On a chilly winter morning on November 22nd, 2024, the 3-day Oxford Model United Nations began, marking the start of the most memorable event I had participated in up to that date. The stress of hasty preparations in the weeks leading up to the event, combined with the jittery nerves of attending a conference in a completely foreign country—feelings that had lingered at the back of my mind since I first learned I would be participating—seemed to intensify as I walked into the Oxford Examination Schools on the first day.

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My portfolio for the committee (Empress Wu Crisis), Yao Chong, an official in the Court of Empress Wu Zetian, seemed slightly disadvantaged compared to the other portfolios that had been allocated due to his limited relevance to the agenda at hand. Despite my previous experiences in Model UN conferences, doubts about my ability lingered, along with the temptation to blame my allocation as an easy excuse for any setbacks, which dampened my confidence. However, with every speech I gave in committee, regardless of the number of times I stuttered or said “um…,” my confidence grew. By the final day, I was determined to give my best effort by delivering my closing speech and proposing my directive (a plan for executable action during a crisis in committee).

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Although my directive ultimately failed to gather enough votes for several reasons, I was honoured to win Outstanding Delegate (2nd place). This recognition was not just a reward for loud speeches or intricate plans but reflected my ability to help a peripheral character turn into a focal point of the committee and, more importantly, to unite a factionalized group through compromise.

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While, at the time, the certificate was all I could think about, looking back on my experience has made me deeply appreciate the opportunity to meet new people from around the world—the UK, Georgia, Greece, Hong Kong, and so many more. The memories I made with them, from laughing over the names of historical characters to answering the goofiest questions our Executive Board could come up with, will stay with me forever.

I would like to thank my parents and my teachers at Inventure Academy, who supported me throughout this journey, without whom this opportunity wouldn’t have been possible. An additional thanks to my cousins, Aria and Kavya, who sent me reading material on the historical context of Empress Wu Zetian.

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