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VMUN Award Winners
Anastasiia S. was named an outstanding delegate and two other Shawnigan students received honourable mentions as the School sent a significant contingent to the Vancouver Model United Nations last weekend.
Twenty-seven students represented Shawnigan at VMUN 2024, joining their peers from around the world at the 23rd annual session of the largest MUN conference in North America organized by high school students.
Anastasiia’s award came in the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, where she presented on the topic of refugees’ rights in host countries, representing her own home country of Ukraine.
“VMUN was an excellent experience because I met many new people I am still keeping in touch with,” Anastasiia said. “My committee consisted of approximately 160 delegates, so I did not expect any award from the first day, and was not trying to get it. Instead, I decided to have fun and step out of my comfort zone by delivering unprepared speeches in front of the audience. One of my topics was "Rights for refugees,” so I had a very clear position and was genuinely passionate about it. For this reason, people from the first day saw me as a leader, and I gathered the biggest bloc, which other delegates kept calling a Ukrainian bloc.
“It was a wonderful experience that gave me a great lesson: ‘Do what you love, and then you will be rewarded.’ I enjoyed the session and cannot wait for another opportunity.”
Jarvis L. and Ivana W. also received honourable mentions for their work at VMUN 2024.
Former BC Premier Christy Clark was the keynote speaker at the event’s opening ceremony. The Shawnigan students also received a tour of the council chamber at Vancouver City Hall from alum Cassia Nasralla ’17, who now works for Vancouver city council.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
