What an incredible weekend! It was an amazing, immersive experience at Felsted that was thoroughly enjoyed by every student who attended. From lively debates to secretive note taking, participation was optional but all of us took the opportunity to get involved.

We were split into two countries- Estonia and the Philippines. These were two very different countries, which allowed us to research and consider a range of diverse views. Topics that we discussed ranged from sustainable energy, to the right for all to procreate, to tackling the world’s growing issue with obesity. We then had the opportunity to meet for a two-day conference with over two hundred other students from around the country who share our passion for Politics, to debate these issues.

On the second day we debated an emergency resolution based on a hypothetical event. This gave us a further challenge as we had to research our position in a very short space of time and react to a fast-moving debate. The conference also featured two guest speakers, prominent journalist Thomas Sparrow and Ash Perrin, founder of the “Flying Seagull Project”.

Special mention must go to Mollie McGowan who presented a resolution to the conference. She spoke with great eloquence on the imprisonment of minors and her confident, well-researched proposal was passed with a strong majority. Well done, Mollie!

We highly valued the weekend as it gave us insight into the workings of the United Nations and what can be achieved when there is a willingness to work together and compromise. We’re sure that the skills we developed, such as research and public speaking will be a vital asset in our further education. We would like to take the opportunity to thank Felsted for the invaluable experience and we look forward to taking part in future conferences.