Youth Talk: Journey to the Middle East

Laurel Anderson

You might find it hard to get off a plane, eat breakfast and start sightseeing after a sleepless eight hour overnight flight, but then again, you probably did not just arrive in Doha, Qatar. Even as I rode to the hotel at 5am, the beauty of the mosques could easily be seen. The Middle Eastern breakfast buffet helped wake me up in time for a walk around the Souq Waqif, a beautiful market place where I had fun spending my Qatari Riyal on souvenirs for my family.

My purpose in Doha was not to shop and eat delicious food, but to participate in THIMUN’s first conference in Qatar. THIMUN is one of the most prestigious Model United Nations (MUN) conference in the world, and to participate in one of these conferences had been a dream of mine since I started MUN. Eight students from Hangzhou International School and Shanghai Community International School had come to participate. We were to represent the country of New Zealand and pass resolutions to pave the way for solving world issues. In my forum, the Environmental Commission, other students and I worked to find a way to strengthen laws against harming the environment. Even though my resolution will not really take effect, I was able to learn what I can do in the future to help save the environment and that my generation really holds the key to what happens to the environment.

As I rode through Khor Al Udeid, a place where the desert met the beach and Saudi Arabia could easily be seen, I realised that there wasn’t a better place than Doha for a MUN conference. The city was bursting with culture and beauty, while also emerging as an international hub. I am extremely lucky I was able to attend a THIMUN conference and also see the beautiful city of Doha.