From February 19-21, 2023, TIMEMUN, Israel’s oldest Model UN conference, celebrated its 23d year with an unforgettable conference. Over 300 top students from Romania, Sweden and the United States, as well as dozens of cities around Israel, joined the conference, which is hosted at the Walworth Barbour American International School (WBAIS). The delegates participated in 14 dynamic committees, with topics ranging from environmental issues and human rights to Star Wars and Harry Potter themed issues. 

At the opening ceremony, US Ambassador H.E. Mr. Thomas Nides went up on stage to be “interviewed” by WBAIS student Ethan Moncarz, along with Eliya Dvornikov from the French Israeli school Mikve Israel, and Nohad Awadieh from the Greek Catholic school in Shefa’amr. The ambassador’s casual approach entertained the students, with him “reversing roles” and interviewing the students at one point.

In addition to grappling with two intense issues, many of the committees were given a surprise crisis on the last day. For some it was a historical issue involving the Cuban missile crisis, while others dealt with a rise in tensions between Iran, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Many other delegates, for example from UNGAs, WHO, Human Rights and UNESCO, joined in a plenary session where they went through each committee’s resolutions and brought them to a vote.

Guest speakers at the conference included the Ambassador of India, H.E. Mr. Sanjeev Singla; Adam Schalimtzek from the Ministry of Environmental Protection; Professor Brandon Friedman from Tel Aviv University, WBAIS teacher Teresa Harings, researcher and filmmaker Yona Abeddour, Corey Gil Shuster from Tel Aviv University, Or Moshe from the British Embassy, and Yaari Cohen from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Or Moshe and Yaari Cohen also participated in a panel for teachers where they discussed how Model UN and diplomacy activities in high school have impacted their careers. Mr. Peter Vig from Malmo, Sweden also led a discussion on the use of education to counter stigmas and prejudices.

At the Global Village on February 20th, over 15 embassies, as well as several NGOs, participated, with stands providing information about the countries, activities and games, and snacks. Among the countries represented at the Global Village: Cyprus, Ecuador, El Salvador, India, Kenya, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uzbekistan.

At the closing ceremony on Tuesday, February 21, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, H.E. Mr. Tor Wennesland, addressed the students. Mr. Wennesland commended the students on their dedication to diplomacy, and advised them on steps they could take to advance in careers in diplomacy and peacebuilding. Finally, students were called up to the stage to win awards for best position papers, best and outstanding delegates, best chairs, and best first time delegate. Two students were also called out as the winners of a sponsored trip to MUNOM, the Model UN conference in Malmo, Sweden, in fall 2023.

Diplomacy.co.il congratulates the delegates, advisors, chairs and secretariat of TIMEMUN 2023 for an unforgettable Model UN conference