Advisory Panel Question
President
Jaida Dean
My name is Jaida Dean and I am a current senior at Hsinchu International School. It is an absolute honor for me to serve as your President for Advisory Panel at this year’s TAIMUN XXI!
I started my MUN career in the 7th grade in hopes of improving my public speaking as well as debate skills. Needless to say, after just one conference, I realized that I had been completely mistaken about what the purpose of MUN was. MUN is not a one-time conference where you debate world issues and create comprehensive resolutions. In fact, MUN is a chance for you to make an impact in our current world, for you to help broaden your knowledge of the world, and for you to become problem solvers and critical thinkers. I have attended 24 conferences in my six years of MUN. Through these conferences, I have been able to meet some of the brightest, most engaged people, exercise my public speaking skills as well as stay informed on pressing world issues. As a first-time delegate, I was shy to speak and ended my first conference with a total of 2 speaker points. My advice for new delegates is don’t give up. MUN might seem intimidating and you might feel like it’s not for you, but after attending a few conferences, you’ll begin to become more confident and enjoy the experience a lot more. For more experienced delegates, there’s no such thing as too much research. Always come prepared and bring new ideas and solutions to the discussion! With that being said, I genuinely hope to create a memorable conference this year, and I look forward to seeing delegates actively participating in the conference to create a better world for future generations. See you at TAIMUN XXI!
Greetings, delegates! I’m Celine Shih, a sophomore at American School in Taichung. It is an honor to be serving as your deputy president for APQ. TAIMUN XXI would be my first conference as a student officer and my 6th in total.
I attended my first conference back when I was an unconfident 8th grader lacking social and speaking skills, a scared turtle unwilling to come out of its shell during the debates or reaching out to meet new people. Back then, the only time I went up to the podium was when I delivered my opening speech. However, through attending more conferences and experiencing different perspectives as a global citizen, I slowly came out of my comfort zone. I’ve gained self confidence, the courage to communicate well in front of others, and problem solving abilities. Furthermore, I’ve come to see MUN as something enjoyable if we take the time to understand the issues, contribute to discussions and be active listeners and communicators during debates.
For new delegates, I encourage you to speak up and ask questions, but do not feel pressured to speak a lot during your first conference! Instead, like my MUN advisor said, be a sponge and absorb all the information. Through listening, you could also gain valuable knowledge that will help you in the future. As your deputy president, I would always try my best to support and advise all of you during the conference. Aside from MUN, I love to watch anime, play volleyball, and read during my free time. I’m excited to meet all of you in April and feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
Deputy President
Celine Shih
