ACMUN

APPLEBY COLLEGE MODEL UNITED NATIONS (ACMUN)

Dear Delegates, Advisors and Honoured Guests,

Welcome to ACMUN XX, the 20th iteration of Appleby College's annual Model United Nations conference. My name is David Zhao, and I'm honored to serve as the Secretary General this year.

Firstly, I want to thank all the members of the ACMUN Planning Team who devoted months of their time in making this conference happen. I also want to thank our chairs, co-chairs, and all of our volunteers who came together with the shared vision of making our world a better place, one small step at a time. Finally, I'd like to thank the delegates and their faculty advisors for attending our conference and making this vision of ours a reality. I thank you all.

I want to tell you a story.

I was born in Beijing, China. I lived under a political system very different from the one here in Canada. I was taught that the communist way was the only way, and believing in anything different was equivalent to betraying my country. Thus, I never really cared about global issues, politics, or anything that happened outside of China, because I knew that my government would take care of it all.

That all changed when I immigrated to Canada in grade three. I gained access to so much information about the world that I was previously denied. I learned that true democracy was not the one praised in China. I learned that going against the government was not only allowed, but encouraged. I learned that there's a whole world out there struggling with conflict, inequality, and poverty. I have always had a strong sense of justice, that evil should be punished and good will always triumph. For that reason, when I saw all the injustices happening around the world, I could not comprehend how people could stand by and not help. I started paying attention to the news, researching different social issues, conflicts, and movements, doing everything I can to help resolve the issues I care so much about. Despite this, I was still a child. I had very limited access to impactful opportunities, and I was often dismissed for having "foolish dreams", as my former English teacher would put it. In my search for knowledge, I felt isolated, that no one else cares about these issues the way I do. That all changed when I joined the MUN club in the first year of high school. At first, I hated debating in front of a large audience. I often found myself tongue-tied and embarrassed. However, as I practiced speaking both on stage and in the mirror at home, my skills gradually improved. In two years, I transformed from a shy, introverted kid to the confident young adult I am today, all thanks to Model UN.

I wanted to share my story because it reflects the theme of ACMUN XX: Break Barriers, Build Brilliance. By stepping out of my comfort zone, I was able to break my limits and become a more mature individual. I was lucky to have a community that supports me, and the resources to pursue my interests. However, there are so many in the world that lack this privilege. Only through collaboration, friendship, and mutual understanding between peoples can humanity break the barriers of poverty, conflict, and corruption. In doing so, we will be able to build a better future for all of us.

Indeed, cooperation, peace, and dialogue between the world's nations is precisely the goal of the United Nations and Model UN. ACMUN is no exception. It is my sincerest wish that this conference can serve as a conduit for peace, learning, and communication for our generation, a vanguard in breaking the barriers that bind us from realizing our dreams, and a beacon in the darkness of a discordant world.

We'll see you on April 12th!

Sincerely,

David Zhao

Secretary General of ACMUN XX

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CONFERENCE SCHEDULE FOR APRIL 12, 2025.