Royal High Sixth Formers shine at Bath International Schools' Model United Nations

Royal High School Sixth Form recently joined schools from across Bath for the annual Bath International Schools’ Model United Nations (BISMUN), a prestigious event hosted by Kingswood School. Over the course of an action-packed weekend, more than 400 students from the UK—and even as far as Mexico—came together to engage in high-level debates and diplomacy.

Fourteen of our students proudly represented the delegations of Malaysia, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. Throughout the conference, they debated pressing global issues, including biodiversity, women’s rights, and international political conflicts, showcasing their depth of knowledge and commitment to global affairs.

In the lead-up to the event, our students dedicated themselves to learning the formal rules of MUN debating, meticulously researching their delegations’ positions, and drafting resolutions aimed at tackling real-world challenges. The conference itself was a dynamic experience, as participants followed official UN procedures—debating resolutions, proposing amendments, and voting on key issues. A highlight of the weekend was the emergency scenarios, where delegates had to think quickly and craft rapid-response solutions to unexpected global crises.

Beyond the debates, BISMUN provided our students with invaluable experiences that extended far beyond the conference room. They honed essential skills such as collaboration, leadership, negotiation, and persuasive advocacy—tools that will serve them well in both academic and professional settings.

We are incredibly proud of our students for their dedication, diplomacy, and ability to engage with some of the world’s most pressing concerns. The Royal High delegation left BISMUN not only with a greater understanding of international relations but also with newfound confidence and friendships that will last a lifetime.

What our students said:

“My experience on Model UN was incredibly enjoyable. I represented Zimbabwe on the Environment Committee and the problem I was discussing was biodiversity. Friday began with lobbying where I worked to gather signatures from delegates from other countries, fortunately my resolution gained enough signatures and was passed through to debate. On Saturday I had to deliver speech outlining the issue and the proposed solution as said in my resolution. My resolution was then debated, and amendments were suggested with 3 out of 6 being passed. My resolution, with the amendments, was then voted on and passed. Yay! On Saturday two other resolutions were debated on and both passed. The best part on Saturday in my opinion was the joke resolutions where we debated on should fake tan be banned (I disagreed with this), should North Africa become a state of Jaffa cakes, and if the USA should become a waste haven with current American politicians. On Sunday, the remaining resolution was debated and passed as well as the gossip box being read out. We were then given emergency situations to draft amendments for and then debate within our committees. The final session involved a large-scale debate in General Assembly with all committees, on an emergency crisis involving the Panama Canal. The event concluded with an awards ceremony where I was honoured to receive a commendation. Overall model United Nations was an extremely positive experience that I would recommend to anyone.” Jess

“MUN gave me a chance to experience what UN would be like whilst learning lots of skills in public speaking and debate. As well as this it was a chance to meet new people and have a bit of fun getting to know them!” Molly

“This weekend at Model United Nations was truly enlightening. I gained loads of knowledge about global politics and how international affairs are managed. It was an amazing opportunity to meet new people, engage in thoughtful discussions, and have tons of fun while learning about the world and what’s happening.” Immy.

“BISMUN, was a really exciting 3 day event taking place at Kingswood. Representing Zimbabwe on the humans right committee was a great opportunity to debate issues affecting the international community:  Democratic Rights, The Rights of Women, and LGBTQ+ rights. As a committee we successfully passed 4 resolutions to improve these areas. Representing Zimbabwe allowed me to learn more about different political systems, global alliances, and their position on these key issues. Throughout the conference I learnt more about how the United Nations operates and sharing my own idea.” Jemima