On 6 October, Baroness Valerie Amos, Master of University College, visited Wood Farm Primary School in Oxford to observe their Model UN session in which students debated the protection of the world’s oceans.

The Model United Nations group at the school was founded by a group of pupils in Year Six with the help of teacher Nick Stanton, a former UN diplomat. Each week the group meets to research and consider a specific issue, role-playing different members of the UN Security Council. Through dialogue and debate, they aim to achieve agreement on future action.

This term, the group have been considering ways in which to respond to natural disasters, the protection of endangered animals, the organisation of the UN and protecting the oceans.

Mr Stanton, who previously worked for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said “We were thrilled to have Baroness Amos visit our Model UN, which we think might be the newest Model UN in the world! […] Our pupils have connections with countries all over the world. They’re also incredible scholars and diplomats. I’m sure we’ve got some future ambassadors in our classrooms right now.”

Justin, a Year 6 student who represented France in the debate on protecting the oceans, said: “I enjoyed trying to think what France would do to protect the oceans, then listen to other countries and their ideas. I’ve learned lots about the world already and can now debate big problems with other children.”

Lucrecia, who chaired the debate, said, “Baroness Amos was so nice. She told us lots about her work and it was really interesting hearing about all her different jobs. She has done so much. She was such an inspiration and I didn’t even mind missing breaktime!”

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