MALVERN St James Girls’ School have hosted the Model United Nations Conference for the first time.

The MUN is a UK-wide and international initiative which encourages senior school students to get involved in political debate, replicating the procedure and protocols of the United Nations proper.

Schools from around the region attended including Malvern College, The Kings School Worcester, Hereford Sixth Form College, King Edward VI School, Birmingham, Shrewsbury School, Abingdon School, Wychwood School and St Helen & St Katharine Abingdon.

The 130 delegates discussed topics including how to solve problems like Boko Haram and ISIS for the Security Council; the migration crisis for the Human Rights Committee; organ farms and the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal use for the Health Committee and the economics of organised crime for the Economic and Environment Committee.

Similar conferences happen across the UK each term.

Student delegates formed country delegations with Malvern St James acting as France, Zimbabwe and Nigeria and Malvern College taking the role of New Zealand.

The students used what they knew of the countries' ideological positions to construct their arguments.

Rachel Huntley, a History, Politics and Critical Thinking teacher, said: “We have seen how much students get out of participation in MUN.

"Many say that prior to involvement they were politically disinterested.

"This has been a galvanising extra-curricular option; and along the way it has brought self-confidence and ‘thinking-on-your-feet’ skills.

"These help students when they are interviewing, as well as MUN being seen as a ‘top table’ educational event which is highly regarded by universities and employers.

"I used to have to cajole some of the girls to join, but now word has spread that not only is it a good mental challenge, it’s good fun too.

"Many girls are sad to say goodbye to MUN when they move on to university."

The opening speech was given by guest speaker, Simon Sole, Malvern resident and former government specialist intelligence analyst and founder of Exclusive Analysis, a global firm which forecast world political events for government and commercial clients.

Patricia Woodhouse, headmistress of Malvern St James said: “There is so much media comment about how politically apathetic teenagers are, but Model United Nations shows the flip side of the coin.

"Where students are given the opportunity and encouragement to get involved, many of them do so.

"They understand that they are the future and that they can be agents of change if they choose to be."