Tag: mun

Peacebuilding via MUN: Fifth DfP Delegation to the UN in Vienna

August 20, 2026

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

DfP Students from 10 cities Participate in YMUNE in Geneva, Visit UNESCO

March 21, 2025

The 2025 Debate for Peace delegation to Yale MUN Europe brought thirteen students from ten cities around Israel, as well as Azerbaijan and Kosovo for three days of international level Model UN competition, as well as several meetings to learn more about peacebuilding, education and diplomacy. This year’s YMUNE conference, held in Geneva, Switzerland, one of the centers of global diplomacy, featured ten committees discussing topics ranging from autonomous weapons systems, to space colonization, with students from seventeen countries and four continents collaborating to cocreate innovative responses to pressing global issues.

The Debate for Peace group included students aged 14-18 from Hand in Hand (Jerusalem), Ort Hilmie Shafie (Akko), Studio Ankori (Jaffa), Atid Raziel (Herzliya), Ironi Gimel (Modi’in), Younited (Givat Haviva), Yachad Modi’in, Hadassim (Even Yehuda), Ibn Sina high school, “Thiya” Moscow, and QSI International School of Kosovo (Pristina), from three religious backgrounds, and speaking more than half a dozen languages. Special recognition goes to Jon Hoxha, Yousef Abd El Ghany, Maya Krittenstein, Ari Plosker and Madian Marana for winning awards during the conference, marking one of the most decorated Debate for Peace MUN delegations.

In addition to participating in the conference, the delegation held several meetings, including talking to Mehra Rimer from B8 of Hope, a Swiss non-profit supporting Israeli-Palestinian peace programs, and Ambassador Randolph Debattista, Permanent Representative, and Counsellor Bernard Mifsud, from the Mission of Malta to the UN and International Organizations in Geneva. 

The delegation also had the opportunity to visit the UNESCO liaison office and International Bureau of Education (IBE) archives, and learn about the contributions of UNESCO and the IBE to peace through education worldwide.

Communications Officer Francesca Lualdi from the UNESCO Liaison Office said that she was “inspired by the vision these young individuals have for a world where ‘discrimination’ and ‘conflict’ give way to ‘equality’ and ‘peace,’ and by their unwavering hope to live in a better, more unified world”, and her colleague Sitong Pei added “these enthusiastic and talented students.showed me that with the dedication of the younger generation, peace is still within reach as long as we continue striving for it.”

Henri Bourgoin, who gave the delegation a behind the scenes tour of the IBE archives, explained that “It’s always a beautiful and humbling experience for me to be around the rising generation and to see that the flame of love for knowledge and sharing is always present.”

Svein Oesttveit, Director of the UNESCO-International Bureau of Education, shared that “This visit profoundly inspired me, filling me with hope and ideas about how education can contribute to and even create peaceful conditions, building bridges between those who distrust each other while living in bubbles of isolation, ignorance, and prejudice. This initiative demonstrates that with clear guidance and well-defined pedagogical approaches, individuals can learn to see ‘the other’ in a more positive light. Through constructive communication based on empathy, curiosity, and a willingness to engage, it is indeed possible to transform the negative spiral of mistrust and sometimes hatred into a positive cycle of trust, friendship, and even love. It delivered a compelling message to the world we live in today: We can address some of the most entrenched conflicts peacefully, bringing sustainable hope to future generations.”.

Debate for Peace expresses its gratitude to the YMUNE team for all the hard work in running another incredible multicultural learning experience, to the diplomats and peacebuilders who met with the delegation, and to the members of this year’s delegation for the high-level performance throughout the trip.