We’re so excited to announce that registration is open for this upcoming year’s iteration of the Model United Nations Institute by Best Delegate. We’ve been hard at work for months to prepare for this day, and we’re so excited to share it with you.
The MUN Institute welcomes 800+ students annually from 40+ countries. This year, we are hosting 60+ unique programs across the United States for middle school students and high school students. During their week at camp, each participant will learn about Model United Nations based on their experience level, and throughout their experience, they will gain self-confidence and become comfortable with public speaking and debate. Most importantly, all of our participants will be exposed to new perspectives about the world, its people, and its cultures.
This year, we’re excited to announce a large expansion of MUN Institute locations! We are expanding to more universities in the Northeast (including UPenn, Fordham, and Boston University), the Midwest (DePaul University), the South (University of Miami & Emory University), as well as our longstanding programs located at Georgetown, UCLA, Columbia, and more. We cannot wait to welcome this year’s class of motivated and curious students who want to make the world a better place.
A Model UN conference is not just about participating in debate, creating solutions, and winning awards. It is also about effectively communicating with the other delegates. One of the most effective but underused forms of communication is note passing. Notes are effective because they allow for quick and direct communication between two delegates. Notes can help exchange ideas and viewpoints, convince delegates to join your bloc, and communicate with those who oppose you, all without disrupting the committee session. Properly utilizing this resource can make you one of the Best Delegates in the room.
The most important part of passing notes is substance and timing. Without substance, your note won’t have any significance to the receiving delegate. Without proper timing, a delegate might have already formed an alliance with another committee member. Here are a few tips for writing and passing notes:
Be Unique: When writing a note, the first thing you want to do is establish uniqueness. One unique way to distinguish your notes from others’ is to create custom notes before the conference with your delegation name and flag. This is not necessary but will show the dias and even the other delegates that you were a bit more prepared and put a little more effort into preparing for the conference.
Set A Tone: Depending on who you are writing the note to, use formal or informal language while always maintaining a respectful and professional attitude. If you are sending a note to the chair or the dias, be formal and direct. However, if you are communicating with another delegate, be informal and establish a casual tone. Try not to use common phrases like “join my bloc” or “what are your ideas” to avoid saying the same thing as everyone else. Ask for the delegate’s name to allow you to communicate with them on a personal level. This will make you stand out from the rest of the delegates. After this first note has been sent, you can start communicating with them on the actual topic.
Content: After creating a personal connection in your first note, branch off into the main substance of the notes. Make sure to be simple and direct, and express interest in the other delegate’s ideas. if you are asking a delegate to join your bloc, make sure to explain why they should. Make sure to also include the location where you will be meeting. Finally, end on a question to deepen communication and ensure that the other delegate will send a response back.
Timing: Timing is of the essence in note passing. During the speaker’s list, your goal should be to initiate communication with as many delegates as possible. This is the time that you will be sending the most notes in order to form alliances and blocs. Since many other delegates will use this same strategy, your goal should be to stand out using the suggestions described here. After the first unmoderated caucus, your use of notes will be reduced but they will still come in handy. For example, when communicating with your bloc about working papers, figuring out how many votes your resolution will get, or maybe just asking a delegate about presentation/Q & A, notes will be a great tool.
Neatness: When passing notes, it is always important that your notes are neat and concise. Using a spare piece of paper works, but may seem unprofessional compare to post-it notes or index cards. Additionally, your workspace should also be kept clean. If you receive a lot of notes, the area around your seat can become messy. Keep a specific place for notes so that you are organized and can make sure to address all the notes you receive.
Example of a Note
Communication, cooperation, and completion are key aspects of MUN. Communication between delegates, cooperation between allies and opposers, and completion of working papers may not be possible without notes. All in all, note passing is a tool that all delegates should utilize to increase their chances of success at a MUN conference.
If you would like to learn more advanced skills in Model UN such as note passing, take a look at the Ambassador program hosted by the MUN Institute. The Ambassador program is perfect for delegates with some conference experience who are looking to refine their skills! For newer delegates, check out the Diplomat program to learn about all the fundamentals of MUN! Early Registration for the Model United Nations Institute starts on December 1 at mun.bestdelegate.com!
My Experience as Haiti in the UN Commission on the Status of Women
For many Model United Nations delegates, being assigned a large world power can sound like the ultimate goal. As a nation like the United Kingdom, not only do you have considerable influence on the world stage but oftentimes many past initiatives and accomplishments to draw upon in your research and debate. Knowing this, I was frankly a little disappointed when I was assigned to represent Haiti in a committee on gender equality, the UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW). Admittedly, Haiti is not a leader in the global movement for women’s rights, and the country has not yet been able to fulfill its obligations under the UNCSW due to a lack of resources and its struggle with humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters. However, during my journey of researching and representing Haiti, I realized that being a little country isn’t a bad thing, and it expanded my perspective as a delegate.
Below are 4 things I learned about representing the country policy of smaller country that helped me succeed in committee, as well as reasons you can view your assignment not as a disadvantage, but as a powerful thing!
Move beyond hard power: You don’t need hard power like an advanced military or a booming economy to succeed in committee. You can leverage other types of power that you have, either as a delegate or as a nation. Your soft power – your sense of leadership, charisma, ability to collaborate with others, skills at fostering diplomacy, etc. – can positively distinguish you from other delegates and encourage others to partner with you. Convince others to ally with you because your nation has collaborated with theirs in the past, because you can empathize with the struggles they face, or because you have uniting factors such as similar religious or cultural values. If you know your country policy well and enter committee prepared, representing a smaller country won’t hold you back, especially if you recognize that soft power and the unique aspects of your country can bring people together.
Unite smaller countries: Most likely, other delegates representing “little countries” are also in the same situation. In committee, rally other developing nations, as well as novice delegates! You have the opportunity to empathize with the struggles they face in a genuine way. By uniting with them, you can not only create powerful solutions that address common problems, but you can also find strength in numbers. The Permanent 5 members of the UN Security Council are just that – 5 nations. In UN General Assemblies and other similar committees where these countries lack veto power, every country has an equal vote and smaller nations far outnumber large world powers. Becoming a leader and working with other developing countries can help you build a powerful bloc and influence which resolutions pass, ensuring that they address your needs and concerns. You can develop and practice resolution writing and bloc creation skills by attending the MUN Institute over the summer!
Your perspective is valuable: As a country that likely faces many challenges, you are uniquely suited to coming up with creative solutions or championing existing ones. Oftentimes, MUN and UN resolutions can veer towards being vague, which makes them difficult for countries to implement. When preparing for the UNCSW committee, I noticed that Haiti would have a hard time “working to end systemic discrimination against women and girls,” as often stated in documents. How would they go about doing that? By representing a country that has limited resources but the drive to come up with innovative solutions, I learned about different, concrete ways Haitian communities have been working to achieve that overarching goal, from implementing one-stop centers where women can go for resources and healthcare, to establishing a hotline for reporting gender based violence. These solutions were effective in Haiti and have the potential of making a positive impact in other developing nations. Ultimately, I was able to propose solutions that went beyond generic statements and included specific ideas that nations with limited resources can also benefit from and adopt. Chances are, the country you are representing also has challenges that it may not be able to address through sweeping frameworks but can tackle through targeted initiatives. These are a powerful way to take action and can be vital in crafting multifaceted resolutions. You can distinguish yourself – even over larger countries – if you have substantive ideas.
Take opportunities: Don’t shy away from opportunities! I learned from my experiences in the UNCSW that, even as a developing nation, you can take a leadership role and provide a valuable perspective. We found out that the African Union committee next door had a crisis having to do with sexual assault by a prominent celebrity, and our chairs intended to elect three UNCSW delegates who would provide advice. Knowing that Haiti struggles to deal with sexual abuse in its own borders, I was reluctant to put myself forward for this opportunity. However, after hearing powerful country after powerful country stand up and speak about how they were best suited due to their general lack of sexual violence, I realized that Haiti’s experience with it could be invaluable in addressing the situation. I recounted the significant and similar problems Haiti has faced, and how Haiti has a firsthand understanding of the difficulties in addressing sexual assault. Ultimately, my committee elected me to represent them in this crisis precisely because of my experiences as a smaller country. Acknowledge and embrace the difficulties that your nation faces instead of letting them hold you back from participating fully.
Representing a small or developing nation can be a challenge, but approaching your assignment with an open mind and remembering the tips above can help you excel no matter what country you represent. To learn more about how to successfully prepare for and navigate committees, you can attend the Diplomat program at the Model United Nations Institute over the summer! During my experience at the program, I learned how to research for a conference, identify my country policy, enhance my public speaking, and craft solutions to global issues from the perspectives of different nations, all of which helped me succeed in representing countries large and small, developed or developing. Registration for all MUNI programs opens on December 1st at mun.bestdelegate.com!
Summer programs are a tried-and-true tradition around the world – from Beijing to Barcelona to Baltimore, students of all ages gather together to spend their school vacation participating in fun summer activities. It’s well known in the field of child psychology that summer experiences have great benefits to kids’ social skills and general mental and physical health.
But what about academic summer programs? They might seem a little less cool than spending a summer playing capture-the-flag or learning how to surf, but they’re vital to students’ success in high school, college, career, and beyond. Here are the top 10 benefits of academic summer programs!
1. Learning from positive role models
At academic summer programs, students are being taught by experts in whatever field they’re studying – whether it’s coding, Model UN, or space exploration! This is a chance for students to be mentored by accomplished role models, whether they’re professors, college students, or other professionals. Young students will understand how these individuals have accomplished their goals of becoming successful in their chosen field, and be inspired by their hard work and determination.
2. Development of self-reliance and independence
Just like traditional outdoor summer camps, students will develop stronger senses of self-reliance and independence while away at an academic program. They’ll be 100% responsible for their own learning and progress, and will have to juggle being away from home while also focusing on learning. This helps students prepare for college, where the newfound sense of freedom and independence can sometimes be jarring.
3. Activities for all types of learners
Many students can get bored with learning in typical school environments – after all, sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day is not for everyone! Academic summer programs often incorporate different activities and environments into their curriculum so that students can get the most out of their learning experience. From field trips and guest speakers to group projects and open house presentations, these departures from regular classroom experiences can benefits learners of all kinds.
4. Making new friends & meeting people from different backgrounds According to the Century Foundation, “researchers have documented that students’ exposure to other students who are different from themselves and the novel ideas and challenges that such exposure brings leads to improved cognitive skills, including critical thinking and problem solving.” In addition to the cognitive benefits, exposure to new and unfamiliar cultures and backgrounds lead students to develop a greater understanding of the world around them. Students will ultimately be better prepared to succeed in a world that is more racially-, ethnically-, and religiously diverse than ever before.
5. Development of new social skills According to the American Camp Association, attending summer camp can have great positive impact on students’ social skills. At academic summer programs, students must work together on projects and support each other through assignments and new lessons. These experiences, in addition to recreational social activities, help students to make new friends, develop their empathy, and improve their overall communication skills.
6. Exploration of new academic topics and fields of study
When you think about it, asking 18-year-olds to choose exactly what career path they’d like to pursue is a bit crazy. These students have barely had enough time to consider their schedule next week, let alone what kind of job they want for the rest of their lives! However, attending academic summer programs allows students to explore brand new subjects that they might not have even heard of before. By diving deep into new fields of study over the course of a program week, students can learn more about their own interests and be a bit more comfortable with choosing a college major down the road.
7. Experiencing life on a college campus
College is a huge transition point for students. They’re going from living at home with their parents to living in a dorm with hundreds – even thousands – of their peers. Because most academic summer programs are hosted on university campuses, attendees get the chance to experience this way of life before it’s permanent. They’ll get used to dining halls, walking to class, managing their own time, and all of the other facets of college life. This helps students transition to college full-time when they’re ready.
8. Exploration of new cities
Many students don’t have the opportunity to travel when they’re in middle or high school – whether it’s busy schedules, budget restrictions, or a little bit of anxiety about leaving home. However, attending an academic summer program in another city (or even country!) can be a transformative experience for students. They get to explore different ways of life, meet new kinds of people, and develop a sense of the world at large.
9. Avoiding the “summer slide” According to numerous studies, students are extremely likely to experience learning loss during summer vacation – also known as the summer slide. Because they’re not engaging in learning every day, students forget what they learned during the school year. However, by participating in learning-based activities, students can avoid the summer slide. An academic summer program is the perfect way to engage students and make sure they don’t forget the critical skills they have already learned – all while having fun and meeting new friends!
10. Preparation for college & career
It’s no question that college admissions are incredibly competitive these days – and after college, the competition doesn’t stop once the job search rolls around. By attending an academic summer program, students can gain the skills and experiences that colleges and employers consistently look for in applicants, including communication skills, critical thinking skills, and dedication to specific subjects. The lessons learned at academic summer programs don’t just dissipate after the week is over – they endure for a lifetime.
Whether you’re a Model UN newbie or a seasoned veteran, public speaking is a skill that we can always continuously hone and improve, and it’s one that we focus on here at the MUN Institute. It’s a key aspect of MUN that is at the heart of the activity – as a MUN delegate, you need to be able to communicate with your fellow committee members, and you need to know exactly how to effectively promote your country’s policy.
Many of us have sat through speeches, MUN-related or otherwise, that were all over the place. The speaker had no structure to their speech, and they just rambled on with no rhyme or reason. Having a well-structured speech is a great way to ensure that you’ll be able to not only catch, but also keep, your audience’s attention. Additionally, they’ll understand exactly what the point of your speech is, and what they should take away from it.
Watch the video below to learn more about how to structure the perfect Model UN opening speech from Best Delegate Co-Founder Ryan Villanueva!
It’s been a wonderful summer here at the MUN Institute! As we close out the last week of programs, we are reflecting on all of the inspiring students that have learned about Model United Nations during the past couple of months.
Our goal at the MUN Institute is to provide students with a world-class educational experience. Delegates step into the shoes of world leaders and discuss real global issues that are affecting people every day. They come up with solutions to these issues by negotiating with each other while representing different countries. This experience is transformative for many students – it helps them to be more confident in public speaking, and more confident in everyday life.
Read on to learn more about our students’ experiences at the MUN Institute!
“My experience is definitely going to be a really memorable one, because everyone was so nice, the counselors are so friendly and easy to talk to, and the work and activities always teach you something new where you can apply these skills not only in Model UN but also later in life. This is a really fun camp where I can make so many friends and I can enjoy learning about something totally new!” – Christina, Age 12, New York
“The MUN Institute has helped me to improve my English skills. It also helped me to improve my skills in negotiation and debate, and I liked learning about the topics that we were talking about during simulations.” – Juan Sebastian, Age 14, Colombia
“I came into the MUN Institute looking to improve my Model UN skills and knowledge. Not only did the staff do an excellent job of helping me do that, but they taught me diplomacy and what it means to be a great leader. A “Best Delegate” is one who brings out the best in others, and that is an overlooked yet crucial life skill. In addition, I made many new connections from around the world that enriched my experience. I would definitely recommend the MUN Institute not just to MUN delegates, but anyone aspiring to be a great leader!” – Saahas, Age 15, Virginia
“The MUN Institute was definitely one of the most fun experiences I had this entire summer. I learned so much about MUN while still having lots of fun. Especially considering the fact that I knew nothing about what MUN even was about, I was so surprised by my own and my “fellow delegates” abilities by the end of the week. I was also able to meet so many new, exciting people from all over the world. Overall, it’s definitely an experience that I would not forget.” – Elli, Age 14, California
“Coming to MUNI was a very enjoyable and interesting experience! I have found friends from all over the globe and it was fun getting to know people from different cultures. I felt as if I’d known my classmates all my life, and the MUN Mentors are like my friends, since they are fun and supportive. I will definitely try to come back every year until I graduate!” – Michelle, Age 15, Mongolia
“The MUN Institute is amazing. The teachers are phenomenal, entertaining, and honestly, great to be with. They bring the best out of everyone. If you are feeling nervous that you won’t get along and it is nothing but work, work, work, well, you are wrong. I felt the same when I was coming. It is really fun and everyone is friendly and helpful.” – Sam, Age 11, Canada
“I had a great time overall, I improved on both my public speaking and MUN skills. The camp also helps with overall confidence and I had a great time with public speaking exercises, Conference Simulations, and a visit to the UN!” – Ishani, Age 16, New Jersey
“I loved the MUN Institute! It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it. I’ve wanted to be a human rights lawyer for a long time and this camp really showed me why I should pursue something like that in the future. It’s been such an awesome experience. I learned about the UN and did a lot of public speaking. Thank you for being my favorite camp ever.” – Casey, Age 11, Texas
Summer is over at the MUN Institute, but we’re having a great time looking back at all of the amazing experiences that have made this summer so special. One of the best traditions at the MUN Institute is the annual tour of the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
Each year, students who are enrolled in our programs located at Columbia University get to visit the United Nations Headquarters, tour the main area of the building, and see exclusive, behind-the-scenes locations in the iconic skyscraper.
Our students get to experience a guided tour of the main halls of the United Nations, including the General Assembly Hall and the Security Council Chambers. Touring the United Nations is an important experience for Model UN delegates, since they simulate the discussions and negotiations that actually occur in the halls of the UN.
This year, our students were able to meet Brenden Varma, an education outreach officer at the United Nations and the former Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly. Having worked for the United Nations in Kosovo and Somalia, Mr. Varma has a wealth of knowledge about the United Nation’s work around the world, and what the mission of the organization means to people everywhere. Mr. Varma delivered a briefing for MUN Institute students and discussed his work with the United Nations and future opportunities for young leaders in the field of international diplomacy.
During their tour, students also were able to see numerous works of art of cultural significance throughout the UN Headquarters – click here to see highlights of the tour!
Crisis delegates at last week’s MUN Institute programs located at Harvard Law School.
It’s been a whirlwind summer here at the MUN Institute! So far, we’ve run dozens of learning tracks with 500+ students, with even more to come in the next few weeks. This summer, we’ve had some of our most international classrooms in the history of our camps! With students from Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, France, China, Switzerland, Colombia, Mongolia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Belgium, India, the Netherlands, South Korea, and beyond, these programs have been truly global.
This article is the first in a series about what’s been going on at the MUN Institute this summer. Today, we’re focusing on our Crisis programs! In Crisis Model UN, delegates represent a person within a department or organization and respond to real-time developments.
Crisis MUN simulates how the highest levels of national government, from the White House to the Kremlin, respond to national security threats, including terrorism, natural disasters, and economic collapse. At the MUN Institute,crisisstudents are pushed out of their comfort zone to think on their feet, both critically and creatively, as they work together to quickly solve crisis after crisis.
Bob Brown working as a chair at a final crisis simulation at the MUN Institute located at Georgetown University this summer.
MUN Mentor Bob Brown spoke about the MUN Institute’s commitment to teaching crisis committees the right way – “We offer the students consistent interactive simulations to make sure that they learn about every facet of crisis committees.” Crisis students participate in practice simulations on Tuesday and Wednesday of the program week, with a final full-day simulation on Friday.
“We also ensure that our students practice every type of MUN crisis that they might see, not just one type,” said Brown, a recent graduate of Michigan State University and a frequent staffer and participant in college-level crisis Model UN committees. Topics discussed this summer at the MUN Institute crisis programs in the past few weeks have included the Bay of Pigs, the Suez Canal Crisis, the Syrian Civil War, the Vietnam War, and Otpor! – a Serbian civic movement.
Check out photos below from this summer’s crisis programs!
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), a global peer-to-peer network of 13,000+ entrepreneurs in 58+ countries, hosted the first-ever International Entrepreneurial Summit at the United Nations from June 25-26, 2019.
Ryan Villanueva and Kevin Felix Chan, the co-founders of Best Delegate and the MUN Institute, attended the Summit. Ryan is the President of EO Boston and Kevin is the Accelerator Chair of EO Los Angeles.
During the two-day event, Ryan and Kevin participated in discussions with 180+ other entrepreneurs on how to make an impact on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on:
SDG 4 – Quality Education
SDG 5 – Gender Equality
SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation
SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth
The Summit featured speakers from the Mission of the Philippines to the UN, the UN Office of Partnerships, the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the International Trade Centre, and others. Montessori Model UN also spoke at the Summit about their Youth Impact Forum, featuring students sharing their experiences learning about the SDGs through Model UN and then creating projects to make an impact.
According to Ryan, “The purpose of the summit was to educate and engage entrepreneurs to make an impact on the SDGs. Our objective was to produce a set of 12+ commitments in an Outcomes Declaration that EO Members could sign on to and implement through their businesses and EO Chapters.”
Kevin was particularly inspired by the event. “It was thrilling to see that the United Nations recognized that entrepreneurs are the ones who are in the front lines of taking action and can make a real impact on sustainable development through their businesses and in their community. Two ideas really excited me about changing the way entrepreneurs think and act on sustainable development.”
“For SDG 4 on Quality Education, we realized we could empower the next generation of entrepreneurs to solve the greatest problems in sustainable development and have their businesses to be run sustainably from day one by educating the children of today’s entrepreneurs on Model United Nations and the SDGs.”
“For SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, we realized we already have two programs in place — EO Accelerator and GSEA — that we could use to 10x the number of jobs we can create through EO. These programs empower more under-35 and women entrepreneurs, especially those in developing countries, to scale their growth-stage businesses up to $1M in revenue each.”
Kevin Felix Chan & Ryan Villanueva signing the resolutions adopted at the Summit.
Ryan designed the breakout sessions during the Summit: “I was asked to work with a team of facilitators to help design the ‘Think Tank’ process that would lead 180+ entrepreneurs to create these commitments. I modeled the process after the stages of Model UN that we use with students and teachers. EO Members needed to research the SDGs in order to prepare for the summit. They were asked to make speeches, sharing their experiences with social impact and their ideas for to impact the SDGs. And they had to write resolutions on the different potential commitments that EO could make to the SDGs.”
“It was really interesting to see adults go through similar emotions that students experience in Model UN — the thrill of sharing and pushing for your ideas — the passion of debating recommendations, of asking for specifics, of wondering whether this is good enough — and the sense of joy and gratitude of getting on the same page by the end of the summit, of realizing how remarkable it is to get this many entrepreneurs in the same room to talk about something that truly matters, and feeling like we can make a difference in the world.”
At the end of the Summit, all members and companies in attendance voted and agreed upon the following solutions to support the SDGs throughout the Entrepreneurs’ Organization.
Following the Summit, Ryan and Kevin have been speaking with the leaders of various EO Chapters to discuss how to implement EO’s commitments, especially how to create an EO Children Education program featuring partnerships with Model UN organizations, including the Model United Nations Institute.
“Teaching entrepreneurs and their children about the SDGs and how to impact them is perfectly aligned with our mission at Best Delegate and the MUN Institute,” says Ryan. “Kevin and I are excited to work with EO chapters to create this Children Education program and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to build companies that solve global problems.”
St. Vincent – St. Mary High School (STVM) is an independent Catholic school in Akron, Ohio. Since 2014, over 40 students from STVM have attended the MUN Institute across the United States at various levels – from beginner to advanced curriculum. According to student leader Fiona Gaffney, “Those who have attended the MUN Institute learned how to more quickly and effectively form speeches as well as how to organize a Model UN conference.”
The STVM MUN team at last year’s CCWA conference at Case Western Reserve, where they won a Best Delegation award.
This year, the STVM MUN team had about 20 students, and they attended five conferences: Cleveland Council on World Affairs Conference, Vanderbilt MUN Conference (VUMUN), Carnegie Mellon MUN Conference (CMUMUN), Washington Area MUN Conference (WAMUNC), and Ohio State University MUN Conference (OSUMUN). They also attended American University MUN Conference (AmeriMUNC) for the first time this year. At four out of five of these conferences, STVM won the Best Small Delegation award.
Gaffney says that the STVM MUN team stands out because they are tight-knit. “I believe that the family atmosphere of our team sets us apart from other teams we compete with. Every week at our meetings, the team eats dinner together as a family, and we take turns cooking dinner. Additionally, our team tries to have bonding activities a few times throughout the year, which allows us to grow closer as friends.”
Gaffney also cited community support as a big factor in the MUN team’s success. “One of the largest reasons our team succeeds is because of all the amazing support we receive from our advisor as well as the team parents. On behalf of our team I would like to say thank you to Mrs. Kofsky and our team’s parents as well as all the MUN advisors, teachers, and parents that allow MUN teams everywhere to thrive.”
Read on to learn more about the St. Vincent – St. Mary MUN team!
What is your MUN organization’s philosophy when it comes to training and preparing for MUN conferences?
Our MUN organization’s philosophy regarding training and preparing for conferences is that you have to be willing to work hard in order to succeed. We practice for four hours every week but the best delegates on our team put in many additional hours of their own time to prepare for competitions. Additionally, our training consists of a blend of simulations as well as speaking and writing exercise that allow new delegates to get feedback from veteran members.
What challenges did your MUN team face this year? How did you overcome them?
Last year, a large number of our team’s veteran delegates graduated, and one of the challenges our team faced this year was training a large number of new members. In order to do this, we had meetings specifically dedicated to training new delegates in different aspects of a MUN conference, such as resolution writing and speeches. We also paired new members with veteran members so that there would be one on one training time at meetings.
What would you consider your MUN organization’s biggest accomplishments from the past school year?
I would consider our MUN organization’s biggest achievement to be winning the Best Small Delegation Award at AmeriMUNC this year. We had a Conference right before AmeriMUNC so many of our team members did not have a lot of time to prepare for the conference. However, the team worked hard and was ultimately successful.
Thank you to Fiona Gaffney for contributing information used in this article!
Want to learn MUN skills to share with your school’s team? Check out the MUN Institute!
1. Learning from positive role models
4. Making new friends & meeting people from different backgrounds
