Nithiya Nathan stood bewildered outside the classroom serving her suspension for a few minutes. As one of the delegates of the two-day model United National summit at Chettinad Vidyashram that got under way here on Saturday, she looked tense. “I did not know we are supposed to use only ‘African-American', but it was a learning experience,” said the student of British International School, who was suspended for using the word ‘black'.

A few feet away, another delegate waited to return to the discussion after she was suspended for using the word ‘underdeveloped' in her speech. It was a competition where one had to mind their P's and Q's, where they had to refrain from use of personal pronouns and where Western business attire was the order of the day, among other rules.

Over 70 students with strong opinions on various global issues battled it out at the model United Nations summit, organised by Chettinad Vidyashram and Indian Federation of United Nations Association (IFUNA). The inter-school event had teams from six schools. The latest happenings in environment, human rights and the General Assembly, concerning individual countries dominated the deliberations. In the four classrooms, giving the 18 delegates, each representing a member nation, sound bytes, correcting in case of a wrong datum and ensuring against heated debates, was an informed panel of students.

Amid the questions and answers, a ‘World Press Reporter' was assigned the task of taking down all important deliberations and the administration staff charge of the stationery, food and water requirements of the delegates. The academic simulation of the UN would get more exiting the second day.

Chief Guest and Acting Consul General, US Consulate in Chennai, Bryan Dalton said the United Nations was unique in its ability to address certain problems. Through the model UN summit, you are literally putting yourself in someone else's shoes and this will serve as a learning experience on the functioning of the UN, he said.

V. Narayanan, Secretary General, Indian Federation of United Nations Association, said that as peace is one of the guiding principles of the UN, it has to be instilled in the minds of young people as they become future leaders to change the world.

Chettinad Vidyashram founder Meena Muthiah and Principal S. Amudha Lakshmi said the model summit is an opportunity to educate participants about current affairs, hone thier communication skills, globalisation, and explore new and profound relations.

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