The Muscatine Future Leaders Model UN Summit is a Model UN conference held for the first time this year, 2025. It was hosted by the Merrill Hotel and planned by the Stanley Center, Muscatine’s Model UN advisors, and Racheal Hansen, a former Muscatine advisor. The event lasted two days, with around 200 students attending from 10 different schools on January 29th and 30th.
Model UN is a replication of the United Nations (UN) in which students are placed in committees, each committee dealing with one of a wide range of issues. Students will work throughout the conference to submit amendments, to eventually create a paper that presents a solution to their topic.
At the Muscatine Conference there were seven committees, the legal committee, the economic-financial (ECOFIN) committee, the Interpol committee, the crisis committee, the social humanitarian and cultural (SOCHUM) committee, the commission on the status of women (CSW) committee, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) committee. Each committee contains roughly 30 students each working together.
Krista Regennitter, the program officer for global education at the Stanley Center for Peace and Security who played a huge role in the planning of this event, noted that Muscatine desired to host because as other Iowa conferences are only for US students, therefore not truly international. It provides a good experience for students from Iowa to have access to an international conference with different rules, and schools from China were invited to participate.
“When working with international partners, it is important to have trusting relationships,” shared Regennitter.
Regennitter shared how one of their international partners created the Hebei Association for International Exchanges, which helped in recruiting the schools that were invited to the conference from China. After the contact was established, the Muscatine committee still had planning to do.
“Each school had to select their students early so we had enough time to invite them and help secure their visas to come to the United States,” said Regennitter.
The schools invited from China included one of Muscatine’s sister cities, Zhengding, China.
“The summit grew out of a conversation with partners who shared a vision of Muscatine hosting a U.S. – China youth conference to foster connections between the youth of our countries. Knowing we had a partner in China to work with for school recruitment and logistics made them a great partner for our inaugural Muscatine Future Leaders Model UN Summit,” said Krista Regennitter.
Any opportunity to create international bonds is amazing, but the sister city bond made it extra special for students.
Avril Zi, a Chinese Student from Zhending, China, who has visited America before, said, “Each visit is a new adventure, and this time, the focus on the sister-city relationship with Muscatine made it a very different and special experience,” she said, “My visit to Muscatine was special because of the strong sense of community. Everyone I met was eager to share their stories and traditions. Also, the historical connections between Muscatine and China added a very meaningful layer to my visit.”
Relations between the Chinese students and Muscatine students added a meaningful layer to the conference.
Charlie Loos, a junior at MHS who participated in the conference said, “I think the Chinese students added to the conference by creating new friendships and giving insight into such an amazing culture.”
Chinese students and American students exchanged gifts and greetings throughout the conference. Many exchanged forms of communications such as WeChat, or other modes. They were able to create bonds despite barriers.
China uses different platforms than that of the U.S., and does not have Snapchat, iMessages, etc. Things like this had to be worked around throughout the two days.
“An interesting issue we had to consider was how best to use technology. Since Google is not allowed in China, the students are not familiar with Google Docs, which is often used at Model UN Conferences for student delegates to collaborate while writing resolutions on the different issues they are debating. We arranged for guest Google accounts to be created so the Chinese students could participate fully in the summit,” said Krista Regennitter.
Despite such barriers, students still found ways to connect, relate, and get to know each other.
“I really enjoyed the Muscatine students! They were so enthusiastic and curious. Their eagerness to learn about China and to share their own experiences made our interactions very lively and meaningful. I made many good friends among them,” said Avril Zi, “Interacting and communicating with the students from Muscatine is the most precious memory of my trip.”
Students were given many opportunities outside of the conference to explore Muscatine, and a bit of American culture throughout their visit.
Regenniter and her team created other opportunities outside of the conference for the visiting Chinese students like tours and workshops at the Muscatine Art Center, the National Pearl Button Museum, and Muscatine Community College. The Chinese students even explored the high school hallways with the help of a high school tour guide.
“It took a lot of teamwork from many different people here and abroad to host the four visiting schools,” said Krista Regennitter.
The coordination effort was worth it.
“Oh, I really enjoyed America. The diverse landscapes, from the bustling cities to the serene natural sceneries, were captivating. And the people I met were so friendly and warm-hearted, which made my stay truly memorable,” said Avril Zi.
While still being able to be an educational experience, the Muscatine Future Leaders Model UN Summit was able to establish relationships internationally.
“I hope that the relationship between the sister cities can continue to grow deeper. We can enhance cultural exchanges, promote educational cooperation, and even explore business opportunities. This way, both cities can learn from each other and progress together,” said Avril Zi.
The bond between these two places will continue to grow, introducing each other to foreign cultures. This is not the only opportunity for students to create such bonds.
“I encourage Muscatine students to visit China. China has a long history, rich culture, and rapid modern development. They can experience the ancient wonders like the Great Wall, and also see the high-tech cities like Shenzhen. It will be an eye-opening experience for them,” said Avril ZI, “I also encourage other Chinese students to visit Muscatine. It’s a charming small town with its own unique charm. They can learn about American rural life, practice their English, and build cross-cultural friendships. It will help them gain a more comprehensive understanding of the United States.”
The chance for students to work across cultures offers a unique opportunity not offered by other Iowa Model UN conferences.
“When you work with others, especially people close to your age, from different countries, you can learn about our similarities along with our differences. It is an opportunity to break stereotypes and learn about people on a very personal level. Learning about differences in communication styles across cultures is valuable and will help students as they go to college and enter the workforce,” shared Reginniter.
The conference has allowed for many great opportunities across the board, and was a success. There will be another Muscatine Future Leaders Model UN Summit held next year in 2026, with just as many friendships to be made and opportunities to be had.
“I feel the Muscatine Future Leaders Model UN Summit not only provided an opportunity to explore the benefits and challenges of working across cultures but also facilitated an opportunity for students to spark friendships that will carry forward after the summit,” said Krista Regennitter.
Students agree.
“This trip has been an amazing journey. I’m deeply touched by the hospitality of the people in Muscatine. I hope that more people, both in China and in America, can know about the special bond between our sister cities. And I look forward to more exchanges and cooperation in the future,” said Avril Zi.
