About Model United Nations
Model United Nations, otherwise known as Model UN or MUN, is a real-life simulation of actions and events that take place within the United Nations and its committees. Participants in Model UN will take part in conferences in which they are a delegate representing a member state of the United Nations in a committee, debating and discussing one or more topics of international concern and working together to come to a resolution as to how the global community represented within the committee will respond to the topic.
Committees range from those you may have heard of, such as the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council, to more obscure committees such as the UN’s Emergency Children’s Fund and the UN’s Social and Humanitarian Council. Each committee within Model UN has specific areas of focus and expertise that delegates working within each will have to familiarize themselves with in order to form coherent and comprehensive resolutions to the topics their committee will debate.
In order to prepare for conferences, delegates must spend time researching and building a wealth of knowledge on their country’s positions and policies in regards to the issues that will be debated in committee. Students must use this knowledge to not only debate the issues at hand, but also to draft and pass a resolution - putting forth the plan of the countries represented in the committee in response to the topics.
“More than ever before in human history we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together. And that, my friends, is why we have the United Nations.”
In Model United Nations you will achieve...
Academic & Professional skills
There’s a reason that Model United Nations is an academic club.
Participants are known (by their peers and colleges) to have phenomenal research, writing, debate, and presentation skills. In addition, Model UN improves your professional networking skills.
Don’t know what Western Business Attire (WBA) is? You will soon.
PUBLIC SPEAKING & NETWORKING ability
Addressing your colleagues and networking with your peers - critical skills we all need.
What better way to hone your public speaking and debate skills than by addressing a roomful of your peers on important issues? Model UN is the ideal environment to practice various techniques for persuasive and effective speaking.
Plus, you’ll pick up tips and tricks on style and technique from other delegates.
Global awareness & political ACUMEN
Politics. International affairs. History. Literature. Science.
These are just a few of the topics you might learn about while researching for your committee. Like real politicians, MUNers learn to speak on any topic. You’ll delve into topics with both depth and breadth, from artillery technology in 1500s Europe to cybersecurity.
The ability to learn about and debate any topic will grow and develop your world image.
Writing & research mastery
Writing resolutions, notes, directives, communiques.
These writing projects more gives Model UN delegates excellent practice with written communication. You’ll learn how to write official-sounding, persuasive papers as well as effective and strategic notes to fellow delegates. Additionally, you will develop and build the research skills needed to gather the requisite information to formulate all these.
“Plus, it’s a lot of fun.”