Into the Bear Cave: A look inside CISMUN

Introduction

The Model United Nations, or MUN for short, is an "educational simulation of the United Nations" that educates students on global issues, diplomacy, and international relations by having them be representatives of select countries to debate on issues and pass resolutions in the many different committees of the UN. For many students, attending a 3-day conference where hundreds of students from dozens of schools gather is the fruit of their hard work and intellect. For this momentous occasion, some prepare for months in advance, reading up and researching on the relevant topics at hand to craft a perfect position, while other more spontaneous attendees prefer to rely more on their oratory and critical thinking skills to bring them to the finish line. A minority of excellent MUNers combine both to create the quintessential delegate.

This year, Canadian International School (CIS) hosted their first ever MUN conference, and among the list of invitees was Logos International School. With a delegation of 7 members, Logos managed to make their mark on this conference, with one delegate earning the Best Delegate award and being the main driver behind the debate in plenary as the main submitter of the resolution in question.

Day 1

Upon first arrival, all attendees were treated to an opening ceremony, with a dance performance and speeches from relevant members of the organizing committee and the Canadian Ambassador to Cambodia. The presence of these events allowed the delegates to get accustomed to this new environment and understand the culture and background of the school they are currently in. After the ceremony, the delegates were sent to their respective committee classrooms to begin their first day on the job.

The start of any MUN is a tense ordeal for many delegates, but it was especially so for new delegates, of which Logos had quite a few. In the lead up to the conference, delegates had to prepare opening speeches to give to their committee on the two issues they will have to tackle for the duration of the conference, stating their country's stance and making clear their intentions as to what should be done. From meticulous crafters to on-the-spot thinkers, the Logos delegation did not lack diversity in their ways of tackling this hurdle. Following the speeches, the committee leaders, called Chairs, gave time for the delegates to Lobby, allowing them to find their allies in order to cooperatively draft the resolutions that will be debated and voted upon the next day.

After a fruitful night, delegates enjoyed a nice dinner at the buffet and went back home.

Day 2

The second day is usually the main course of every MUN, as this is when resolutions are finished and committee debate begins. While many eager delegates were raring to go, just waiting to look for any flaws in resolutions they disagreed with or reinforcing the clauses in ones they did support, the Chairs were instructed to try their best to include those who are less social in the conversation and facilitate thoughtful debate. This fostered a healthy environment for discourse and allowed for inputs from all delegates, culminating in better amendments, strikes, and modifications to the resolutions. The serious sessions were punctuated by occasional visits from organizers, who were there to submit silly amendments, such as suggesting the creation of the ILLUMINATI to deal with cyber scam centers. These visits were meant to ease some of the tensions present in the room that had accumulated from hours of debates, putting a smile on many of the delegates' faces.

But beyond the productive sessions, delegates also partook in other things, such as the social night at the end of the second day. Upon interviewing Louis Phu Kok, the attending Logos student who won Best Delegate representing Laos in the Human Right Council (HRC) committee, he mentioned that his "goal was purely just to have fun" and that he just wanted to "talk and make new friends". From the friendly banters and interactions during the day to the dancing and partying during the social night, day 2 was a blast for most delegates, who must have had a quite memorable experience.

Day 3

On the third and final day, all delegations were once again gathered together to end off the conference with plenary debate, where anyone is allowed to participate, including Chairs. The resolution that was picked for debate was none other than the one main-submitted by Louis regarding the aforementioned Cyber Scam Centers in Southeast Asia, who rose to the occasion and masterfully defended his and his allies' work in front of hundreds of hostile delegates who hoped to make names for themselves. Though the resolution ended up falling apart due to some humorous clauses such as the provision of life supplies of kit-kats to victims of cyber scam centers, it doesn't seem as if the failure of the vote was a highly regretted event. As the day ended with the closing ceremony and the delegates wave to the friends they have made over the three days, there is little doubt that many had a bittersweet feeling about the end of the conference. And with the conclusion of the first annual CISMUN, the Logos delegation bus was filled with contentment and cheerful chatter, with aspiring delegates eager for their next conference…

–Wenyu Wang

"Congratulations on attending, participating in, and completing the first annual CISMUN 2025. It is always a bit groundbreaking to be the first group of delegates at a new conference and it requires patience, fortitude, and a bit of good humor. I really believe that a majority of our delegates stood out as superior in many ways. Whether this was in debating prowess, resolution writing, collaboration, or the often needed witty quips to keep things light and interesting. Although Louis took the well deserved award for best delegate in his committee, I believe that this award represents a high caliber common in all Logos delegates." – Mr. Barrett (MUN Club Supervisor)