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16 May, 2026
Local high schools to model democracy in action
The annual Southern Highlands Model United Nations (MUNA), hosted by Moss Vale Rotary Club, is on again on Saturday May 30 at the Wingecarribee Shire Council Civic Centre.
The annual Southern Highlands Model United Nations (MUNA), hosted by Moss Vale Rotary Club, is on again on Saturday May 30 at the Wingecarribee Shire Council Civic Centre.
Local high schools are traditionally included in the event, which has been running for over a decade since 2015.
The local high schools competing this year will represent countries around the world that are part of the United Nations General Assembly.
The countries and schools chosen for 2026 are as follows:
- Bowral High School (2 teams) = Canada & Brazil;
- Chevalier College (2 teams) = Czechia & Australia;
- Southern Highlands Christian School (1 team) = China;
- Oxley College (2 teams) = Lebanon & Saudi Arabia;
- St Paul’s International College (1 team) = France; and for the first time this year, (due to Frensham not taking part) -
- Moss Vale High School (3 teams) = Russian Federation, United Kingdom & Egypt.
The schools (and ‘countries’) will debate actual real-world draft resolutions that the UN spoke about and voted on, with eight topics chosen this year.
The eight topics chosen to debate will be:
1. Combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism, and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance;
2. Use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights;
3. Promotion of a democratic and equitable international order;
4. Human rights and unilateral coercive measures;
5. Eradicating rural poverty to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
6. No first placement of weapons in outer space;
7. Promotion of inclusive and effective international tax cooperation at the United Nations; and finally
8. Promotion of equitable geographical distribution in the membership of the human rights treaty bodies.
During the real General Assembly meeting, Australia, Canada, Czechia, France, and the United Kingdom voted no to all eight resolutions, whereas Brazil, China, Egypt, Lebanon, the Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia all voted yes.
Judges for the event will be former Southern Highlands Christian School student Georgia Smith, Judy Ford (Rotary District Governor Elect), and Jordan Fallon, President of the Canberra Sundowners Rotary Club.
Georgia Smith is currently an editorial staff member at the East Asia Forum, and has collaborated with students, academics and practitioners from across the world to facilitate the publication of leading analysis on policy, economics and society in the Asia-Pacific.
She is also the National Partnerships Director at the Asia-Australia Youth Association, an international organisation with six chapters at Australian universities.
At a tertiary level, she has completed an undergraduate double degree in Asian Studies and International Relations as well as a Masters of International Relations at the Australian National University.
In addition, she has studied at Yonsei University, Seoul National University, Sogang University and interned with the Embassy of Nepal. Outside of university, she has published peer-reviewed articles with the East Asia Forum and the Princeton Journal of East Asian Studies.
“Participation in the Model United Nations provides students with valuable opportunities to develop confidence, leadership and public speaking skills,” organiser Rob Uhl from Moss Vale Rotary told The Southern Wire.
“It also encourages a deeper understanding of world affairs and the complex factors that influence a nation’s decisions. Through the debates, students come to appreciate how geography, economics, health, science, culture and religion all play a role in shaping a country’s policies and its place in the global community.”
The ‘Secretary General’ for the event is former Southern Highlands Christian School student Joseph Brake who will again fill the role after a good effort in 2025.
Mr. Brake is studying a Bachelor of Laws and Liberal Arts at the University of Wollongong.
He is a Ramsay Scholar, a Mitsui Scholar, and an Australian Government New Colombo Plan Scholar for South Korea, where he will study law at Seoul National University later this year.
He has published peer-reviewed articles with the East Asia Forum, was named an Australian Financial Review Top100 Future Leader for 2025 and is the founder and current president of the Asia-Australia Youth Association, an international organisation with chapters at 6 Australian universities.
After the local MUNA competition at Moss Vale, the local winner of the debates will then head to the National MUNA held at Old Parliament House in Canberra from August 21 to 23.
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