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BRIDGETOWN, 19 January 2026: The 13th annual Model United Nations (MUN) Assembly got underway at UN House in Barbados over the weekend, with over 40 secondary school students from across the island set to be immersed in the world of international relations,  global affairs, negotiations, and policy making over the next six weeks. Organized by the Rotary Clubs of Barbados, Barbados West and Barbados South, the theme for this year is World Trade, and will feature a World Trade Organization  Model United Nations (WTO MUN). In the coming weeks,  students will assume the role of diplomats, represent various nations, and address  some of the most pressing trade issues impacting countries, including small island developing states. A team of highly qualified international professionals and career diplomats will support them, through intensive training and mentorship.  UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Simon Springett, welcomed the students to UN House during the Official Launch ceremony, urging them to embrace the experience as a global leadership platform, rather than simply as an academic exercise.“With this assembly focusing on the WTO, you are stepping into one of the most dynamic areas of international cooperation. Trade is not just about economics  - it is about fairness , opportunity and building bridges  between nations. It is about ensuring that no country, no community, and no individual is left behind. The work you do over the course of the next weeks, and conversations you have, will mirror the realities faced by leaders around the world - including your own Prime Minister  - reconciling diverse perspectives, seeking compromise and finding creative solutions,” he said. Also addressing the launch was Rotary District Governor, Soraya Warner-Gustave, who welcomed the ongoing partnership between Rotary Barbados and the UN. She told the gathering:  “A Model UN represents for me a powerful partnership between education and service – one that aligns closely with the mission of Rotary International, which is to develop ethical leaders and engaged global citizens.”To student delegates, she reminded that this year’s focus will place them at the heart of how a nation shapes trade and development,  and urged  them to practice ethical leadership - by  balancing economic growth with social responsibility – to ensure that decisions benefitted people and communities, not just markets.“I encourage you to see your Model UN experience not as an end, but a beginning. So, engage critically, debate responsibly, collaborate intentionally and as you negotiate trade rules, remember that when young leaders commit to ethical cooperation and fair trade, they help to shape a more stable and inclusive  and prosperous world,” she added.  Barbados’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Ambassador Matthew Wilson, was the Featured Speaker for the first training session. Reflecting on his career of  over 20 years in trade and development nationally and globally, Ambassador Wilson underscored the importance of always being prepared, finding your passion and not being afraid to fail. He also encouraged students to speak up, and to push past their personal fears and the opinions of others. “My biggest message for  you this morning is over these next  couple of weeks when you are here  - I want all of you to have a voice and to use it, to have a perspective, an opinion, and to have a view. Standing on the fence is not necessarily a view. Feel comfortable and confident to have an opinion, to have supporting evidence for that opinion, and to be passionate about that opinion. But, more importantly, be brave enough to change that opinion if you have evidence to the contrary.” With career aspirations that ranged from finance to nursing, law, architecture  and international relations, among other areas, students were keen to roll up their sleeves and get to work. They welcomed the opportunity to improve their public speaking skills, to learn how to  listen, disagree respectfully, and learn from each other.Tej Thomson, a student at The Codrington School, who received positive feedback about the programme from past participants, said he was keen to develop his diplomatic skills and gain insight into international trade. “I want to go into a career in finance, so I am very intrigued about how trade impacts the financial  situation of a country. That is my main interest and I expect this to be a little difficult at times, but I expect it to be overall fun and informative,” he said.For Tia Frew, a student at  The Lodge School and an aspiring nurse, this will be her second year on the programme, and she hopes to build on her previous experience. “I am so excited to be here [again], this is shaping my  future in terms of how I speak, and how I look at the world. If one country is affected, all of us are affected. All of us as human beings need to be aware. The more aware you are you can make a change and be a part of that change in the world,” she said.    President,  Rotary Barbados, Jeff Evelyn, President, Rotary Barbados West, Andre Wharton, and President,  Rotary Barbados South, Jacqueline Broome also delivered remarks during the official launch. The MUN training sessions are slated to run until February 28 and culminate with the programme’s grand finale on March 7th, 2026.  ..........................................................................................This news was first published by UN Barbados and and the Eastern Caribbean.