Model United Nations
During a MUN conference, students assume the roles of representatives of countries, organizations, or individuals to collaborate and address global challenges.
[1][2] MUN fosters skills in research, public speaking, debating, writing, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership.
The delegates simulated a General Assembly, and recommended that member states, "establish an international control and development of atomic energy", "conclude a treaty on disarmament.
[12] It was initiated by Dr. Harry Reiff, head of the History and Government Department, with the assistance of departmental colleague Otto L.
[1] In addition, the United Nations has spearheaded efforts to introduce new Model UN rules of procedure that are more closely aligned with those used by the actual UN.
[39] Each committee usually has a dais that is composed of a chair (also known as moderator or director), one or more vice-chairs and a team of note-passers (also known as pages, runners, security, admins, or similar).
However, as Model UN has become more popular around the world, and as conferences in countries such as the United States have sought to appeal to underrepresented minorities (such as the Spanish-speaking community), committees using languages other than English, or which are bilingual, have become common.
[40] However, this is still not a mainstream phenomenon, especially in the United States, where most bilingual or Spanish language committees are found only at conferences hosted in Puerto Rico or the South West.
Dressing professionally is an important way to show respect for the nation, organization, or individual one is representing, as well as for the rest of one's committee.
Whilst formal western business attire is standard, there are still many MUNs where it is common for delegates to wear the traditional clothes of the nation they represent, this is to ensure a diverse and unique representation of culture and a fun environment.
[44][46] Crisis is a specialized form of Model UN where participants can emulate a variety of entities, from a board of directors to historical figures.
One relatively common variant is the "midnight crisis" where delegates attend a committee session at night to respond to an emergency situation.
[52][53] The objectives are to bring young female and male individuals together to discuss global issues and promote diplomacy, human rights, peace building, and social welfare.
[citation needed] Model United Nations conferences in Australia are typically separated into tertiary and high school levels.
[69] Model UN in India has gained considerable popularity, with numerous competitions being held in various high schools and universities in cities such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Chennai.
in Stuttgart (MUNBW), Kiel (MUNSH) and Potsdam (MUNBB), as well as the ones organized by (SvEN, Simulation Vereinte Nationen).
[clarification needed] In 1995, the THIMUN Foundation was accredited as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information.
[96][97][98] IMUN's keynote speakers have included prominent politicians, diplomats, United Nations officials, and rights activists, such as internationally awarded author Richard Zimler, U.S.
[102] In 2019 Madrid hosted the Harvard World Model United Nations (WorldMUN), and among the 2,300 participants were 500 Spanish students belonging to 20 different universities.
Renowned conferences include the ZuMUN of the University of Zurich, and for high school students the IMZMUN, hosted by Institut Montana Zugerberg.
The Conference is hosted by the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos and simulates up to 10 committees of the United Nations annually.
[105][106] Beyond the simulation of committees, the Conference offers other activities for delegates such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Workshop and the Idea Fair.
[108] Conferences in Tunisia are mostly found in Tunis and they are usually sponsored by the Tunisian International Model United Nations (TIMUN[109]).
The most famous conference in Tunisia is the "Grande Simulation annuelle du TIMUN" in Tunis, which host more than 300 delegates.
[citation needed] The majority of MUN conferences held in Botswana are centred around the capital city, Gaborone.
Established in August 2012 by a coalition of North African youths, NAIMUN is the largest student-run Model United Nations conference in Africa and the Middle East, with 4 sub-branches in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt.
[118] The event official language of the conference is English, which has enabled AMUN to receive students from various countries worldwide.
The committees vary with each edition of the project, as well as its themes addressed, among which are international security, cooperation, human rights, democracy and transnational crimes.
Among the cultural activities, there is a tour around Brasília, the city hosting the event, and the Nations Fair, in which the peculiarities and customs of each country are shown by the participants representing them on the Conference.
[119] In 2014, the Peruvian Debate Society (PDS) was founded by experienced MUN delegates as a new alternative towards competing in Harvard International Relations Council conferences.
