Amanda Cohen: Model UN: NAIMUN XLVII

Model UN: NAIMUN XLVII

Amanda Cohen

When I started Model UN this year I didn t know what to expect. I admit I had little idea what the UN was or how it works and this made me somewhat nervous and apprehensive to participate. But now, looking back, I m glad program. I decided to take part in this wonderful

So with many questions needed to be answered: First, we learned what the United Nations is and what it does. In short, the Model United Nations is an international organization that, through discussions of member countries, attempts to maintain international peace and security, develops friendly relations among nations, promotes social progress, and works for better living standards and human rights. The next step was to pick a country. This might seem like a simple task; however, our large group of 20 people and our opposing wishes made it somewhat of a challenge. The countries that we picked ranged from Venezuela to North Korea. Finally, with the help of our moderators, Dr. Heep and Frau Meuschke, we boiled down our wish list to ten countries of the Model UN. and sent it to the organizers

For me though, the work really started when we received our country assignments, namely Algeria, Benin, and Libya and heard that we would participate in the General Assembly. Within the General Assembly there are many committees whose focus ranged from climate change and piracy to humanitarian intervention. I chose Libya and the Historic UN Special Session, 1980. We had to learn about our country, our topic areas, and our country's position on those topics. I found my committee especially unique because the sessions were modified crisis-style sessions, and the issue discussed, the Question of Palestine, is arguably the most complex problem the United Nations faces today.

The climax of our experience was the Model UN Conference XLVII which took place from February 11 February 14, 2010 at the Hilton in D.C. Nearly 3,000 high school students Washington, participate in this conference every year! This year, however, there was a major snowstorm along the East Coast, which, unfortunately, prevented some students, who had to travel by bus or airplane, from coming. Despite this, about 2,200 students participated, although many arrived late. We debated our topics for four days and ultimately passed a resolution which could resolve the issues session being discussed. My committee s special focused on the topics of Palestinian refugees, territory, and security in the region.

The conference, however, was not "all work and no play." There where many enjoyable events planned such as, my favorite, diverse dance crews Hilltop Madness, where many preformed while the spectators enjoyed free ice cream. A Delegate Dance was also

The "General Assembly" at the Hilton (far left); DSW students at the conference, including the author (top, above). organized for our amusement, and we even got to visit the Yemen Embassy.

I feel very fortunate to have had this experience because not only did I learn a lot about the United Nations and Libya, but I also had an amazing time. I want to thank Dr. Heep and Frau Meuschke for doing a terrific job in leading the Model UN program, for all their help and encouragement. The German School also deserves a big thank you for supporting the group financially. Furthermore, thank you to Dr. Blindenbacher from the World Bank, who, after the conference, kindly gave us an interesting presentation about Good Governance." Model United Nations (also Model UN or MUN) is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda.

The participants role-play as diplomats representing a nation or NGO in a simulated session of an organ (committee) of the United Nations, such as the Security Council or the General Assembly. Participants research a country, take on roles as diplomats, investigate international issues, debate, deliberate, consult, and then develop solutions to world problems. More recently, simulation of other deliberative bodies, such as the United States National Security Council, has been included in Model United Nations, even if they are completely unrelated to the UN or international affairs as a whole.

Model and civic simulation education are older than the United Nations. Records indicate that as early as the 1920s students in the United States of America were participating in collegiate simulations of the League of Nations, the predecessor to the United Nations. The modern day National Model United Nations in New York City and Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN) both began as simulations of the League of Nations in the 1920s. Though Harvard National Model United Nations (HNMUN), having been founded in 1955, often claims to be the world's oldest continuous College Model UN conference, the oldest continuous Collegiate Model UN conference is actually Model United Nations of the Far West, running annually since April 1951.[8] The world's oldest continuous High School Model UN conferences are the Indianapolis Model United Nations and the Berkeley Model United Nations, both founded in 1952. The National Model United Nations is one of the world's largest conferences with over 5,000 participants and is most unique with a part of the conference held at the United Nations in New York City. 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. Some conferences still perform historical simulations, however, including League of Nations crisis situations. These simulations now have grown to over 3000 and 2000 annual participants. Vibgyor High School, Mumbai is the host school for the Model United Nations Conference 2011.

Model United Nations: History and Purpose

Wikipedia contributors. "Model United Nations." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 1 Jul. 2011. Web. 2 Jul. 2011.