Event Dates: 16, 17 and 18th March
Model United Nations is a simulation of the UN General Assembly and other multilateral bodies which comprise the United Nations Organization. In Model UN, students get an idea of the running of the United Nations and take on the roles of ambassadors from UN member states to debate issues on the organization's current agenda. While playing their roles as ambassadors, student "delegates" make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, make negotiations, resolve conflicts, all while following the Model UN conference’s rules of procedure - all in the interest of mobilizing ‘international cooperation’ to resolve problems that affect countries all over the world.
Delegates need to carry out intensive research on the topics that will be discussed in their respective committees. Model UN participants learn how the international community acts on its concerns about topics including peace and security, human rights, the environment, food and hunger, economic development and globalization. Model UN delegates also look closely at the needs, goals and foreign policies of the countries they will represent at the event. The insights they gain from their exploration of history, geography, culture, economics and science contribute to the authenticity of the simulation when the role of a delegate gets under way. The delegates' in-depth knowledge of their countries guarantees a lively and memorable experience and will determine the strength of their country’s position on a certain topic.
A Model UN delegate is a student who assumes the role of a delegate to the United Nations in a Model UN simulation. Prior to a conference, a Model UN delegate does not need extensive experience in international relations. There are no restrictions as such to who can participate in a Model UN conference, so long as they have the ambition to learn something new and to work with other delegates in trying to make a difference in the world. Model UN students tend to go on to become great leaders in many different fields including politics, law, business, education and medicine.
Model UN encourages students to gain interest in world around them and broadens a delegate's knowledge in a variety of issues. Model UN also encourages the development of vital skills in problem solving, conflict resolution, research, consensus building, and public speaking, writing different types of documents and compromise and cooperation, which also come in useful in their day-to-day lives. Model UN also gives students and teachers the opportunity to meet interesting new people and make new friends.
The agenda items discussed in committee vary at each conference. Most conferences tend to focus on current affairs issues that are being discussed in the United Nations. These issues can highlight political, financial and/or social concerns. However, some committees may focus on addressing hypothetical concerns or issues from the past of future.
While there is no official record of how Model UN began, we do know that Model UN is the successor of a series of student-led Model League of Nations simulations. Some people believe that the first Model UN conference was held at Harvard University, although other colleges claim they held the first conference. Regardless, simulations of international organizations began even before the birth of the United Nations!
A Model UN delegate is a student who assumes the role of a delegate to the United Nations in a Model UN simulation. Prior to a conference, a Model UN delegate does not need extensive experience in international relations. There are no restrictions as such to who can participate in a Model UN conference, so long as they have the ambition to learn something new and to work with other delegates in trying to make a difference in the world. Model UN students tend to go on to become great leaders in many different fields including politics, law, business, education and medicine.
Model UN encourages students to gain interest in world around them and broadens a delegate's knowledge in a variety of issues. Model UN also encourages the development of vital skills in problem solving, conflict resolution, research, consensus building, and public speaking, writing different types of documents and compromise and cooperation, which also come in useful in their day-to-day lives. Model UN also gives students and teachers the opportunity to meet interesting new people and make new friends.
The agenda items discussed in committee vary at each conference. Most conferences tend to focus on current affairs issues that are being discussed in the United Nations. These issues can highlight political, financial and/or social concerns. However, some committees may focus on addressing hypothetical concerns or issues from the past of future.
While there is no official record of how Model UN began, we do know that Model UN is the successor of a series of student-led Model League of Nations simulations. Some people believe that the first Model UN conference was held at Harvard University, although other colleges claim they held the first conference. Regardless, simulations of international organizations began even before the birth of the United Nations!
