The Evatt Competition, run by UN Youth Australia, is Australia’s largest Model UN competition, and the foundation upon which all Australian Model UN competitions are held. The competition re-enacts the real united nations, with students being designated nations to represent and bargain on the behalf of. This is not debating or public speaking, it isn’t about who can ‘win’, it’s about who can negotiate the best. The Evatt competition is named after Australian Herbert Evatt, who was one of the chief architects of the real United Nations. Each participant had a partner, of which mine wasn’t from Salesian, and over the course of 5 hours various topics were debated and voted upon. I was proud to represent the UAE, a country I was assigned and was told to research on. Over these 5 hours a process was repeated of a resolution being revealed, speeches being made, amendments being debated and negotiated, and then votes going through. The Evatt Competition is not a competition of who can shout over others, it is a chance to be eloquent and persuasive, and fight for basic principles and rights. An opportunity to exercise diplomatic prowess and lateral thinking skills. I’ve made some incredibly smart and conscientious friends as a result of the event, and it was a true privilege to attend.
Many thanks to Ms O’Shea, Public Speaking & Debating Coordinator for fostering a love of Public Speaking and leadership within the College, and a thanks to UN Youth Australia for coordinating the event.
Thomas M
Year 10
