Combating Global Exploitation: MUN in Action

At UWC Adriatic, the Adriatic Model United Nations (ADMUN) is an immersive experience, part of our co-curricular activities, where students engage in high-level debate and diplomacy. This year’s conference, held on March 28-29, brought together first-year delegates under the guidance of experienced second-year students, who spent months training their peers in the intricacies of global governance— with the guidance and support of our Deputy Head (Academic) Joanne de Koning.

While traditional Model United Nations conferences prioritize structured UN procedures, ADMUN distinguishes itself by focusing discussions around a unifying theme that reflects pressing global issues. As stated in the Opening Speech by Luke Carroll (UWC Adriatic 2023-25):

Our President, Roberto Antonione, encouraged our students to think critically and seek solutions, stating:

“Multilateralism can—and does—work in addressing the complex challenges of our time.”

With this year’s theme, “Combating Global Exploitation”, our students explored various forms of economic, political, and environmental exploitation. Delegates grappled with pressing issues such as the exploitation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (UNSC), human trafficking and terrorist financing in the Sahel Region (CTC), and the ethical dilemmas of legalized prostitution in the Netherlands (ECOSOC).

Each council tackled exploitation from a distinct angle:

UNSC (Security Council): Examined the historical and ongoing exploitation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, emphasizing the role of foreign interests in the nation’s instability.
CTC (Counter-Terrorism Committee): Addressed human trafficking and terrorist financing in the Sahel, a region marked by political unrest and shifting power dynamics.
ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council): Debated the economic and social impact of legalized prostitution in the Netherlands, questioning where empowerment ends and exploitation begins.
UNHRC (Human Rights Council): Focused on the exploitation of workers in Mozambique, urging nations to uphold human rights and labor protections.
UNOOSA (Outer Space Affairs Council): Discussed the ethics of resource extraction in outer space, a novel addition to the ADMUN agenda.

Reflecting on the two-day event, our second-year student Letizia Battaiola reminded delegates of the conference’s deeper purpose during her Closing Speech:

“Despite the shortcomings, both the United Nations and our UWC experience are founded on core values that push us to dream of a better future. The U.N. Charter, born out of the ravages of two global wars, is built on the promise of peace, justice, and respect for human dignity. UWC, born out of the experiences of the Cold War, advocates for international understanding and for the importance of living our values daily. Both set high standards so we don’t just look at problems and shrug. Instead, we treat them as calls to action, reminders that each of us can make a difference—even when the odds seem stacked against us.’”

Read the Closing Speech