Debate for Peace held its fifth annual delegation to the United Nations in Vienna from August 9-16, meeting with over a dozen UN agencies, embassies and missions to the UN, NGOs and more, including participating in a panel at the UN organized by the Women’s Federation for World Peace International (WFWPI).

The delegation was composed of thirteen students from eleven schools around Israel and one in NYC. Together the delegation met with diplomats and experts from the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine; UNHCR; UNODA; CTBTO; the Austrian Ministry of European and International Affairs, and the Irish, Spanish, EU and US Missions to the UN and international organizations in Vienna, as well as with the NGOs and thinktanks: WFWPI; IAYSP (Youth and Students for Peace) and IIP (International Institute for Peace). The meetings as a whole provided an opportunity for Model UN and diplomacy students to get first hand perspectives from those involved in multilateral diplomacy in a range of fields. 

The highlight of the trip was a panel at the UN titled “Grassroots Peacebuilding via Model UN”, focusing on the intersection of SDGs 4 and 16, which gave students a platform to share their own experiences building bridges via Model UN. The event was organized by the WFWPI and supported by UNODC and the missions of Mexico and the Philippines. Ambassador Zabalgoitia from the Mission of Mexico, Ms. Migano from the Mission of the Philippines, and Suhaas Savio Ema, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer at UNODC, each gave their opening remarks, highlighting the importance of the UN forum being a space to engage youth as well.

Next four students: Rula Esiad (Terra Santa school in Akko), Sameer Khatib (Shefa-Amr comprehensive C), Yan Kurenyov (Shimon Peres HS in Tel Aviv) and Naama Perlstein (Golden Education Template in Ma’alé Zevia) were called up to speak on a panel moderated by Lauren Donath. The students discussed how they had benefitted from Model UN, described its impact on their friends and family, gave tips for future participation, and addressed a range of questions from the audience. 

Following the meetings at the UN, the group visited Schonbrunn Palace and Zoo, as well as Mythos Motzart, Sisi’s Amazing Journey and Time Travel Vienna, climbed 434 steps to the top of St. Stephan’s Church, and learned about the EU at Europe House among other attractions. They concluded the trip with an evening at the Praterpark.

Josh Kugelman fromYachad Modi’in shared that: “meeting with diplomats across Vienna proved that solving global challenges isn’t about winning an argument, but about finding common ground to move the world forward.”

Raghad Shalata from Jamal Tarabieh school said: “from my perspective this was a perfect experience to try something unique like going to the UN and meet diplomats and having conversations about sensitive and complex topics”.

According to Meeran Abu Janeb, the trip taught “opened my mind about things; diplomacy has taught me that peace isn’t about agreeing on everything it’s about listening and understanding differences and finding a way to make the world a better place.”

Liron Margalit from Katzir school in Rehovot said that her experiences taught her “the behind the scenes work of being a diplomat and the hard work that goes into the job,” as well as how to “share an opinion while also being able to listen to the other side.”

Lauren Donath added” “It was such a pleasure to be surrounded by teens like myself who, despite coming from very different backgrounds, looked forward to coming to the table to create discourse on current issues in our world. Despite the differing backgrounds, everyone wanted to create peace with one another, which is a beautiful thing that we take for granted in this day and age.”

Sameer Khatib from Shefa’Amr Comprehensive C school noted that “this delegation gave me the opportunity to see diplomacy beyond MUN and to learn directly from diplomats and people working in international organizations. It showed me that diplomacy is not only about politics and negotiations, but also about listening, understanding different perspectives, and building connections between people. It was an experience that I will carry with me as I continue my journey in MUN.”

Debate for Peace thanks all of the diplomats, civil society leaders, and others who made time to meet with the students during the delegation, and in particular to the Women’s Federation for World Peace International Debate for Peace thanks all of the diplomats, civil society leaders, and others who made time to meet with the students during the delegation, and in particular to the Women’s Federation for World Peace International