MODEL UNITED NATIONS
Model United Nations (informally abbreviated as Model UN or MUN) is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about civics, effective communication, globalization and multilateral diplomacy.
Participants research a country, take on roles as diplomats, investigate international issues, debate, deliberate, consult, and then develop solutions to world problems. Several international political issues are identified by the group sponsoring the Model UN session that will serve as the focus of discussions.
In order to successfully participate in the Model United Nations program, participants must gain a basic understanding of the United Nations-its structure and internal rules of procedure. They must familiarize themselves with the foreign policy positions of their assigned country, as well as its pattern of participation within the United Nations.
The country information that they will find most useful includes: current political history; historical voting patterns; speeches and statements from political leaders; resolutions their country has sponsored; and groups of countries they have formed coalitions with in drafting resolutions and voting on resolutions.
Each year approximately 60,000 high school and university students participate in a variety of "Model United Nations" programs worldwide.
Simulations
During a simulation participants must employ a variety of communication and critical thinking skills in order to represent the policies of their country.
These skills include public speaking, small group communications, research, policy analysis, active listening, negotiating, conflict resolution, note taking, and technical writing.
Most Model UN's are simulations of a body in the United Nations system, such as:
- The General Assembly in both plenary form and within its functional committees.
- Economic and Social Council and its specialized councils and agencies.
- Security Council.
- International Court of Justice.
A team of conference organizers thinks up new situations and informing the committee of changing events on the ground, to which the committee must respond. The UN Security Council is typically run as a crisis committee and some national cabinets are fixed-topic committees.
Model UNs are often run using basic parliamentary procedure. This allows all delegates to be active participants. Common activities in MUN involve giving speeches to the committee and writing resolutions concerning a given topic. Additionally, at the end of longer conferences, awards are commonly given to either individual delegates, delegations, or both.
History
The modern day National Model United Nations in New York City and Harvard Model United Nations both began as simulations of the League of Nations in the 1920s. Harvard Model United Nations is the oldest running High School Model UN conference in the US, founded in 1951. As the League of Nations was dismantled and the United Nations was born in 1945, simulations of the League of Nations were transformed into Model United Nations.
These simulations now have grown to over 3000 and 2000 annual participants.
