The Don Bosco School (Salesian Sisters) Inc. honored the Philippines in the recently concluded the 46th Yale Model United Nations (YMUN) and the 67th Harvard MUN conferences held in the United States last Jan 23-26 and Jan 30- Feb 2.
Don Bosco is known many as Don Bosco School Manila (DBS). owned and operated by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA), otherwise known as Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco.
Six senior high school Bosconians have been chosen. Namely: (Grade 12) Julia Pia Berdeguel, Ralph Mathew Calucer, Donato Miguel Salaya, (Grade 11) Danielle Marie Cecillano, Michael Reeno Ferrer and Mary Nicole Soberano. They were mentored by DBS principal Sr. Josephine Garza, FMA and Domitila Cabas, DBS Formation coordinator.
They attained the grand prize in the 2nd Social Impact Challenge organized by YMUN.
YMUN was set in Yale University campus in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. The conference is about engaging in debates and discussions with fellow delegates from all over the world on pressing global issues in their respective committees.
The aim of the YMUN Social Impact Challenge is to encourage delegates to take ownership and provide an opportunity for the application of the skills cultivated by Model UN, namely collaboration, initiative and a desire to change the world for the better.
The winning entry of DBS consists of a proposed Mental Health Education project for Barangay 602, Sta. Mesa, Manila where Don Bosco School is located.
The award comes with a monetary support from YMUN for the implementation of the project in the coming months. It also gave the DBS delegation the privilege to attend a private workshop during the Yale Day last Jan. 24 facilitated by Steve Reiss, the New York City metro area community engagement manager for Rise Against Hunger, a hunger relief organization and the Nonprofit partner for YMUN XLVI.
In addition, the Bosconians also participated in the Global Citizen of the Arts competition where all of them made it to the shortlist of top entries representing the best artworks in the photography and music categories chosen from hundreds of other entries coming from the close to 2,000 YMUN delegates.
The entry of Donato Miguel Salaya (Grade 12) was judged as the winner in the Global Citizen of the Arts in the music category.
After their triumphal sucesss in Yale, the group went on to Boston, Massachusetts to participate in the 67th Harvard MUN. The Bosconians joined a group of more than 4,000 young leaders from 270 Secondary Schools in 50 countries who debated and negotiated on the most serious challenges in international relations following the prompt: Diplomacy in the Age of Globalization.
Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN) is a four-day international relations simulation for high school students held annually in downtown Boston.
It aims to initiate young leaders to debate the most pressing issues of the day and to draft innovative, creative solutions. Participants will develop several skills throughout this process, including but not limited to: public speaking, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, and policy crafting.
The students of DBS have honored the Philippines. Making the world to know that Filipinos are full of insightful ideas, creativity and positivity to turn things right. They truly are called the Philippines pride.
Sources: philstar.com, harvardmun.org
Photo Sources: philstar.com, fmafil.org–Don Bosco, harvardmun.org
