Dabbling in diplomacy

~ Local students learn about the United Nations in annual simulation.

At 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 10, Germany, Algeria and North Korea declared war on Poland and Qatar.

Around that same time, North Korea dropped nuclear bombs on both opposing countries.

In a small room on the fourth floor of the University Center at Southeast Missouri State University, Chris Beardslee explained the situation to a group of high school students.

"Your job is to fix this problem. Your job is to get the violence to stop," said Beardslee.

Just minutes before, the students had celebrated the permanent designation of Tanzania to the United Nations security council -- the first African country to receive that designation.

Brandon Crail of Festus, Mo., took a break at the Model United Nations Conference where he portrayed a delegate from Iran.

Now they faced a war that revolved around money.

In Model United Nations, the situation is known as "the crisis." There's one each year at the event, which brings together 350 students from regional high schools in a simulation of how the United Nations works.

Now in its 14th year at Southeast, Model UN divides students into delegates from all the countries involved in the real United Nations and requires students to research their designated country beforehand.

Some of the students make flags from their country, dress in costumes and also write essays that are all judged as part of the one-day event.

"It gives an overview of world events and teaching them about diplomacy," said Beardslee, who coordinates the program at Southeast and also served as chair of the security council this year. "We encourage them to learn about the culture of their country too."

Beardslee is part of the college-level Model UN and will attend a midwest-level conference in St. Louis and a national conference in New York later this year.

At the high school level, there are guidelines that must be followed just like at the real United Nations. Countries that don't possess nuclear weapons in real life aren't allowed to "pretend" to bomb other countries in the simulation.

The delegates divide up into several committees other than the security council, discussing issues such as humanitarian efforts.

Traci Jackson, a senior at Sikeston High School, served her first year as a delegate of Japan, wearing a kimono her grandfather brought back from overseas after World War II.

Playing her role, Jackson decided Japan would stay out of the war declared by Germany, Algeria and North Korea against Poland and Qatar.

While the arguments against the bombings grew strong in the security council meeting, Jackson said the whole simulation was really enlightening.

"I think it's just fun to get to decide resolutions," she said. "And it's a day off school."

cmiller@semissourian.com

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