What is Model United Nations?
Model United Nations is an educational simulation attempting to replicate the experiences of the actual United Nations. Here, delegates will research their countries' background and their countries' standings and solutions on issues that will be asked upon. At a Model United Nations conference, students will convene together and debate their topics with other delegates representing their United Nations states. Through negotiations and unanimity of various nations, the main objectives consist of highlighting solutions.
Why Do We Run Model UN?
- To encourage youth awareness of current international relations and issues.
- To understand and try to form possible solutions to solve particular issues.
- To create an environment that allows students to improve their communication and diplomatic skills, critical thinking and networking.
- To debate and share different perspectives between participants from different backgrounds and disciplines.
Why Should You Get Involved?
Model UN teaches vital skills in negotiation, public speaking and communication, problem solving, conflict resolution and research - which are all extremely valuable for future employment. Students benefit from the interactive learning experience as it improves discussion of global issues. It also develops skills in writing, consensus building and working in a team. Model UN further gives students the ability to apply the skills or content learned in their degree into the role or committee they are in (e.g. Law students in ICC, Journalism students in IPG, or Economics students in ECOSOC).
Many students participate each year in Model UN - 400,000 to be more accurate. Many of today's world leaders in law, government and business were active MUNers during their academic careers, including:
Even Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) from NBC's The Office was a MUN member while studying!
Model United Nations not only provides you an opportunity for you to become an active global citizen, but it also provides you the opportunity to expand your connections and networking, and making new friends along the way.
Many students participate each year in Model UN - 400,000 to be more accurate. Many of today's world leaders in law, government and business were active MUNers during their academic careers, including:
- US Supreme Court Justice, Stephen Breyer,
- Under-Secretary General for Public Information, Kiyotaka Akasaka,
- Former UN Security General, Ban Ki-Moon,
- Former World Court Justice, Stephen M. Schwebel,
- ABC's This Week anchor and former Democratic advisor, George Stephanopoulos, and
- King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
Even Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) from NBC's The Office was a MUN member while studying!
Model United Nations not only provides you an opportunity for you to become an active global citizen, but it also provides you the opportunity to expand your connections and networking, and making new friends along the way.
How Do I Participate?
You can participate in Model United Nations by attending events that are held at Macquarie University throughout the year that are hosted by the Macquarie University Model United Nations Society. Our society provides workshops and training opportunities to those who are unfamiliar or require additional assistance with Model United Nations by experienced members.
The Structure of a Model United Nations Conference
Each Model UN will often have a different order in which they carry out their schedule and can run from one (1) day to one week. Most MUNs will begin the conference with an opening ceremony, where delegates will confirm their attendance with their committee and meet their director(s). This ceremony often has a MUN training session for new delegates as well as guest speakers. Committee debate will then begin the day after the ceremony, often starting at 9am and going until the late afternoon. Delegates are given a lunch break in between that is usually catered by the host university, and sometimes short breaks for morning or afternoon tea. Following each day of committee debate will be a number of social events. These events are chances for delegates to interact with and outside their committee further and often have fun themes.
On the last day of debate, the secretariat will host the closing ceremony. This ceremony will have more guest speakers and directors will present outstanding delegates in their team with awards. After the ceremony ends, delegates will attend a Finale Ball as the last and often biggest social event.
On the last day of debate, the secretariat will host the closing ceremony. This ceremony will have more guest speakers and directors will present outstanding delegates in their team with awards. After the ceremony ends, delegates will attend a Finale Ball as the last and often biggest social event.
What Type of Topics are Discussed?
Each conference has a different issue to be discussed and solved. Most tend to focus on current social, political or financial affairs that are being discussed by the real United Nations. Some committees may address hypothetical concerns or issues from the past or future, including crisis situations. In these sessions, delegates must react to a hypothetical or actual crisis situations (E.G. the US civil war), whereas special committees such as the ICC will often conduct trials. Topics will vary depending on the jurisdiction and role of the committee.
Popular topics at conferences include:
Popular topics at conferences include:
- Financial disputes between international institutions,
- Trials for crimes against humanity,
- Territorial disputes,
- Regulation of securities,
- Trade and humanitarian crises, and
- Representation in government and global leadership.
Research
The most important part of Model UN for delegates is research. When delegates have a good understanding of their country, organisation or figure's position on the committee topic(s), they are able to successfully engage in committee debate and accurately represent their role.
If delegates are representing a country, it is important they look at past UN records of the country's votes, decisions and speeches in relation to the topic. National policies of the country are also effective add-ins for position papers and to guide delegates on their country's standpoint on the issue. When representing a figure on the legal committees, review the individual's past cases or verdicts where available.
All delegates are required to use verified sources for their papers and speeches, so statistics and reports are the best way to go. These give your position more weight in committee and will allow you to stand out amongst others, as you'll have evidence to back up each of your points.
If delegates are representing a country, it is important they look at past UN records of the country's votes, decisions and speeches in relation to the topic. National policies of the country are also effective add-ins for position papers and to guide delegates on their country's standpoint on the issue. When representing a figure on the legal committees, review the individual's past cases or verdicts where available.
All delegates are required to use verified sources for their papers and speeches, so statistics and reports are the best way to go. These give your position more weight in committee and will allow you to stand out amongst others, as you'll have evidence to back up each of your points.
MUN Conference Dress Code
At conferences, delegates and directors are required to dress in western business attire, which can be met by wearing items such as collared dress shirts, suits, blazers, pantsuits and enclosed footwear. This allows students to get the full experience of the UN committee simulation and embrace their inner Harvey Spector or Jessica Pearson (from USA Network's Suits).
How to Overcome MUN Conference Anxiety?
Do Your Research
Don't let your speech be spoken without data! It's a bad strategy to start with. Always make sure that every little thing you are going to use as the ingredients for your speech are all data-driven and make it better with several cool facts from your data. As Arnold H. Glasow said: "The fewer the facts, the stronger the opinion".
Listen To Others
Always be on guard. Listen, observe and modify other delegates' speeches. Especially when they have the same concerns as you do. You can observe how they deliver their speeches as well, whether they capture the audience attention by using much non-verbal communication or by making their points clear and convincing. Take a cue!
Write Down All Your Ideas
Make your ideas useful by writing them down on a piece of paper and make it your private Bank of Ideas. One thing you should always keep in your mind is don't be greedy. You should optimise the use of your ideas, letting all of them out at once is a bad move for you as a delegate and you will run out of ideas in no time. So, stay focused on one topic of ideas at a time.
Start Taking Action & Own Your Success
When you take action, you achieve successes that build more confidence, which encourages you to achieve even more successes! Don't let being perfect get in the way of being good and having fun. Delegates need to take a page from the CEO's playbook and own their success. When CEO's accomplish something, they are usually able to take credit for it without hesitating. When delegates accomplish something, they often say they got "lucky" or "it wasn't hard". Leaders recognise the benefits of confidence and start to practice it early on. In fact, many of them value confidence as much as competence.
Monitor Your Self-Talk & Avoid "Hoover People"
John Wayne once said: "Courage is being afraid but saddling up anyway." Most of your self-talk (about 77%!) is negative, so make an effort to stand up and speak, and feel good about contributing to a common cause! This will be easier if you avoid "hoover people", which are people who vacuum up positivity, confidence and self-esteem out of everyone they contact. If this describes one of your friends or a potential sponsor, move them out! Keep only positive, supportive people in your circle!
Find Your Sense of Humour
Laughing is like internal jogging, increasing your confidence and self-esteem. Some days you're the bug; other day you're the windshield. Laughing increases endorphins which are 200 times more powerful than morphine. So keep it light and fun, there are lots of people who believe in you and want you to do well at MUN conferences and in your life! You'll find there's nothing to be afraid of!
(Source: Forbes)
Don't let your speech be spoken without data! It's a bad strategy to start with. Always make sure that every little thing you are going to use as the ingredients for your speech are all data-driven and make it better with several cool facts from your data. As Arnold H. Glasow said: "The fewer the facts, the stronger the opinion".
Listen To Others
Always be on guard. Listen, observe and modify other delegates' speeches. Especially when they have the same concerns as you do. You can observe how they deliver their speeches as well, whether they capture the audience attention by using much non-verbal communication or by making their points clear and convincing. Take a cue!
Write Down All Your Ideas
Make your ideas useful by writing them down on a piece of paper and make it your private Bank of Ideas. One thing you should always keep in your mind is don't be greedy. You should optimise the use of your ideas, letting all of them out at once is a bad move for you as a delegate and you will run out of ideas in no time. So, stay focused on one topic of ideas at a time.
Start Taking Action & Own Your Success
When you take action, you achieve successes that build more confidence, which encourages you to achieve even more successes! Don't let being perfect get in the way of being good and having fun. Delegates need to take a page from the CEO's playbook and own their success. When CEO's accomplish something, they are usually able to take credit for it without hesitating. When delegates accomplish something, they often say they got "lucky" or "it wasn't hard". Leaders recognise the benefits of confidence and start to practice it early on. In fact, many of them value confidence as much as competence.
Monitor Your Self-Talk & Avoid "Hoover People"
John Wayne once said: "Courage is being afraid but saddling up anyway." Most of your self-talk (about 77%!) is negative, so make an effort to stand up and speak, and feel good about contributing to a common cause! This will be easier if you avoid "hoover people", which are people who vacuum up positivity, confidence and self-esteem out of everyone they contact. If this describes one of your friends or a potential sponsor, move them out! Keep only positive, supportive people in your circle!
Find Your Sense of Humour
Laughing is like internal jogging, increasing your confidence and self-esteem. Some days you're the bug; other day you're the windshield. Laughing increases endorphins which are 200 times more powerful than morphine. So keep it light and fun, there are lots of people who believe in you and want you to do well at MUN conferences and in your life! You'll find there's nothing to be afraid of!
(Source: Forbes)