Coverage of the Winter 2025 Model UN Training Conference
By Himaja Balusa, Manager of Global Education
On Friday, March 7th, over a hundred and fifty participants including students, educators, guests, and partners gathered at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO) for a Winter Training Model UN Conference. Students from twelve schools across the Washington Metropolitan Area convened to discuss critical health issues under the theme, “Global Health: Building Resilient Communities for a Better Future.”
The event commenced with an Opening Ceremony. UNA-NCA President, Paula Boland, welcomed the audience and delivered remarks about the organization’s legacy of advocacy and education, the importance of international cooperation and sharing the excitement of being back at PAHO, a partnership collaboration she started several years ago This was followed by a video introducing PAHO’s work and welcome remarks by PAHO's Deputy Director, Mary Lou Valdez.
UNA-NCA President, Paula Boland (left) and PAHO Deputy Director, Mary Lou Valdez
PAHO’s work to the audience and served as a smooth transition to the remarks of the Deputy Director,. Mary Lou Valdez. Ms. Valdez graciously welcomed the participants to the venue and highlighted the vital role of global education in strengthening community resilience and advancing global health. She also shared a brief history of PAHO as the world’s oldest international public health agency, underscoring its longstanding commitment to improving health across the Americas.
After the opening ceremony, students moved into their assigned Model UN committee rooms to begin their sessions. There were two committees: the World Health Organization (WHO), a specialized UN agency focused on public health, and the UN Security Council (UNSC), one of the UN’s six main principal organs responsible for international peace and security. The WHO committee followed a double delegate format, tailored for beginner student delegates and first-time Model UN participants while the UNSC operated as a single delegation, designed for intermediate and advanced student delegates.
WHO Committee Chairs Jessica Adams (left) and Rhynell ChristopherThe WHO Committee was chaired by Jessica Adams, a graduate candidate at Johns Hopkins, and Rhynell Christopher, a change management consultant. Both were former UNA-NCA interns and veteran Model UN participants who effectively guided students of varying proficiency levels. Supporting the committee were policy advisors—experts in the field who served as valuable resources for students. Jeff Meer, a public health specialist with extensive experience at Humanity & Inclusion US and the Public Health Institute, and a member of UNA-NCA's advisory council, provided his insights. Renato Oliveira e Souza, the Chief of Mental Health and Substance Use at PAHO, also lent his expertise to the discussions. The topical focus of the WHO committee was Global Mental Health. Student delegates representing different WHO member states, brought to light various issues pertaining to the topic, including stigma, lack of funding, and the integration of mental health services into primary care. Throughout the sessions, students showed great enthusiasm and engagement, actively participating in debates and collaboration. Many shared positive feedback, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to learn from experts and peers while tackling such a critical global health issue.
WHO CommitteeMeanwhile, the UNSC committee focused on the topic of the opioid crisis and its implications for security. The committee was chaired by Alex May, a current UNA-NCA intern and an experienced Model UN participant. He skillfully managed the crisis-driven nature of the committee, periodically introducing well-thought-out crisis arcs to emphasize how the situation could worsen if delegates did not effectively address the issue. This approach pushed delegates to become more solution-oriented and take proactive steps to resolve the crisis. When later asked about his experience with the committee, he said, "Overall, the conference was a positive experience. It was very enjoyable to see the students grow in their knowledge of the topic as the committee progressed. The productivity of the debate strengthened as the conference went on. The difference between their performance in the first and second sessions was significant." Thereby demonstrating the overall intention of the training conference, which was to strengthen participants' Model UN skills 
UNSC Committeeand understanding of parliamentary procedure, among other things, and ensure these objectives were met. Additionally, Ambassador David Johnson, the Vice President of the International Narcotics Board, served as a policy advisor for students in the UNSC committee, enhancing their real-world experiential learning experience. He provided students with a wealth of insight into global narcotics policy, international security challenges, and diplomatic decision-making.
As the committee sessions continued, UNA-NCA also hosted a session for educators. Giulia McPherson, the Executive Director of the Global Campaign for Education-US (GCE-US), generously gave her time to discuss GCE-US and its work with educators. She then initiated a meaningful discussion on implementing global education curricula in classrooms. Many valuable insights emerged, including the various field trips and global experiential opportunities some schools offer students, the differences in curricula across grade levels, and the GCDC year-round curriculum, which some schools are registered for, providing a structured approach to teaching the SDGs.
The Closing Ceremony began soon after the educator session. It started with the awards ceremony, where UNSC Chair Alex May presented the Best, Outstanding, and Honorable Delegation awards to Denmark, the United States, and Myanmar, respectively. Then, WHO Chairs Jessica Adams and Rhynell Christopher presented the Best (two awards), Outstanding (two awards), and Honorable (two awards) Delegation awards to India, Finland, Lebanon, Russia, and the Central African Republic, respectively. Finally, PAHO team leads Andrea Marín Núñez de Arce and Oscar Chavez, along with UNA-NCA’s Global Education Manager, Himaja Balusa, gave a round of thank-yous to all staff and volunteers before dismissing the schools.
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Student Testimonial(s):
