“They ate.” Debate, Dinner, and Dorming at SSUNS 2023

Eno Ma News Journalist

(From left to right) Wolfgang Wai-Hahn, Ethan Liu, Brandon Woo, and Igor Martins-Frota, draped in conference attire, enjoying themselves at a Shawarma outing.

This November, the Earl Haig Model United Nations team journeyed to Montreal to attend the four-day “Secondary Schools United Nations Symposium,” better known by the monosyllable SSUNS. SSUNS began at sunrise on a chilly Thursday morning. Some were last- minute packing; others were impatiently waiting in the cafeteria, huddled for warmth and group therapy as staff supervisor Ms. Lue attended to a troubling absence — the no-show coach bus. Due to unknown circumstances, it had been swapped for its humble yellow counterpart, the school bus. Despite the sudden seat downgrade from Economy Plus to Economy, the club ventured forth. Six hours then became a road trip with no washroom and wifi. Still, passengers enjoyed onboard entertainment options; karaoke to accompany Spotify playlists, rounds of mobile pass-and-play Mafia, and a Kingston pitstop turned fast-food spending spree marked an eventful afternoon. Quips like “Can you edit my speech?” and “What’s your advice on dealing with Power Dels (— ambitious prep schoolers who attend solely to win awards)?” escorted the journey. SSUNS infused group spirit into every step of the weekend-long marathon. In the hotel room, along the streets of downtown Montreal, and during committee sessions, lively discussions took the helm. But one discussion stood out — the topic of food. Food was a matter of autonomy, synonymous with an opportunity to explore the city within narrow timeframes and walkable distances. Unfortunately, committee sessions often adjourned at 9 p.m., leaving students little time to dine and return before the 10 p.m. curfew. Epic crowds and record-slow elevator wait times further strained dinner plans. One solution was pre-purchasing midnight snacks. Co-President Sydney Yang, Head Delegate Joy Choi, and roommates feasted on “Costco tuxedo cake balls.” Yang represented India for the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, while Choi played “Lucille ‘Lucy’ McConnel” in a committee plotted around a “Death in Venice” homicide. Occupants of the room next door leveraged their espresso machine to the task of boiling water — getting by with instant ramen. For the hungry traveller, the first night was the most gruelling. Tenth- grader Brandon Woo juggled his role as the United States in the International Civil Aviation Organization with an insatiable appetite. He notes, “In committee, it was nonstop debate about international aviation safety and security. Outside that room, I was nonstop searching for food.” Woo fell asleep the same night, “dreaming of food [he] would devour the next morning.” The following day would turn in Woo’s favour. On Friday morning, Ms. Lue treated the team to a delectable brunch at Cora. Breakfast was served to a table of eager talk — some courageously conducted in French — and no less than seven orders of café au lait. Other mornings were fraught with struggles to outshine last night’s flashy attire; Western Business implied “How to tie a tie” tutorials and the application of false lashes at twice the speed before sessions.

Senior student Hoon Dao, the Zambian delegate for the African Union, avows, “Thank goodness for the Starbucks in the lobby. Otherwise, we would have gone to morning sessions on an empty stomach.”

His receipts totalled a hefty $56.29, thanks to an unquenchable appetite and a myriad of latte orders from his friends. After all, dehydration was ill-fit for a sport hinged on speech-giving and diplomatic finesse. Indeed, these skills were tested against an unexpected foe: Californian high schools.

As the largest international Model UN conference in Canada, SSUNS challenged delegates head-on with public speaking, multi- hour sessions, and awkward multilingual encounters. In rooms of up to 200 people, Haigers stood their ground — sporting the latest blazer fashion — while keeping to the unofficial slogan, “gaslight, gatekeep, girl boss.” They represented countries and characters in topical discussions ranging from the future of artificial intelligence in medicine (World Health Organisation) to the Rome-Carthage rivalry in the Punic Wars (Delenda Est).

SSUNS 2023 was a learning experience ensnared in sporadic meals and frantic Loblaws runs. The real diplomatic challenge was resolving the empty fridge crisis in the hotel room.