Story by Dilcia Flores
How do countries navigate our world in the digital age? That was the theme at the 7th annual Capital Model United Nations Conference (CAPITALMUN), held on the Campus of Washington Adventist University on March 30-31, 2025. Students from public and private high schools from Maryland (Takoma Academy, Spencerville Adventist Academy, Highland View Academy, Montgomery Blair High School), Virginia (Shenandoah Valley Academy), Pennsylvania (Pine Forge Academy), and North Carolina (Fletcher Academy) debated a range of global issues during the 2-day conference.
Model United Nations (MUN) is an experiential learning simulation of the activities of the United Nations and its various committees. While the participating high school students act as delegates from different countries and fulfill their duties in that role, students from the WAU Honors College acted as the chairs of the committee and organized the entire event. Shea Standish (‘25), a political studies and honors interdisciplinary major, served as Secretary General of the conference and Daniela Cruz (‘26) and Dilcia Flores (‘27), served as Deputy Secretary Generals.
“This year we expanded the conference to two days, rather than the traditional one day event we’ve had in the past,” said Dr. Jonathan Scriven, a professor of International Relations serves as the faculty sponsor for CAPITALMUN. “From the start we could see how adding time for lobbying and debate enhanced the overall experience for the students. Just having a bit more time led to more thoughtful debate and negotiations. It was exciting to see how much that improved the quality of those debates.”
Various themes and issues were discussed that are relevant to the real United Nations. The Human Rights Commission (HRC) committee covered topics such as the protection of indigenous peoples rights, the preservation of religious freedom and expression, and ways that countries can combat the use of social media in human trafficking. The Economic and Social Committee (ECOSOC) discussed questions regarding promoting humanitarian aid, gender equality in the workplace, and election integrity. The General Assembly 4 (GA4) considered issues of sovereign borders, regulating Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS), and Taiwan.
“I really liked the topics,” said Asher LeVos, a senior at Highland View Academy. “Because I was representing the Russian Federation I had some positions that were quite interesting to debate.”
During the closing ceremony of the conference, delegates were treated to remarks from the Slovakian Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Radovan Javorčík, who spoke about the importance of understanding how to connect with people when engaging in diplomatic talks.
“In the diplomatic field it is important to build relationships,” Ambassador Javorcik said. “Getting to know people from other cultures, people who may not always think like you, is a critical part of the process.”
At the Opening Ceremony, Professor Christopher Banks, who teaches international relations courses at WAU, also stressed the importance of engaging with people on a human level when discussing complex global issues.
Washington Adventist University is the only college or university with a Model United Nations program. In addition to organizing CAPITALMUN, students at WAU participate in national MUN conferences in DC, including the National Model United Nations conference (NMUN) and most recently the ILO-MUN conference that was held at the U.S. State Department.
Washington Adventist University is proud to provide students with hands-on, globally focused learning experiences like Model United Nations. If you are passionate about leadership, international relations, or making a difference in the world, WAU offers the ideal environment to grow and thrive. Learn more and apply today at www.wau.edu.