What's MUN?
Model United Nations is an authentic simulation of the General Assembly of the United Nations and its Committees, which transports students into the world of diplomacy and negotiation. During this simulation the students take on the roles of the Ambassadors from the countries, which are members of the UN, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, in order to debate the issues, which are on the agenda. The students or "delegates", prepare speeches, take part in debates, and plan strategies for negotiating with their allies and their adversaries, in order to resolve conflicts, all the time adhering to the code for parliamentary procedure laid down by the UN.
This simulation usually takes the shape of a Conference lasting several days. Every year worldwide, 250,000 students take part in these conferences; the main ones sponsored by the UN itself, take place in the UN Buildings in New York, Geneva, Vienna and now in Paris at UNESCO (www.asparis.org/pamun). The biggest European Conference takes place in The Hague, where for six days 3200 students and almost 400 teachers from all over the world, from Peking to Quito, come together (www.thimun.org). As a rule, the language spoken at the conferences is English but there are a few bi-lingual conferences: In Canada, in English/French, (www.canimun.org) or in Latin America , in English/Spanish. You can find the complete list of Conferences on www.unausa.org, the American Association for the United Nations website.
