To debate is to engage in something meaningful – to be part of something bigger than yourself, to exchange diverse perspectives, and to grow as a person. This year, we witnessed a remarkable leap for the debating community in Pakistan when Mahrukh Usmani, a rising senior from Habib University, won the Outstanding Diplomacy Award for DISEC at WorldMUN 2025. This accolade, WorldMUN’s most prestigious individual award, was not just a personal achievement for Mahrukh or for Habib University, but a proud moment for Pakistan itself.

Habib’s delegation at WorldMUN also included Umer Irfan, who served as the team’s mentor, providing invaluable guidance and support with the competition. The team featured Rohaan Arshad and Rija Ali Khan in the ECOSOC Committee, Ahmed Khalid in the Legal Committee, Meesum Jaffrey in SOCHUM, Soha Naveed in ECOFIN, and Sarib Khan in SPECPOL. Their participation at one of the world’s most esteemed debating conferences allowed them to engage in stimulating, intellectual discussions with students from across the globe. And what made this year even more special was that Pakistan not only participated but won.

But debating has always been about more than winning. It’s about engaging in productive discussions, sharpening your argumentation skills, building networks, developing leadership and teamwork abilities, and cultivating empathy and understanding. By attending one of the world’s most competitive Model United Nations conferences, our delegates didn’t just represent their university; they absorbed valuable lessons and experiences to bring back to Pakistan. This is how student communities grow, and how new generations of debaters and world leaders are born: by passing down the skills, wisdom, and confidence they gain onto others. By participating in WorldMUN, they didn’t just learn from Harvard, they brought a piece of Harvard back to Habib and to Pakistan.

As debating continues to shape young minds and foster future leaders, Habib University remains at the forefront of promoting intellectual dialogue and critical thinking. This year, like every other for the past 7 years, Habib Debate Union will host HUMUN, their flagship event for people to gain an insight into the world of the United Nations. A simulation to perfect every academic, vocal and social skill.

In a world where voices are often silenced and opinions overlooked, platforms like Model United Nations remind us of the power of dialogue. They are spaces where ideas transcend borders, where students become diplomats, and where conversations spark change. It is through such platforms that the leaders, thinkers, and changemakers of tomorrow find their voice and begin to shape the future.