Model United Nations brings hundreds to UT
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Hundreds of high school students took international issues to the University of Texas over the weekend.
The Central Texas Model United Nations Conference started Friday.
Since 2005, it's been run by UT students. Every year, about 500 high school students from around Central Texas as well as Dallas and San Antonio gather to debate issues of global importance.
Organizers said it helps the students improve skills like research, public speaking and social interaction. Similar events have been held for decades.
"Well actually, the idea of a model United Nations has been around for longer than the U.N. itself. When there was a league of nations, there were students who would get together and have mock debates on those topics, so the idea has been around for at least 65 years — as long as the U.N. has," Andrew Roush of the Central Texas Model United Nations said.
This was the sixth year for the event to be held at the University of Texas.