Jakarta, IO – Kalya Mahiya, together with her peers from Al Izhar Pondok Labu Senior High School and the Globy Indonesia team, took part in the “Thailand National Model United Nations Conference 2026”, held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Model United Nations” (MUN) is a simulation of United Nations conferences, bringing together student participants from countries around the world.
Speaking at a media briefing, Kalya shared her experience. “Participating in the Thailand National Model United Nation Conference 2026 gave me a real global perspective. I not only learned about diplomacy and how the UN works, but also experienced firsthand what it feels like to negotiate with delegates from diverse cultural backgrounds. I learned how to draft a strong position paper and articulate the interests of the country I represented on the international stage,” she said.
Ahead of the January conference, the team underwent two months of intensive preparation. “The process included in-depth research on the issues discussed, understanding the foreign policy of the assigned country, as well as public speaking training and debate simulations to sharpen our arguments under time pressure,” she explained.
Kalya said the biggest challenge during the conference was maintaining diplomatic consistency amid heated debates. “At times, uniting different national interests into a single resolution was extremely difficult, especially when there were astute ideological differences. I had to remain calm, think critically and seek compromise without sacrificing my country’s core principles,” she said.
Kalya observes that she drew valuable lessons from the highly-competitive event. “The most important lesson was that collaboration matters more than competition. Good leadership is not about who speaks the loudest, but about who listens, embraces diverse opinions and creates inclusive solutions,” she noted.
Their months of preparation paid off when the team won the Best Delegation Award at the conference. “It felt incredible and deeply moving. This award validates our hard work, sleepless nights of research and solid teamwork. Winning Best Delegation proves that synergy and thorough preparation yield sweet results. It is a proud moment I will always remember,” she said with a smile.
Muflih Dwi Fikri, CEO of Globy, also shared how he prepared his students to perform outstandingly at the conference. According to Fikri—popularly known as Coach Fikri—the training focused on three key aspects.
First, substance—covering mastery of the subject matter and in-depth research. Second, strategy—determining when to speak, what tone to use, which type of motion to raise and handling other technical aspects of the debate. Third, mentality—maintaining focus when facing counterarguments and having the confidence to engage with participants from different countries.
“We focused on conducting numerous simulations through group coaching sessions, complemented by private coaching for each student,” he explained.
Training for the Thailand conference began in November 2025, while students had joined the Globy Club as early as July 2025.
Coach Fikri noted that MUN competitions are assessed individually, meaning each participant must prepare himself or herself according to their assigned allocation. Preparations include a research matrix, position paper, motion list, prepared speech, solution mechanism, mock working paper and draft resolution.
For Fikri, his students’ achievement brought pride and satisfaction. “Months of preparation were fully rewarded. More than that, we have maintained a 100 percent win rate since 2023, with every international delegation we send bringing home awards. Before Thailand, Globy had also sent delegations to Singapore, Korea and Malaysia,” he noted.
He emphasized that the achievements did not come overnight. “I have been involved in MUN since 2017, and at that time Indonesian students rarely won international competitions,” he recalled.
“In 2019, I was the only Indonesian among 16 participants to bring home an award from the Paris International Awards. Later, as a judge in countries such as Singapore, India, the Philippines and Thailand, I rarely saw Indonesians win,” he added.
From those experiences, Fikri identified a fundamental issue: the lack of a supporting ecosystem. “Students had to learn on their own, without discussion partners or structured support. Since establishing Globy in 2023, we have built an ecosystem where students can meet international champion coaches, collaborate with peers who share similar interests and learn together. The impact? Growing confidence, stronger material mastery and learning from seniors’ mistakes. Thank God, Indonesia is now increasingly visible on the international stage,” he said proudly.
As for Globy’s hopes for Indonesian youth, Fikri said, “We truly hope this sparks more achievements abroad. Indonesian students are just as capable as others; we often only lack confidence and feel inferior to neighboring countries. Step by step, we are proving that Indonesian youth can compete globally.” (des)
