and markets respond to global events.

Outside the classroom, he is passionate about video gaming, fitness, and writing. He is now an author and writes books for fun. Many of these hobbies connect back to his background in science and physical education. He encourages students to try new things and find what genuinely makes them happy, because you never know what you might love until you try.

He is especially fascinated by the space race and nuclear topics, connecting them to his science background and concerns about global consequences. He follows how policies around space and AI are evolving, questioning who controls these developments and how national and international perspectives differ. He believes every nation has its own ideology and bias, which shapes decisions in powerful ways.

When it comes to AI, he strongly encourages using it as a tool. Use it to research, to get feedback, and to organize ideas more concisely, but not to replace your own thinking or writing. He often reminds students to tell stories in their reports and speeches, to make ideas engaging, and to choose topics they are genuinely interested in while keeping them relevant and meaningful.

Thank you so much for your help, Mr. Christie!

Greetings, honorable directors, distinguished delegates, and esteemed guests,

My name is Hyunchan Cho, a senior at St. Paul American School Hanoi, and it is my utmost honor to serve as the Head Chair of the General Assembly 1 for the 2025 March UNIS MUN Conference.

This conference’s theme is “Is our rules-based international system able to adapt to contemporary challenges to security and sovereignty?” This theme is central to the General Assembly 1 council and its mission for Disarmament and International Security. GA1 is a key forum where states assess existing international norms and collaborate to reform and strengthen them in response to emerging and evolving threats to international security while respecting national sovereignty, which is what you as a delegate will have a chance to practice.

It is exciting to chair the debate on the first issue of the privatization of armed forces and warfare. In many ongoing armed conflicts such as the Sudanese Civil War, more and more use of privatized warfare is being reported. As efficient as these forces are to the armed groups, they are simultaneously some of the deadliest weapons against civilians, and it is indispensable for GA1 to step up and address this issue.

The question of enhancing international cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and verification mechanisms is highly relevant to the globally complex, dynamic political landscape nowadays. The tensions between nuclear-armed states not only are some of the most longstanding issues but also have been rising to the extreme recently, as shown in Iran’s nuclear enrichment and the United States’ strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Therefore, it is urgent for GA1 delegates to address this issue and cooperate to come up with solutions.

Finally, the issue of preventing an arms race and the weaponization of outer space shows how the dynamics regarding international security and national security are evolving beyond the traditional domains. This topic challenges delegates to examine how international cooperation and legal frameworks can balance national security interests with collective responsibility, making it a crucial issue for debate within GA1.

I wholeheartedly look forward to everyone in this conference and the exciting debate in GA1. As a person who started his MUN career as a nervous GA1 delegate, I understand what it feels like to be a beginner delegate in GA1, so please don’t be afraid to ask for help. My co-chairs and I will do our best to guide you and our council through every aspect.

Thank you, and see you in March!

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

My name is Wen-De (Ethan) Hsiao, I am a junior at the United Nations International School of Hanoi. It is my greatest pleasure to be your Deputy Chair for the General Assembly 1 of the March 2026 Conference. This conference will be marked as my 6th Conference in UNISMUN, while also being my second experience as a chair. I am very excited and looking forward to meeting everyone at the March 2026 Conference!

This year’s UNISMUN conference’s theme will be focusing on “Is our rules based international system able to adapt to contemporary challenges to security and sovereignty?”. This theme stood out to me as it also deeply resonates with me to an extent that it inspired me to critically reflect and question whether global institutions and norms are able to quickly manage and evolve to address the complex threats of the modern societies of the world. 

General Assembly 1, also known as GA1 and the (Disarmament and International Security Committee is a committee that deals with issues regarding to economic growth, development such as macroeconomic policy questions; financing for development; sustainable development; globalization and interdependence; eradication of poverty; operational activities for development; agriculture development, food security, and nutrition; and information and communications technologies for development.

The three topics we will be covering as a committee are the question of the privatization of armed forces and warfare, the question of enhancing international cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and verification mechanisms, and the question of preventing an arms race and the weaponization of outer space. All three issues address crucial issues faced regarding the resilience of the rules-based international system in an era of evolving security and sovereignty challenges.

The first topic covers how the privatization of armed forces and warfare can pose challenges and destabilization to nations’ security and sovereignty. The second topic dives into specifications on ways to enhance international cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and verification mechanisms, such as strengthening IAEA safeguards to uphold global stability. Lastly, the last topic explores the key factors in consideration for collaboration among nations to reduce space competition and advance disarmament.

At this conference, I will be attempting to help every delegate in need, giving all kinds of guidance the delegates need, and ensuring all delegates have a firm understanding of the conference theme and committee topics. I wish all the best for everyone attending.

Thank you,

Wen-De (Ethan) Hsiao

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

My name is Shreya Raghavan, and I’m a junior at Hanoi International School (HIS). It is my honour to welcome you to UNISMUN 2026, where I will be serving as the procedural chair in General Assembly 1 for the first time after three years of participating in this conference as a delegate. Having experienced UNISMUN from the floor of the committee, I am incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to now guide the debate from the dais. 

This year’s conference theme, “Is our rules-based international system able to adapt to contemporary challenges to security and sovereignty?”, is especially relevant in today’s rapidly evolving global landscape. I believe it encourages us to question not just the effectiveness of the existing international norms but also their flexibility in the face of emerging global threats.

GA1 particularly interests me as it sits at the core of how the international community responds to evolving threats to peace and security. The privatisation of armed forces and warfare demonstrates how the growing role of private military and security companies blurs the line between state responsibility and non-state action, raising serious concerns about accountability, regulation, and human rights in modern conflicts. 

At the same time, strengthening international collaboration on nuclear nonproliferation and verification is critical in a world where geopolitical tensions, technical developments, and diminished state trust endanger decades of progress in weapons control. Finally, the challenge of stopping an arms race and the weaponisation of outer space exemplifies how security rivalry is moving outside conventional areas.

GA1 is important in the real world because it allows nations to cooperatively modify current standards and establish cooperative frameworks to confront emerging dangers, making it a committee that is both contemporary and vitally relevant to the future of global peace and security. 

On a personal stance, these subjects speak to my interest in global politics and international relations, specifically how institutions may adapt to remain relevant in an increasingly polarised world. I'm looking forward to seeing how each of you brings your country's viewpoint to the table and adds to this year’s thoughtful and respectful debate. Thank you, and see you in March! 

Sincerely, 

Shreya Raghavan