Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an educational simulation in which students learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations. MUN involves and teaches researching, public speaking, debating, and writing skills, in addition to critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership abilities. Participants in Model United Nations conferences, known as delegates, are placed in committees and assigned countries, or occasionally other organizations or political figures, where they represent members of that body. They are presented with their assignments in advance, along with a topic or topics that their committee will discuss. Delegates conduct research before conferences and formulate positions that they will then debate with their fellow delegates in the committee, staying true to the actual position of the member they represent. At the end of a conference, the best-performing delegates in each committee, as well as delegations, are recognized with awards.
United Nations is one of the world’s largest International clubs. The United Nations help in maintaining peace, security, improve unity among nations to solve economic, social, cultural, humanitarian and global problems. Model United Nations at school level will help students research, understand problems of a given country, prepare and present in forms of healthy debates and presentations.
MUN is a fun way of learning about the world. In this era of globalization, being globally aware is more important than ever. Also, having fun makes it easier to learn something and more likely to stick.
It develops leadership skills. MUN is an exercise in research, public speaking, and teamwork. These are skills that students will need throughout their career, and MUN gives them a chance to practice.
Students can leverage on their MUN experience and network to get into college and find jobs globally. Admissions officers and job interviewers look for examples of leadership, and students’ experiences as a delegate or conference organizer will be good examples. Students will also develop a network of alumni from their MUN club and people they’ve met at conferences.
The concept of Model United Nations was developed by students in the Unites states after World War II in order to stimulate the challenges of diplomacy and international negotiation. These model conferences particularly focus on areas of peace and conflict resolution that are a part of the day to day work of the United Nations. During an MUN conference participants are assigned to delegations representing a specific country. These delegations represent the positions of their countries in the General assembly, Security council and numerous other committees. Within the committees the participants assume the role of representatives from their assigned countries to debate the chosen topic agenda. Delegates represent the foreign policy of a country and their best portray their views to the other members. The debates are held in formal English, and students’ diplomats have to observe formal and diplomatic procedure. Before playing out their ambassadorial roles, students research global problems to be addressed, drawn from today’s headlines. Members learn how the international community acts on its concerns about topics concerning peace and security, human rights, environment, food, and hunger, economic development, and globalization.
Model UN delegates also look closely at the needs, aspirations and foreign policy of the countries they will represent during the event. MUN events can last for as long as we would like – Just an hour, half a day, whole day or three or four days. This is dependent on the amount of time and resources you have to organize the event, as well as the number of delegates who will be participating.
Benefits of MUN
- Overcome your fear of public speaking
- Become acquainted with diplomacy and international issues
- Enhance your leadership skills
- Motivates students to learn
- Teaches students about the world
The UN has four basic goals apart from representing and protecting the rights of member states:
- To establish justice and respect for law and treaties
- To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war
- To promote social progress and better standards of life in large freedom
- To reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person
The Concept of the Model United Nations:
The first step to having our school dominate at any inter- school debate competition or MUN conference is to receive adequate training regarding procedures. The MUN club is an experience – sharing platform, wherein relatively experienced delegates of the club help the others with strategic planning and execution of the same, in real committee. The MUN club has a fairly simple mission – Make every Delegate the best Delegate.
To ensure that every member of the MUN club understands the current geo-political situation and problems faced by individuals residing not only in the vicinity, but also in remote corners of the world. The main goal is to instill compassion in every student and encourage them to promote world peace. We envision every member of our club as being leaders of tomorrow, equipped with facts and a rationale to combat any oppression, to lead mankind on a less destructive path.
The Model United Nations is to seek, through discussion, negotiation and debate, solutions to the various problems of the world. In the process, the participating students learn to adopt views and attitudes other than their own and break away from narrow national interests and develop international cooperation.
Advaith’s Model United Nations is called Advaith Model United Nations (AMUN)
Advaith International Academy delegates are continuously striving to expand and improve their skills and always welcome new members to come and join.
In 2019, Advaith International Academy participated in CMUN conference conducted by Bishop Cottons Boys’ School, Bangalore and also participated in Delhi Public School, Bangalore in July 2020 via online. Advaith International Academy hosted AMUN conference in January 2020 and its second conference in February 2020. Advaith MUN is students driven to give them first-hand experience of the energy that runs in an MUN.
The following are the activities we would like to carry out during the sessions.
- Conduct mock sessions stimulating an MUN conference
- Group discussion on current affairs
- Building leadership skills
- Essential tips on effective communication.