
Here’s what you need to know about the Model United Nations Conference.
MUN conferences is a word many have heard about. This is a stimulatory conference organized
mostly at educational institutes and sometimes independently, where participants get a chance
to represent as delegates of various countries and talk about various issues which can help in
personal grooming.
Model United Nations conferences are reproduction of the United Nations conferences on a
smaller level. These involve educational tasks where young students are given opportunities to
acquire various skills that help in personality development. Various abilities that are targeted
are speaking, how to debate on issues, analyzing things on a critical level which is essential in
the creation of a leader. MUN provides a chance to gain knowledge about statesmanship and
handling of external relations. These events are organized at school, college, university level as
well as independently by several organizations that target a specific region. Students and young
leaders are engaged through it and learn about the current and ongoing global issues. The
committee sessions may include the following: UNESCO, UNDP, WHO, OIC, UNSC, DISEC, etc.
Sometimes these can be tailored according to the type of conference.
MUN has participants or delegates and they are provided countries which they must represent
in stimulatory meetings and discussion forums. They can also be assigned organizations and
political leaders, and all of this is done beforehand. The topics and tasks that are to be
discussed are presented to them in advance so that they can work on it and prepare
themselves. They gather points and make an agenda which they can present and debate upon
during the sessions that mimic committees. Delegates are often advised to stay guarded and
prepared to receive critical queries regarding their stance on the issue they discuss and talk
about. At the end of MUN conferences, prizes and shields are awarded to each committee’s
best-performing participants. This serves as a confidence booster as well.
Taking apart in model United Nations conference helps in fostering a dialogue between
different individuals and helps in improving public speaking and communication skills. The
different panels such as the crisis committee deal with the scenarios relating to their
specifications either in modern or historical context. This helps students to adapt and counter
unexpected situations and moments. Different approaches are used to study policy and
diplomacy. Study guides are given to the participants by the organizers for each committee.
Everyone is expected to thoroughly undergo the stance in the position they want to occupy
during their presentations. Delegates should also study to make a paper using the background
guides. This is done in order to spread awareness about the topics an encourage research and
writing which can be of great benefit in the future.
Model United Nations mostly include individuals from the three levels of education, and they
can either make a delegation team or go by themselves on the nomination of their institute. In
the ones that are organized on international levels, there is no need for attendees to represent
a specific institute and can rather attend on their own. The first model United Nations was
organized at Swarthmore college in 1947. More than 150 students took part in a General
Assembly conference and discussed various issues including the development of Atomic Energy,
citizenship of refugees, the treaty of disarmament, etc. since then, various such events have
been organized across the world.