On Saturday, Oct. 25, the Model United Nations (UN) club hosted its second Panther Model United Nations (PMUN) Conference, staying true to its theme: growth and diplomacy.

“The main goals for this year’s conference was to one, think bigger and to expand on last year, the first annual PMUN conference, and we did so by tripling the amount of delegates and advisors and staff on campus today,” senior and Under-Secretary-General of Finance and Logistics Anya Malhotra said. “The second goal was to also provide students interested in policy with a forum to be able to debate and hear other sides of the story.”

The event’s success was a result of strategic planning to ensure every aspect of the conference would go smoothly. Senior and Secretary-General Shai Ring oversaw and worked with other secretaries and staffers to organize the conference logistics. This included coordinating roles, designating tasks, and advertising the conference on social media.

“We all sort of launched the conference into the world and just pushed it out as much as possible, try to get as many registrations as possible,” Ring said. “In that, we were able to sort of prepare as we go, as we get more delegates, we create more roles and adapt the conference to the needs of the delegates.”

After months of preparation, the conference welcomed nearly 140 delegates from schools across the Bay Area, including Lowell High School and St. Ignatius College Preparatory School. All students were part of one of three committees: United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA); and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Across the committees, students collaborated on a variety of issues, including space sustainability and life on Mars.

“I’ve seen so many delegates being so kind and collaborative, and innovative,” Ring said.

Many students who attended, including sophomore Isha Chitteti, were beginners with no prior experience in Model UN conferences.

“I really enjoy talking to other people, having a role in all these discussions, and being able to share my input since I find public speaking really fun to do, especially in a group,” Chitteti said. “The fact that it was set to be beginning friendly, which it is, I thought it would be a good starter before I start going to larger conferences.”

Malhotra said attending conferences like PMUN is beneficial for developing learning and leadership skills.

“From attending this conference here at BHS, students will leave with valuable skills such as being able to negotiate, debate, and draft resolutions for policies that actually exist in today’s current global climate,” Malhotra said.

Although some may feel nervous about speaking in front of a large crowd, club president and senior Lyra Sheng said that shouldn’t discourage someone from joining Model UN.

“Look, everyone’s nervous when they start out, and even when I sound cheerful and confident, every single time I step up to that stage, my heart feels like it’s about to drop out of my chest. It’s okay to be nervous. Embrace that nervousness, turn it into energy. Turn it into what makes you unique. Because you can transfer that nervous energy and all that adrenaline into something that makes you special, that makes you stand out,” Sheng said.

Ring said PMUN was an opportunity to raise awareness about Burlingame’s collaborative environment.

“I definitely think this will have a huge impact on both BHS students and other students,” Ring said. “Just in that we’re increasing the awareness of Burlingame, we’re increasing the validity of our club, and we’re showing that we’re here to make a stand and we’re here to deliver an amazing educational experience for everyone.”

For Malhotra, Model UN is a valuable space that encourages delegates to navigate differences in opinions.

“There will always be people around you who don’t agree with the things that you have to say and the values that you hold true to yourself, and you need to be able to work with these people, to work on projects with these people, and build meaningful relationships, relationships with these people that may disagree with you, and Model UN teaches you how to do so, while also maintaining your own values,” Malhotra said.

Ring applauds his fellow secretaries, staffers, and chairs who worked diligently to make this conference successful, thanks to their collaboration and organizational skills.

“That really reflects very well back on Burlingame as a school for providing this amazing conference, as well as all our teachers and staff who’ve helped us,” Ring said. “In terms of the other schools, I really hope that they come away from this knowing that Burlingame is really about creating great educational experiences for everyone.”