It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the sixth edition of the MCGS Model United Nations Conference (MUN). Our journey began in 2012 and we've never looked back since. The MUN movement in school has grown not only because of the intellectual richness it brings with it, but also, and more importantly, because of our great faith in what it seeks to achieve –to sensitize us to the contentious issues which the world is grappling with, and to come up with solutions to resolve them. At the risk of repeating myself, I emphatically state that the youth today has come of age, and, blessed with the maturity and compassion inherent in them;give one great hope that tomorrow will be a better day.

We are simulating a number of Committees with interesting agendas which, I'm certain, will lead to animated discussions, with arguments and counter-arguments flying across Committee rooms! The theme of the Conference – 'Resolve to Evolve' – carries a profound message. Over a long period of time we have transformed this world from its simple beginnings to a highly scientifically and technologically driven world. We call this progress. What are the indicators of progress one wonders –economic growth and political hegemony of a nation, affluence, scientific and technological research, stock-piling of armaments, nuclear testing?

Does man create Frankenstein monsters in terms of political ideologies, thoughts, philosophies, technologies which devour him before he can control them? Have we sacrificed our 'human' qualities in our race to achieve the pinnacle of success? Has ambition so blinded us to our responsibility as constructive members of this world that we, without a qualm of conscience, kill, destroy, damage, mutilate, scar, and traumatise both man and this world in which we live? How much, therefore, have we truly evolved as people, as human-beings? To resolve to evolve in the truest sense of the word will require a herculean effort on our part; a revolution of our minds and the cleansing of our hearts in order to do justice to the role we have to play in this world.

To quote a few verses from one of my favourite songs – 'We are the World'……….

There comes a time when we heed a certain call When the world must come together as one There are people dying And it's time to lend a hand to life The greatest gift of all

We can't go on pretending day by day That someone, somehow will soon make a change We are all a part of God's great big family And the truth, you know, Love is all we need

We are the world, we are the children We are the ones who make a brighter day So let's start giving There's a choice we're making We're saving our own lives Its true we'll make a better day Just you and me

To my Secretariat which has worked so hard and so enthusiastically to put this MUN together, my congratulations and best wishes. May the Conference go off well and may the diversity of opinions expressed in various Committees lead to a churning of young, dynamic minds.

I do hope that all the delegates take back happy memories of time well-spent at the Conference.

God bless and all the best.