Learning Diplomacy Through Debate: Journey in Model United Nations

For the last five years, I’ve been part of a unique program called the League of Creative Minds, a Stanford-based academic program that trains students in international diplomacy, ethics, and leadership through Model United Nations (MUN). It’s more than debate — it’s about global thinking, strategy, and collaboration.

Through the League, I’ve participated in high school and middle school programs, attended weekly sessions during the academic year, and traveled across the country for MUN conferences — including at Harvard, Stanford, Georgetown, and MIT.

A Moment That Stuck With Me

One of my most memorable MUN experiences was representing Sudan on a committee addressing the use of torture. To make progress, I had to:

• Understand each country’s political motivations

• Build a coalition across eight nations that shared opposition to extrajudicial prisons

• Lead negotiations to draft a joint resolution

We made progress until we hit a wall with the delegate from “Australia,” who objected to international prison inspections. It was a make-or-break moment for the bill. I stepped aside with that delegate to listen, understand their concerns, and craft a Security Council compromise that preserved sovereignty while satisfying the coalition. It worked and the bill passed.

What I Learned

That experience taught me a lot about:

• 💬 Empathy in negotiation hearing not just the words, but the concerns behind them

• 🤝 Team-based problem solving  building coalitions through trust and tradeoffs

• 🌐 Systems-level thinking  how policy, ethics, and power intersect

It also made me realize something big: I get more energy from building and winning with a team than from any individual win. Whether it’s MUN, robotics, or a research project, I thrive when I’m working with others to tackle complex challenges.

Being part of League of Creative Minds has helped me grow into a sharper thinker, a better listener, and someone who can take on global-scale challenges, even while still in high school.