By Luigi De Guzman

By Noriko Yamamoto

The Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) Model United Nations (MUN) officially conducted its second BLUEMUN event, themed “Beyond the Blue Horizon: Reclaiming Hope in a Fractured World,” on Saturday, February 28, and Sunday, March 1.

The gathering welcomed both ASHS and non-ASHS students, who acted as delegates representing their respective countries in the United Nations (UN).

It featured three different committees, each discussing distinct debates across five rooms.

Unlike traditional MUN structures, the sessions had no designated speakers, as head adjudicators guided the flow of the discussion instead.

Two of the committees simulated UN councils, while one took the form of a conclave, offering a broader experience to the delegates by exposing them to various styles of debate.

The program on the first day officially started with an opening ceremony, before the delegates participated in the three plenary sessions, with short breaks in between. 

“What really motivated me was the speaker, who was the Philippine UN representative this morning as he had a really good point, and made me want to get better at speaking,” said Anika Dimal, a Grade 12 student from the University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS).

She added that her key takeaway from the event is to remain consistent with her delegate’s position and present it with greater conviction. 

Meanwhile, Adrian Maniquis, a first-year college student at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), shared that he had been invited for the second time to serve on the dais — person-in-charge of a committee — for BLUEMUN this year.

“Some key insights that I took away are that it’s important to listen to everyone before making decisions as we need to consider all perspectives since everyone is equally important in the eyes of God,” he stated.

The event then concluded with a feedback segment, during which attendees reflected on their experiences and provided their insights.