Letter From The Secretary General

Delegates, advisors, and CSMUN XVII staff,

I hope you are all doing well! My name is Kaitlyn Marks, and I have the honor of being the Secretary General of CSMUN XVII and Logistics for the 2026-2027 school year. I would like to begin this letter and this conference by sharing a valuable lesson that Model UN continues to teach me. A lesson that I hope resonates with you all.

Confidence is a noun described by Merriam-Webster’s dictionary as the “belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way”. It is believed to be an immediate and effortless attribute. We sit back and admire those who rise without hesitation, speak with ease, and never falter under pressure. I always thought that confidence was something you were simply born with. Either you have it or you don’t. 

That belief followed me into my first Model UN competition, CSMUN XIV. As I rehearsed my speech in my head, I watched as talented delegates from all different schools and levels of experience presented their thoughts so powerfully. I attempted to model the strength portrayed by fellow delegates, but I failed miserably. While I worked to appear fearless, I grew increasingly aware of every stumble in my words and every crack in my voice. I had failed. 

Despite my frequent failures, I continued to speak-to go up and voice my thoughts. I was even granted sponsorship of a resolution paper because the bloc felt as though I was “confident” in its contents. It was then that I realized I was treating confidence like an immediate trait, gifted to a select lucky few. 

Confidence is not the absence of failure but rather the power to continue despite it. Failure is unavoidable and a key tool for experiencing growth as not only a delegate but a person. Every delegate has experienced that awkward silence during a speech. Every delegate loses an award they worked so hard for. Every delegate has said something they wished they could take back. The difference is not whether or not these moments happen, but if you are willing to grow from it.

To this day I still experience the butterflies in my stomach before delivering a speech. Yet, Model UN has shown me that confidence is not a quick and linear process. It is gradually built through embracing the discomfort and celebrating the small victories. Every mistake, every voice crack, and every moment of insecurity contributes to it.

So, I urge each and every one of you to go up, make that mistake, and learn from it. Each and every person has the confidence to do so, even if you do not realize it. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns about our conference using my email, 270027@d230.org. I am incredibly excited to witness the resilience, individuality, and growth that each of you will bring on October 3rd! Welcome to CSMUN XVII.

Wishing you all the best,

Kaitlyn Marks