S20 Summit at SHSID

The S20 Summit officially commenced on the morning of September 16th, welcoming more than100participants fromfourteeninternational schools across Shanghai to SHSID campus.

The two-day summit is thefirstModel United Nations event hosted by SHSID’s International Affairs Association, organised by students spanning across all four years of high school. Delegates, staff and sponsors arrived on the second day of their Mid-Autumn holidays amidst a heavy downpour, highly committed to the endeavour and enthused by the debates that awaited.

Modeled after theG20 Summit, S20 (Shanghai 20) aims to devise solutions for local and regional problems through dialogues amongst the young generation of Shanghai residents. Their debates span across topics such as epidemics prevention, sustainable infrastructural development, teenage substance abuse, regional insurgencies and terrorism, as well as international curricula development in Shanghai.

During the Opening Ceremony, Mr. Ma Feng, SHSID High School Principal, delivered a welcome speech to all. Members of the S20 Secretariat also extended their gratitudes toward the host, the sponsor, and many people for making the conference happen. In the end, the Secretariat expressed their excitement to bring the challenging,solution-oriented MUN debating formatto the students of Shanghai.

S20 Summit advanced into its second leg on September 17th, as debates gained increasing momentum in the morning and anticipation for the awards ceremony built up toward the afternoon.

After three hours’ of vigorous negotiations and carefully-crafted presentations, the five committees finally arrived at voting procedures. Delegates from each committee democratically decided upon one Draft Resolution that they believe best represents their stances and possesses the mosttangibility,specificity, andregional accuracy.

A policy unique to the S20 Summit, not only are Draft Resolutions presented in front of their respective committees, the resolution with the most votes in each committee is selected for presentation before the entire Summit in an afternoonPresentation Forum.

"This provides an interesting educational experience that enables delegates to go home with not only experiences gained from their own committees, but also knowledge across all five topics discussed in separate committee rooms," saysUnder-Secretary-General Chloe Tan.

The S20 Summit would not have been a success without the participation and support ofdelegates,staff,the SHSID administration, andsponsors.Our sincerest gratitude to all who made S20 possible, congratulations to all award-winning delegates, and it is our utmost pleasure to announce the 2016 S20 Summit adjourned.

Reprinted from SHSIDIAA