Learning Diplomacy at FerMUN | TFS Students at the United Nations
When TFS students travelled to Geneva to take part in FerMUN (Ferney Model United Nations), a conference hosted at the United Nations’ International Labour Organization (ILO), they stepped directly onto the center stage of global diplomacy.
FerMUN brought together students from schools across North and South America, Europe, and Africa for four days of debate, collaboration and exchange. Hosted within the ILO, the conference challenged students to engage with real-world issues tied directly to the organization’s mandate. This included topics like labour rights, the informal economy and the role of international cooperation in protecting workers worldwide.
Student diplomacy in action
For TFS students, the setting mattered. Debating inside the United Nations offered a reminder that multilateral institutions are built on dialogue, compromise and the belief that progress depends on nations working together. Through these sessions, students gained a deeper appreciation for the ILO’s historic role in shaping global standards, such as fundamental workers' rights and the abolition of child labour. Students saw firsthand how those policies continue to influence the world today.
Meeting with diplomats gave students an inside view of how international negotiations actually work. It was a chance to see the application of their studies and understand why global cooperation is so challenging to achieve right now. In today’s world, the ability to listen, negotiate and find common ground is not optional – it’s essential.
As an international school, the conference felt like a natural extension of our values: openness to different perspectives, respect for diverse cultures and understanding that other people, with their differences, can also be right. Students engaged with peers who challenged their assumptions, sharpening their thinking on complex global issues.
A cultural journey
The experience extended well beyond the conference rooms. TFS students were hosted by French families, just across the border, offering an immersive cultural exchange that deepened their understanding of daily life in France.
Like many journeys, the trip didn’t unfold exactly as planned. A three-hour layover in Amsterdam unexpectedly turned into two days. But students embraced the detour, making the most of the experience with visits to the Van Gogh Museum and time exploring the city and its history. What could have been a setback became another lesson in adaptability and understanding.
By the time students returned home, their experience at FerMUN had provided a lived experience of what international cooperation looks like: messy at times, complex and human. It reinforced why spaces like the United Nations still matter, and why young people must be prepared to take part in shaping the conversations that will define the future.
