Model United Nations conference at Institut Montana Zugerberg
Institut Montana students staged a UN General Assembly at the end of October together with twelve other schools from Switzerland, Germany, France, Czech Republic and Greece. The three-day MUN conference at the Zugerberg focused on solutions for sustainable energy. The participants acted as delegates who advocated for the interests of the countries assigned to them.
The MUN conference stands for "Model United Nations" and is held in the school's own auditorium. From October 28 to 30, a total of thirteen schools from Switzerland, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, and Greece were represented. 120 students debated about a sustainable energy supply for our world. The structures of the conference were modelled after the UN.
In 2015, UN member states adopted 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) to make our planet more liveable by 2030. "SDG7" addresses affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all people. Due to different energy resources, political systems, and attitudes of the population, countries pursue their own goals. In addition, countries around the world have different experiences with the impacts of climate change and approach the issue in a country-specific way.
At the end of the MUN conference, the General Assembly adopted the resolutions of the Republic of Congo and India. Some of the adopted solutions included the use of education to support a more widespread understanding of the benefits of renewable energy; urging Member States to establish a system reinforcing accountability and transparency regarding carbon footprints among national communities; the creation of the “Platform to Fund Sustainable Energy Development” (PFSED), allowing countries in need of foreign investment to find corporate bodies and other member states wishing to invest.
Engaged youth
The conference was organized and run by the students on their own. Institut Montana teacher and alumnus Paul-Johan Widen coached the students, but the responsibility lay entirely with the students. MUN conferences are held by schools and universities around the world and are based on the structures of the United Nations. Since 2009, Institut Montana has been an active participant of the MUN conferences, which is now strongly embedded in the school's DNA. The MUN conferences are the continuation of the Montana International Relations Club, which was established in the 1940s in the spirit of the newly formed UN.