A couple of weeks ago the Boulder High Model United Nations traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark to compete in the 2019 BIGMUN. BIGMUN is a conference hosted by the Model United Nations (MUN) society of Birkerød, Denmark. This year a total of 33 schools attended with over 500 delegates to represent countries from all over the world. Fifteen different committees and councils, each containing around 27 delegates, were featured in which delegates discussed and debated issues ranging from international security and disarmament to the status of women.

One of the twelve Boulder High students who attended BIGMUN, junior Ellory Boyd, recounts a little bit about the trip. When the team wasn’t busy participating in the conference they had the opportunity to explore many things around the city of Copenhagen including visiting the National Museum, the Royal Danish Library, and the Round Tower. The team even got to enjoy the beauty of the Copenhagen Lights Festival.

As a part of their homestay experience, Ellory’s homestay sister took her and a teammate to a famous amusement park in Denmark, Tivoli Gardens. She describes how, “It was below freezing outside, but that meant there were no lines in the park!”

Before traveling to the BIGMUN, Boulder High students put in lots of time and hard work to prepare. Each student had to write a two to six page position paper (essentially a research paper regarding the topic of the council) from the perspective of the country they would be representing. Many students also put in extra effort in researching their country. Not to mention the fact that the Boulder High MUN team traveled to many MUN conferences in Colorado as practice and preparation in the weeks leading up the the BIGMUN conference.

This preparation clearly paid off as three of the Boulder High delegates, Natalie Dixon, Andy Tomusiak, and Marcus Schaller, won awards in their respective councils.

Upon returning home from the trip Ellory reflects on her experience and some of the big takeaways she has gained. Taking part in a global conference provided the team with a humbling and impressive experience as the entire conference was conducted in English meaning many delegates were speaking their second language! Ellory also details how a global MUN differs from that of an American MUN because debate is more easily fostered amongst peers who have a much broader range of ideas and values.