Riverview students travel to Rome for Model UN conference

A team of five Riverview High School seniors participated in the 16th annual Rome International Model United Nations from March 25-29.

Traveling to the conference were Naomi Girson, Declan Hawk, Joey Inzinga, Kylie Longstreth and Olivia Wilton.

The conference provided an opportunity for students to visit many historical sites in Italy and to participate in a truly international conference, with students from 11 different countries — Denmark, Germany, India, Italy, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States — on four continents.

Riverview students participated in a true United Nations-style debate, beginning with the opening ceremony, entering into lobbying, to voting within committees, and finally presenting papers and amendments in a collaborative plenary session.

The students worked to propose ideas from the view of the Kingdom of Morocco, their assigned country. During the closing ceremony, the team was recognized with four awards, bringing the total awards for the Model UN team for the 2022-2023 school year to 52.

The students recognized in Rome were:

• Declan Hawk, honorable delegate in General Assembly 5: The Administrative and Budgetary Committee

• Olivia Wilton, honorable delegate in the Advisory Committee for the Universal Access to Energy and Development of Sustainable Energetic Sources

• Naomi Girson, verbal commendation in the Commission on the Status of Women

• Kylie Longstreth, verbal commendation in General Assembly 3: The Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian Committee

The entire Riverview Model UN team was scheduled to participate in its final conference for the year on April 13 at Westminster College.