global conference last week.

The seven members of the Model United Nations (MUN) club returned on Monday after a five-day conference in Brussels, Belgium.

At the seventh Harvard World Model United Nations conference, some 350 international students gathered to debate global issues and crises.

In daily committees the local representatives met with their foreign counterparts to discuss such topics as the spread of AIDS, child development, terrorism, and disarmament.

Many of the resolutions from the discussions will be sent to UN headquarters in New York.

MUN treasurer Gino Smith said he was particularly impressed with the level of awareness of current affairs of the European representatives.

Like the other MUN members, he admitted he initially felt intimidated by other delegates, some of whom came from the Harvard or Cambridge universities.

But he said he felt the Bermudian contingent fared as well, socially and academically, as their counterparts.

Bermuda College faculty member and club advisor, Jeremiah Faries, agreed with Mr. Smith.

"There was definitely a temptation to be intimidated, but the students held their own,'' he said. "They all did an excellent job.

"They had to learn a lot about Parliamentary procedure....issues, decision making, and drafting resolutions.'' For all of the members, the opportunity to interact with other young people from different cultures was the most valuable aspect of the trip.

"We all still have the same drives, and are looking for the same things,'' said Shuaib Worrell.

Mr. Smith pointed out: "We realised that although we come from different parts of the world, we are all similar in some way because we were able to come to a consensus.''