Model United Nations
Geneva, New York, Birmingham…
For one weekend only in late March, the United Nations opened a new headquarters in the heart of the UK’s second city. HGS were lucky enough to send three delegations who gamely represented the interests of France, Kenya, and the United States of America.
Students from 11 schools across the foundation and all areas of Birmingham made key opening speeches full of rousing dialogue and oratorical flourishes. Indeed, Arjun Lyall (10A) quoted Kennedy and embodied great statesmanship.
All the HGS delegates got stuck in to some good, old-fashioned negotiating. Sitting round the table and hammering out the issues of the day. It was great to see our students work with others to find equitable solutions to the world’s problems. HGS students held their own in the face of formidable opposition from the revanchist powers of KE Aston. Aston’s Russian and Iranian delegations worked tirelessly to thwart the progress of our delegations in the different committees, but our students were more than up to the challenge.
The final events of the conference were some amazing and thought-provoking lectures from Professors Mark Webber on the history of the UN and NATO and David Dunn on the precarious re-emergence of nuclear weapons in our international affairs. The 1st KES MUN conference was a great experience for our students, and I am confident it will not be our last.
What the students said?
“The experience was incredible. The event itself was well-planned, interactive and thought provoking. Everyone there was friendly and professional, so there were some very interesting conversations.” Sami Zahid 12DGR
“A wonderful experience overall. It was an amazing opportunity to learn new things, meet new people and most importantly reach a solution to make the world a better place for all. The staff, student and delegates were extremely helpful and friendly – there were no flaws. I am so grateful for this experience and have taken a lot from the past few days. I would love to do it again next year.” Arjun Lyall 10A
Instrumental Progress Evening 2023
Forty students performed to a near full Big School at our annual ‘Instrumental Progress Evening’. The concert is aimed at our students who are in their early years of studying an instrument. The vast majority of the boys were in years 7 and 8 with a couple from years 9 and 10. Our beautiful new Bechstein piano was heard for the first time in a school concert and was beautifully played by Ayaan Pirani, Darren Lounguedy, Matthew Fenwick, Enzo Lee, Stanley Todd, Adam Cunningham and Jerren Okyere-Darko. It was also the first opportunity for parents to see the new stained glass window and the newly cleaned stained glass window, from 1922, in Big School.
We enjoyed solo performances from Rajan Dhupar and Raman Hayr (dhol), Ziona Paulson (flute), Hritik Bansal, Nicholas Bob, Abel Shane and Hardev Manku (violin), Arjun Sond and Kieran Hay (classical guitar), and Tiziano Pasqualini (saxophone). Our year 7 guitar ensemble, junior guitar ensemble, string ensemble and woodwind ensemble delivered a number of items in a range of different styles, including eastern European folk tunes and music by the film composer John Williams. ‘Well done’ to the boys who performed that night and a big thank you to the teachers who work so hard with them. Our next concert will be the Summer Concert in Big School.
