The following article is written by Khai Nguyen, a Best Delegate Media Associate and Director-General of CHMUN XIV.

From January 11-12, 2019, the fourteenth iteration of the Chantilly Model United Nations Conference (CHMUN XIV), hosted by Chantilly High School Model United Nations, successfully highlighted the principles that Model UN celebrates through the attending delegates’ comprehensive debate and insightful resolutions. This year, the conference saw among the most talented delegates in the high school Model UN circuit, welcoming over 750 delegates from 35 schools around the national capital.

With the conference showcasing a theme of personal growth and development, this iteration of CHMUN opened with individual speeches from Secretary-General Priya Viswanathan, Under-Secretary-General Prithvi Kinariwala, and Director-General Khai Nguyen, who each shared a story pertaining to their personal growth as middle school delegates to now organizing one of the largest high school conferences on the East Coast. The conference then welcomed keynote speaker, Mr. Mark Giaconia, who served as an Army Green Beret in Bosnia, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, and Iraq for 15 years, and now holds two awards for valor from combat actions in Kosovo and Iraq. In addition to sharing his experiences while deployed, Mr. Giaconia also encouraged delegates to take this opportunity and strive for personal development in becoming more detail oriented, collaborative, and confident as they have been among the most important qualities required throughout his career.

Director-General Khai Nguyen, declaring CHMUN XIV in session!

Delegates moving into voting procedure in the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM)

After the conference was gaveled into session, each of the delegates reported to their respective committee rooms. This iteration of CHMUN featured twenty committees, each chaired by a Chantilly MUN Alumni to elevate both the quality of chairing and the delegates’ experiences as they debated the critical issues facing the international community. CHMUN has long since pride itself on having a diverse committee roster, spanning past the generic General Assemblies seen at nearly every conference. With committees ranging from the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) to King Arthur’s Roundtable or the Senate Committee on the Judiciary to the World Cyber Security Congress, it was the goal of the Secretariat to offer topics that ranged from historical to scientific and aim to expand debate across the past, present, and future and across all disciplines, encouraging delegates to develop new alliances in pursuit of a common goal and to resolve pressing global issues. Most importantly, however, beyond the competitive nature of the diverse committees, delegates were challenged to question common beliefs and reach beyond their comfort zone, placing diplomacy and inclusivity above all else.

In addition to priding itself on its committee line up, the main component that came to define this iteration of CHMUN, and hopefully those in the future, is its automation programs. Authored by Director-General Khai Nguyen, over 3,000 lines of code were integral to the success and efficiency of CHMUN XIV, and further elevated the experiences of delegates and their sponsors. One of these programs include a registration algorithm that was able to optimize position assignments, for each delegation to receive at least one of their requested country preference, eliminating human error, bias, and favoritism towards schools. This algorithm, paired with a program that generates payment invoices, was able to distribute position assignments and payment invoices within the hour of a delegation’s registration. Additionally, in order to remain punctual, despite having to condense the conference itinerary due to the inclement of weather, an awards program was able to instantaneously format and print awards, and calculate delegation awards in the process, ensuring that Closing Ceremonies start as scheduled. These programs, alongside others not mentioned, have come to define the punctuality and efficiency of CHMUN XIV.

JCC: LA Turf Wars – Crips Committee Chair, Misran Dolan delivering a crisis update.

Aside from the aforementioned programs, the backbone of the conference lies with its staffers who have spent months in preparation for CHMUN XIV. In particular, the Crisis Department, responsible for addressing all components of Crisis Committees, exceeded expectations through their integration of unique components that push the boundaries of a Crisis Committee. Their usage of technology for updates in the creation of videos and use of Twitter, elaborate assassination skits, inclusion of war simulations, and committee face offs between Joint Crisis Committees, ensured that committee sessions were constantly pushed forward with crisis updates, while maintaining a light and fun atmosphere.

Alongside providing experiences for attending delegates, the Secretariat additionally worked in order to ensure the livelihood of sponsors. In addition to providing food and refreshments, coordinated by the Hospitality Department, the CHMUN XIV Secretariat welcomed Best Delegate’s very own Mr. Aaron Kalafarski to run an Adviser Workshop that was attended by both veteran advisers and those wishing to expand their new delegations’ MUN programs.

Delegation awards presented at CHMUN XIV.

After a long year of hard work and preparation, the CHMUN XIV Secretariat would like to thank all CHMUN XIV Staffers, Keynote Speaker: Mr. Mark Giaconia, Adviser Workshop Director: Mr. Aaron Kalafarski, and all attending delegates and sponsors who have made CHMUN XIV a reality. With that, the Chantilly MUN organization looks forward to another successful conference in January of 2020!

For more information, visit chantillymun.org or contact chmunsg@nullgmail.com.

The empowerment of women has lead to the empowerment of nations and the international community. Here’s a few who have worked through the UN to get things done!

1.Malala Yousafzai

In 2012, Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Taliban in her home country of Pakistan while on her way to school. She was evacuated for medical treatment to the UK and has lived there ever since, dedicating her life to activism ever since. She has been on the forefront of advocated promoting education for girls around the world. In 2017, Secretary General Antonio Guterres named her the youngest UN Messenger of Peace with a special focus on girls’ education. Messengers are distinguished individuals designated by the UN to help focus worldwide attention on the work of the United Nations. Malala has become an important symbol of the UN and its work to achieve the SDGs. She has been selected to speak on several occasions including at the UN Youth Assembly this past September.

2.  Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt was appointed by President Harry Truman to the first ever American delegation to the UN in 1945, thus making her also the first woman to ever represent the U.S at the United Nations. “Being the only woman delegate from this country, I feel a great responsibility, also, to the women of my own country” said Roosevelt in response to her appointment. Her passion for advocacy soon landed her the position of the first Chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights in 1947. As Chair, Eleanor served as the driving force behind the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted on December 10th, 1948.

3. Margaret Anstee

Margaret Anstee is known by her title “woman of firsts”, due to the many positions at the UN she held which had never before been given to a woman. Anstee served as a British diplomat for many years before securing an administrative position at the UN offices in Manilla. She quickly rose in the rankings until landing the title of Under Secretary General in 1987, over thirty years after she first started her work at the UN. The position of USG is the third highest ranking position in the body, and Anstee became the first woman to hold it. In 1992, Anstee lead the peacekeeping mission to Angola, also becoming the first woman to ever lead a peacekeeping mission in the history of the UN.

4. Navenehtam Pillay

Navenehtam Pillay grew up as a non-white minority in apartheid South Africa. She dedicated her life to bringing justice to the oppressed by being the first woman to open a law practice South Africa’s Natal Province. Over her years as a lawyer, Pillay worked on many cases defending anti-apartheid campaigners and trade unionists. She served as a judge on the International Criminal Court before her appointment as the High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2008. In addition to her work at the UN, Pillay is a co-founder of the international NGO Equality Now, which campaigns for women’s rights.

5. Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher may never have held an official UN position, but she greatly influenced the UN during her time as Britain’s first female Prime Minister. She is most known for her work on climate change. In 1989, Thatcher made a ground-breaking speech at the UN General Assembly voicing her concerns and calling the international community to action to end climate change. She was also a chief organizer of the Second World Climate Conference, at which the Kyoto Protocol was drafted. The Kyoto Protocol is one of, if not the, most fundamental document on climate change put forward by the international community.

6. Emma Watson

You may only know Emma Watson as the Harry Potter series’ beloved Hermione Granger, but following her graduation from Brown University, Emma has dedicated her time to advocating for gender equality. In 2014, UN Women appointed Emma as their Goodwill Ambassador. She helped develop UN Women’s HeForShe campaign which promotes feminism amongst males. As part of her humanitarian efforts, Watson visited Bangladesh and Zambia to promote girls’ education. “Being asked to serve as UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador is truly humbling,” said Emma Watson. “The chance to make a real difference is not an opportunity that everyone is given and is one I have no intention of taking lightly. Women’s rights are something so inextricably linked with who I am, so deeply personal and rooted in my life that I can’t imagine an opportunity more exciting.”

In Model UN, crafting your resolution and selling its ideas to the committee are some of the most important objectives facing any delegate. But everyone gets a chance to debate and vote on the resolutions of any committee they are in; it’s far more challenging to be the one responsible for the content of a resolution, and to further defend it. Although experienced delegates might already be aware of some basic methods with which to craft effective resolutions, there are always competing delegates who will try to detract or undermine your own clauses. Taking your resolution writing from a place where it is passable, to being outright bulletproof can make all the difference in any committee.

Written with contribution from various students in the North American Model United Nations community.

If you’re a woman who has been a delegate or staffer at a Model United Nations conference before, chances are you’ve experienced all or most of these common sexism issues in MUN. It can be extremely frustrating to experience the same gender-based discrimination over and over again. While these actions are rarely intentional and most of us don’t even realize when we’re doing them, there are steps we can all take to be better allies for women in MUN through noticing these common situations and acting to handle them. 

1) Being talked over. Constantly.

Scientific studies have actually shown that people are less likely to hear a voice that is a higher pitch (like a woman’s). We’ve all heard a man with a loud, deep voice be able to command a room or bloc. Many times, women delegates try to contribute to conversations in unmoderated caucuses or within their bloc, only to be ignored, interrupted, or talked over. No matter if you are a self-identifying woman, we can all notice this issue of being spoken over. Call it out when you see it! Being an ally for women in your committee and bloc is incredibly important. If you respectfully point out that someone is being talked over or ignored constantly, odds are the rest of your group will become more aware of what they’ve been doing and will make an effort to be more equitable in speaking.

2) Being told you’re too “aggressive” or “bossy.”

It is common for Model UN delegates to be assertive and strong leaders. A common negative reaction to women trying to lead is for people to call them bossy. It’s personally frustrating and can lead to women doubting their own abilities, and feeling pressured to stand down or be more amicable. If you are a woman with the patience and motivation, you can attempt to calmly explain your perspective of the situation. Remind yourself that while “bossy” has a negative connotation, CEOs, politicians, world leaders and game changers were once all called bossy: reclaim the world and proudly declare yourself a boss! While it can feel like stereotypes surround you, there will always be delegates who trust, respect and want to work with successful, intelligent delegates, regardless of gender. There is no need to change your behavior for someone else’s insecurities, just focus on your own abilities.

3) Being reduced to your wardrobe choices.

While men may wear the same suit for two or even three days of a conference, women can feel the need to obsess over how their wardrobe choices will affect how others think of them. Many women in MUN have been told to “wear a pink dress so you don’t seem threatening and can flirt with the chair” or “if you wear pants and flats you’ll look too manly.” Thus, some delegates will spend lots of time over finding the right balance. While it’s easier said than done, ignore the haters. Have a few outfits on deck per conference that you feel comfortable wearing, so you can feel confident in your clothes and focus on substance-related issues during debate. Classic black and white and a blazer will do the trick, or if you are feeling more daring, wearing brighter colors will make you more easily noticed in the committee room. If you hate having painful blisters at the end of the day, just go for the flats – no one will notice or care. But most of all, just pick what you feel most comfortable in. Our clothes can help us feel confident, and that is the key to success at the end of the day.

4) Being pitted against other women in committee.

In Model UN, it is extremely common to see committee awards where one woman awards amongst many men. This is due to many issues, both institutional and stereotype-based. It’s possible that the chair has inherent biases against more assertive women without realizing it, or that the women in committee were constantly spoken over and ignored. It’s also possible there are fewer women in committee, due to institutionalized inaccessibility within individual MUN teams. This can make women strive to be “the best woman,” instead of “the best delegate,” and hope to see others fail for the sake of competition and for that one seat at the table. To address this, check yourself. If you find yourself thinking thoughts like “I have to be the best woman in committee,” take a second to reflect on why that is not okay. At the end of the day, making sure to support other women is more important than any award, so if you would like to, you can potentially reach out to other women and work with them more. While you don’t have to be in a bloc with other powerful women, chances are you have a lot in common either way. Making friends or, at the very least, not targeting each other can create an environment where women can focus on doing their best work, rather than on competition.

5) Experiencing a very binary, traditional system.

Often times, we talk about Model UN and delegates’ qualities in terms of masculinity or femininity, but there is a wider spectrum of people that can feel rightfully underrepresented. It’s easy to use gender norms to classify debate style. For example, cooperative styles are associated with “feminine delegates” while more competitive, aggressive styles can be associated with “masculine qualities.” Chairs in Model UN can sometimes institutionally decide awards based on who displays the more masculine qualities (though, of course, this does not apply to everyone). As a chair, you can try to foster a more open environment by making your expectations clear to delegates at the beginning of committee, such as: no backstabbing, no excluding of delegates, and we will judge awards based on a holistic scale. As a staffer, try to push yourself to not use gender when talking about delegates (“the woman from Pakistan,” “the blonde guy,” etc.) and call it out if you notice blocs are forming around gender lines. This further breaks down gender norms within committee.

6) Not being perceived as substantive.

Many women in Model UN have been treated as though they just don’t understand the topic, and are faced with patronizing explanations (mansplaining) or are simply ignored. This is especially true in military, business, science, or technology committees, reflective of the real-world areas that are dominated by men and inaccessible for women. Women have to fight to be given respect and trust that is automatically given to men who speak confidently, even if the woman is an expert on the topic.

Women in MUN can sometimes research and prepare much more than other delegates, in anticipation of being questioned or in fear of getting something wrong. While frustrating, this is an advantage that you can leverage. Back up your position with facts and don’t be apologetic. Finding allies can also alleviate a huge amount of stress; if you have honest conversations with other delegates that you trust, they can be invaluable. Communicating that certain delegates are questioning everything you say or not treating you like an equal member of the bloc can help others recognize the pattern.  Allies can back you up with simple phrases such as “she wrote this clause, let’s listen to her” or “that was her idea, you need to talk to her about amendments.” In crisis committees, standing your ground if someone questions your directive or your crisis arc can be important.

7) Seeing sexism within your own MUN team.

Sexism in Model United Nations does not just occur at the conference level. Within each team, high school or college, there could be institutionalized biases within team structures that prevent travel or competition at conferences in the first place. Inequitable structures could include men dominating leadership positions, women being selected from tryouts for travel team less, or women being barred from doing crisis committees. They could also include remarks or jokes regarding women and competing in Model UN conferences. The smallest things can lead to a perpetuation of sexism and a toxic environment within your team. To solve these common issues, start dialogue about how all people can be supportive of women in MUN by bringing out these core issues and discussing solutions to them, both on the side of women who face them and on the side of others who can be more effective allies. This can be uncomfortable, especially when the perpetrator is a friend or someone you trust has good intentions – but try to be okay with being uncomfortable.

Additionally, going to your advisor to discuss your concerns can emphasize your passion for the issue and give you administrative support. Your advisor may even have some good ideas on how to tackle issues of sexism and ensure that women within the team are supported. Lastly, though this is easier said than done, if you are a self-identifying woman who wants to be on the leadership board of your team, make it known and never give up on achieving that goal. Change starts with each individual, and having more diverse leadership can be very inspiring for younger generations looking to get into Model UN.

Conclusion

While these are some of the most common issues women can face, the list certainly does not end here. There are many other common instances of gender-based discrimination, from the subconscious to the outright (check out our list of WoMUNecdotes!) It is vital, therefore, is to think critically about the social dynamics around you and to call out sexism when you see it. Most importantly, have conversations, practice empathy, and focus on being the best delegate you can, regardless of how others see you.

Taking on the challenge of creating solutions to issues experienced diplomats have not been able to solve is one of the most exhilarating and rewarding aspects of Model UN. But due to the creative nature of this task, many beginner and advanced delegates alike have trouble determining where to start. In this step-by-step guide to building the perfect solution, we’re going to cover everything from research, to funding, and finally how to present your solutions in committee.

Delegates present their resolutions

Step 1: Determining the “genre” of your topic

The first step to building the perfect solution is to know what type of topic you are dealing with. Not only does this narrow down your research, but it can also help you understand the capabilities of your committee. The “genre” of your topic can range anywhere from security, to humanitarian, to economic.  Usually, you’ll be able to determine this simply by looking at the basic information about your committee and topic in the background guide, if provided by your committee chairs, or simply by visiting your committee’s website to learn more about what type of situations it aims to solve.

Once you’ve determined the “genre” of your topic, you will be better equipped to brainstorm and research solutions. This is because different types of topics require completely different solutions. For example, a security-based solution, or one dealing with conflict zones, will often involve solutions centered around peacekeepers and elections. Other more humanitarian based solutions will often require program-based initiatives, working with NGO’s, and room for more creativity. When brainstorming solutions it’s also important to note the mandate of your committee and its capabilities. Keep in mind that each committee has the resources and is permitted to do certain actions. The security council, for instance, usually limits its actions to deploying peacekeepers, imposing sanctions, and condemning governments. If you were not able to define one genre for your topic, you can use subtopics to address each specific genre.

Step 2: Breaking your issue down into subtopics

Subtopics are not only a useful tool when it comes to writing your position paper, but can also help diminish the daunting nature of solution building. By identifying two to four (usually three) areas within your topic that you would like to discuss, you can better organize your solutions to address all three subtopics. If you were not able to define a specific genre for your topic, you can use subtopics to break your issue into three genres, such as economic, humanitarian, and security.

An example of subtopics for a committee on the Situation in Lebanon can be the refugee crisis, border disputes, and terrorism. These subtopics are pretty specific and allow you to delve deeper into your research. This also helps with solution building, because you can focus on creating solutions for these three specific subtopics, instead of being faced with the task of brainstorming solutions for “Situation in Lebanon” as a whole, which at first glance seems intimidating.

Step 3: Analyzing pre-existing solutions

The third step in the process of solution building exists to both inspire your original solutions and improve on pre-existing ones. By analyzing current or past actions taken by the UN, governments, or NGO’s, you can determine what’s been effective and which solutions need improvement. This is a great place to start if you are a beginner delegate and have no experience in solution building. If you are an advanced delegate, this strategy can be used to gain a deeper understanding of the topic and lay the foundation for your original ideas.

To analyze pre-existing solutions you can visit the UN’s website and read through previous resolutions on your topic. You can also research specific plans or programs and determine whether or whether not they’ve been successful in helping solve the issue. For example, if your topic involves the use of peacekeepers there is a lot of controversy regarding their effectiveness. Different online sources can give you information on the progress of peacekeeping missions including the peacekeeping website itself: https://peacekeeping.un.org/en.

Step 4: Brainstorming original ideas

In my opinion, this step is most fun of them all because it involves originality. One of the most rewarding feelings I’ve experienced while on the MUN circuit has been seeing my own ideas manifested in committee resolutions. In order to brainstorm your own ideas you will have had to have conducted in-depth research on your topic and past actions. As you research more and more, you’ll notice how the ideas begin to flood your brain! Original ideas can come in the form of the development or implementation of new technologies, educational curriculums, forums, and anything else that your MUN-loving heart desires! Just make sure that your solutions seriously address all aspects of the topic and are reasonable within the framework of your committee.

Step 5: Funding

During committee sessions, you’ll begin to notice how many delegates stumble when asked how they’re going to fund their solution. This is due to the fact that many delegates forget that funding is an important part of brainstorming their ideas for solutions. It’s important to come into committee prepared to defend your solutions against all possible challenges. To fund your solutions, there are a few places you should look towards such as the budget of your committee, The World Bank, NGO’s, and specific members states. For example, if an NGO is involved in something similar to your proposed solution, you can suggest creating a funding partnership with that NGO. Also, keep in mind that funding methods will vary based on your country policy. The United States, for instance, has more money to put towards programs than a developing country like Tuvalu. Overall, however, don’t worry too much about funding – you can always say “delegates funding decisions to the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly.” This committee oversees administrative and budgetary matters, and is accurate to how the real UN addresses funding!

Step 6: Presenting your solutions (“PAINT”)

The last step will finally take you away from your desk and into your committee room, where you will have the opportunity to present your solution before fellow member states. When I’m presenting my solutions in committee, I like to think of myself as a saleswoman trying to get as many countries as I can to buy my product. In order to be a successful salesperson, you’ll need an effective sales technique to grab the attention of consumers and force them to remember your product. That’s where PAINT comes in. “PAINT” stands for:

P– Phrase (“Lead with Purpose” US National Security Strategy 2015)

A- Acronym (SDG’s: Sustainable Development Goals o  Triple R: Refugee Reintegration and Rehabilitation)

I- Image (The “Roadmap” to peace in the Middle East)

N- Number or Name (The UN’s “Zero Hunger Challenge” or “Malala Day”)

T- Time or Year (France’s 2020 Vision, or Russia’s 3-Year Plan)

By utilizing PAINT strategies, both delegates and chairs will remember your ideas. It’s more likely that delegates will mention your solution in their speeches if there’s a catchy acronym or slogan to accompany it. Once you’ve “sold” your solutions to fellow member states, the hard part is over. Now you get to frame your resolution in your room as a lasting reminder of your hard work and creativity!

This article is a guest submission from Lasya Mudigati, the Chief of Staff of JP Stevens High School Model United Nations for 2018-2019. 

JP Stevens Model UN is undeniably a unique community. Year after year we compete at national and international competitions and never fail to leave our mark of excellence, despite coming from a public school located in humble Edison, New Jersey. Every year we teach our delegates to speak stronger, lead prouder, and work harder than everyone around them. But there’s another unique aspect of John P. Stevens Model UN that isn’t quite as positive: we are known for being one of the most male dominated delegations among the circuit.

JPSMUN ILMUNC 2018 Outstanding Large Delegation

Last year we won the coveted Outstanding Large Delegation Award at ILMUNC and after closing ceremonies we had two more gavels than we had girls on the team. Out of the 24 upperclassmen that are considered to be part of our national team, only two are females. Our 2017-2018 secretariat consisted of two secretaries-general and three directors-general — and every single position was filled by a male.

Recently these facts have gotten our team wondering about how we’ve ended up in such a situation. I’ve personally done a lot of thinking and have thought back to some of my very first Model UN meetings in high school. From the very beginning, there were always more boys who showed up to the meetings and who competed at mocks and locals. And slowly but surely, the very few girls who attempted to make their way up the Model UN ladder soon disappeared and before I knew it, I was the only girl left in my grade. It seemed as though the only people who were even capable of making the team or winning national awards were male.

But what I’ve questioned to this day is how come it was always the boys who were more interested in being leaders and speaking up? How come it was always the boys who never lost interest and continued to pursue Model UN? It’s no secret that society has instilled in boys that they should be leaders and that they should command the respect of the people around them, which is why they choose to stick with Model UN. For boys, it is more than just an extracurricular; it is a way for them to show that they are “alpha males.”

I decided to take the time before writing this piece to ask some of the girls who were interested in Model UN earlier in their high school career what it was that made them lose motivation; needless to say, most of the responses I received were pretty disheartening. Many of the girls simply felt that the club was a dead end. Common responses that I heard were that “I don’t think I could be any good” or “It’s just too competitive for me.” A lot of the girls that I talked to decided to pursue clubs such as FCCLA and JPaws (our school club which volunteers at our local pet shelter) instead, which led me to do some more thinking.

The skills which are required for Model UN are often those which are associated with masculinity, which is most likely why girls tend to automatically assume that they do not have the capacity to succeed in a Model UN setting. A lot of girls seem to think that they don’t have it in them to compete with the boys in a club which demands public speaking and leadership prowess. Additionally, the environment of JP itself certainly does not help aid their confidence in the sense that everywhere these girls look — every delegation picture, every Instagram post, every Snapchat story — it is almost always all boys.

JPSMUN Junior Class at ILMUNC 2019

And while some have accepted this tendency as inherent and inevitable, I’ve always believed that I am someone who refuses to take no as an answer, which is why I have been an advocate for some big changes here at JPSMUN. This past year, the JPSMUN E-board along with our advisor have talked a lot about what we can do as a club to ameliorate this situation and change the face of JPSMUN forever. I’ve come up with three main things that each and every Model UN Team around the team is capable of doing:

1. Encourage a culture of sisterhood: Often we hear of a “boys’ club” that males tend to create in the professional world, which provides them with networking and mentoring opportunities that are completely out of reach for females. Unsurprisingly, the boys’ club which is apparent in the professional world can be observed in a similar fashion in Model UN. All the “inside jokes” and “all-guy hangouts” certainly allow for boys to create deep connections with each other and develop a strong circle — impenetrable to females. Within these circles, boys train, encourage, and challenge each other to be the best and
   provide themselves and each other with every opportunity possible. After wondering for years and years about what I could possibly do to become a part of this “boys’ club,” I realized that the solution lies elsewhere: creating a “girls’ club.” In a club which is so competitive, girl-on-girl competition is common, as even girls sometimes tend to see each other as weak links. It is imperative that we as girls go out of our way to support one and other and take it upon ourselves to train the younger generations of female delegates. Girls, just like boys, want to feel supported and prepared, which is why it is so important to simulate a sisterhood within Model UN that will allow for girls in MUN to not
   only become part of an extracurricular activity, but a close-knit support group. Looking back at my own Model UN career, I received an overwhelming amount of support from the few other females in the club, which may have been one of the reasons that I chose to stay over many of my peers.
2. Prepare girls for every unique challenge they’ll face as a delegate: For all women in Model UN, there are certain challenges that we will inherently face and preparing girls for such experiences before hand will certainly ensure that they will have a better Model UN experience as well as a better likelihood of culminating success within the club. Women tend to be shorter and have softer voices than our male counterparts, so it inevitably becomes harder for females to command the attention of a bloc during an unmoderated caucus. Additionally, while loud and strong male delegates are often considered to be
   charismatic and good leaders, confident female delegates are very easily labeled as “bossy” and “aggressive.” Such challenges are likely to deter women from Model UN so it is important that we make each other aware of them as well as prepare each other with how to react in such situations. Knowing that we are at a biological disadvantage, we must constantly remind girls to stay determined and never forget to project their voices. Personally, if another male delegate is continuously talking over me, another tactic I’ve learned is to allow for other delegates within the bloc to speak. By doing so, I’ve helped to facilitate debate, which not only establish me as a leader, but also creates good
   relations with my bloc. When I am labeled “bossy” or “aggressive,” I often look to my co-del or any other ally within my committee to put an end to the gossip and assure to the delegates within my bloc that such allegations are not true.
3. Separate then integrate: Something which I wish to implement into the JPSMUN training program in the future is to have all-girls mocks and training events. By doing so, many of the girls who were initially intimidated by competing with all the boys in the club will have the opportunity to develop their skills before they are placed in such a setting. As a club, we will be able to better prepare females in the club and also get a feel for when they are ready to compete with the rest of the team. Thus, we can ensure that girls will not only be less intimidated, but also that they will feel more supported and better prepared to succeed. Hosting such events will also bring about camaraderie between females in the club, which will help in creating the aforementioned “girls’ club” in Model UN.

Ultimately, Model UN has been one of the most important aspects of my high school career and has taught me so much about leadership, speaking, and writing, which is why I wish for more girls in my school to be able to gain all that I have. I think it is imperative for not only JPSMUN, but all teams on the circuit to start thinking about encouraging girls and changing the face of Model UN forever.

This article was written by Elisa Moraes-Liu, a Best Delegate Media Associate 

Walking into the North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN) Ad-Hoc, the competitive ‘championship’ of high school crisis committees organized by Georgetown University, my worries bounced around how little I’d understood about the cryptic topic clues, how I was entering my first committee where preparation was not allowed, and how the button on my blazer was a string away from falling off.  

However, prior to arriving in Ad-Hoc, what I wasn’t worried about was the gender imbalance I would encounter. After settling down and being introduced to two intimidating individuals who would chair and moderate the committee and an astoundingly large amount of crisis staffers, I soon realized that I was one of the only 4 girls in the room of 20 delegates. Additionally, out of the 6 crisis staffers in the committee, only one was a woman.

Ad-Hoc was designed to challenge delegates to think on the spot and immerse themselves in difficult topics with little preparation or knowledge on the topic. Prior to the committee, delegates were only offered a series of cryptic clues about the topics, which included ciphers and quotes from historical figures. Ad-Hoc brought together advanced delegates from around the country to compete in rigorous committee sessions, challenging their skills as crisis delegates. During the committee, I heard delegates joking about it was comparable to the ‘head-delegate’ meeting, since so many of the participants were leaders of their schools’ delegations. (Read more about it at https://bestdelegate.com/naimun-lvi-brings-back-ad-hoc/). I came prepared to test my debate and conflict resolution skills. What I didn’t expect was to find myself facing a massive gender imbalance.

Ad-hoc delegates debating at NAIMUN LVI

The gender disparity utterly surprised me, and I reached out to competitors on the high school and collegiate Model UN circuits. From them, I learned that issues of gender imbalance plague the Model UN community. There is often a low number of women delegates participating in high-level crisis committees, and those who participate often face unequal challenges.

Being primarily a General Assembly delegate, I had not noticed the gender imbalance within the crisis community and was at first taken aback. How could an activity focused so heavily on debating world issues such as gender equality have such a huge gender issue of its own? We work constantly in our committees to create solutions through directives and resolutions. As skilled problem-solvers, why can’t we do the same to solve this gender imbalance?

The first step to finding effective solutions is addressing the root of the problem. Why does this gender balance exist? Ad-Hoc Crisis Manager Margaret Hodson points out the gender bias in and out of committees is a key issue. “Competent, confident women are often perceived as more aggressive than their male peers that display similar behavior,” she said. “As such, women can be unfairly painted as ‘b*tches’ or ‘snakes’ when men with the same behavior don’t receive such labels”. These labels can disincentive other delegates from collaborating with women, which can disadvantage them in joint personal directives, bloc building, or getting sponsors for directives.”

In crisis committees, the debate is more individually focused and delegates are encouraged to follow their individual ‘crisis arcs’ to shape the path of the committee. Competitiveness is often what is expected from delegates when awards are being deliberated and performances are ranked. However, women are often shunned for exhibiting competitive behavior, and this creates a dilemma for those interested in participating in crisis, especially in the fast-paced and more competitive committees such as Ad-Hoc.

Ad-Hoc chair Suraag Srinivas also sees the competitive nature as a barrier for women participating in crisis. “There’s a lot of problems especially with what people expect and assume of delegates in crisis committees- A lot of the time snake-y and aggressive things are what’s assumed to be the norm and assumed to be what is required to award,” he said. With delegates working towards their individual crisis arcs, collaboration is often not emphasized as much as when delegates are forced to cooperate in blocs to draft resolution in General Assemblies or specialized committes.

Women using competitive tactics that men routinely employ to succeed in these committees are often labeled as “bossy” or “overbearing.” The unique expectation placed on women of being collaborative in a competitive environment serves as a barrier for women to succeed in committees.

There is also an unfortunate notion that women do not belong in these competitive environments prevalent in the committee selection process, which occurs prior to a Model UN conference. Model UN advisers and teams select which of their students will compete in the most prestigious crisis committees, and the gender inequality in NAIMUN Ad-Hoc reflects the implicit biases of the individuals making decisions. Women might be placed by their MUN teams in General Assembly or specialized committees due to the belief they would do better in a particular environment. This bias reduces the opportunity for female participation in crisis committees.

The lack of representation creates a cycle in which women are reluctant to participate because they know that they will be a minority within the committee. This cycle continuously harms and disadvantages women. It can be difficult to establish alliances when you are one of the only women in the room; meanwhile, ‘boys clubs’ are easily formed. During periods of unstructured time, such as unmoderated caucuses or even lunch breaks that functionally continue committee, the experience can be an especially grueling for women being ignored or talked over. This type of environment can make delegates reluctant to return, and the crisis circuit becomes susceptible to losing the already scarce women participants it has.

In order to create a more equitable environment, we must end the notion that women don’t belong in the competitive environment of crisis committees. Steps can include outreach efforts to high school and college MUN teams to encourage women participation in crisis. Outreach efforts can help reduce the notion that many teams seem to implicitly hold that MUN teams which women should participate in GAs rather than in crisis committees.

Another solution is increasing awareness. Gender imbalance is endemic in Model UN, and all delegates participating should be made aware of these issues. In the past, Georgetown’s MUN team has hosted ‘Women in MUN’ round tables. “Georgetown has run Women in MUN sessions, and it has helped to increase awareness amongst our team about the challenges female delegates face,” explained Hodson. This not only helps encourage women to participate in crisis committees by being prepared for these challenges, but it also helps male delegates serve as effective allies in the MUN community. (Read more about it at https://bestdelegate.com/how-to-run-a-women-in-model-un-program/). Schools can adopt similar approaches to encourage women to participate in crisis committees. Teams need to have honest conversations about gender issues on the Model UN circuit so that informed delegates can make conscious choices and help mitigate, rather than reinforce, societal biases.

On the conference organizational level, chairs and crisis staffers should be aware of gender-based challenges so they can work to reduce the obstacles faced by women in a room. “Chairs and Crisis Managers must be fully aware of the biases and obstacles that women face in crisis and take this into account,” Hodson said. “Especially when considering performance within the context of awards deliberation. When possible, the staffing of committees should ideally include an equal representation of women and men.” Srinivas also agrees with this point. “A lot of it falls on staffers to change the criteria of what kinds of behavior we reward in committees, but also on delegates to set standards for how they interact in committee,” he said. “ Ultimately though, if we as staffers don’t reward collaboration, substance, etc. then no one will do anything differently, so I think a lot of the agency falls on staff to lead that change.”

Ad-Hoc showed me an unfortunate side of an activity which I am passionate about. While the problems of gender under-representation are prevalent in the MUN circuit, it is important that we do not come to accept this norm. We need to openly discuss gender equity in MUN as we strive to change the dynamics of crisis committees.  

Whether delivering opening remarks before a whole committee or speaking to a whole bloc about a merger, public speaking is one of the central skills any delegate needs in order to participate in Model UN. For newer delegates and introverts (like me), this can often be a hurtle at first; speaking in front of fifty, one-hundred, or even four-hundred people isn’t always the most comfortable thing in the world. Yet, building confidence in public speaking (or faking it), though achievable through consistent practice, isn’t as difficult as it may sound. By adjusting how you present yourself, and where you focus during your speech, not only do you look more confident, but you’ll begin to feel more confident. Here are some key tips taken from Best Delegate’s Diplomat program on how to become more confident in speaking.

This article is written from the first person perspective of Genevieve Pool, Editor of Best Delegate Content and Georgetown’s Director of Team Affairs.

In 2016, we advertised ChoMUN’s new forum on diversity. This was an exciting new initiative to create a conversation around gender, race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic inclusion, taking the form of a moderated conversation. I was fortunate to attend this Friday morning of ChoMUN 2017, after working (and in some ways fighting) to create regular conversations about inclusivity for my team.

It was exciting to meet like-minded individuals on the circuit, and the conversation felt far too short for me. Additionally, it was disappointing to see how few of the delegates present at the conference chose to come, especially since there was only one GA committee and delegates did not have to meet in blocs. The question left on my mind, therefore, was: how can we create this impact at scale? How could we bring this conversation to more delegates than the handful who chose to show up and speak up?

Step one was to continue the conversation on my home team, and to expand past conversations of just gender. We’ve since hosted forums ranging from panels to activities to informal conversations sitting on the floor of a classroom. I’ve seen members of our team push themselves to consider inclusion where they haven’t before, and we’ve hired our first majority-female USG staff, had our first woman head delegate, sent our first dual women double delegate teams into a General Assembly committee, and revolutionized our financial aid process.

Step two was to expand in DC. The most exciting conversation occurred when American University, another DC team, was able to join us for our most crowded event yet. AU brought new ideas and team-specific issues we hadn’t discussed before. More importantly, when competing together at conferences this year we’ve had those relationships built. There have been multiple instances since when members of our two delegations have come together to address an issue of inclusion or discrimination one of our delegates has faced. I know that I have allies in the American team, which makes a huge difference in feeling comfortable calling out discrimination in a competitive setting.

Step three was taking these conversations beyond just our team. The National Collegiate Security Conference (NCSC) 2018 saw the first Inclusivity in MUN forum, and while most of the participants were my delegates, we had some really important conversations around gender, staffing, and team leadership. Since I had been largely focused on the college circuit, I was surprised when the executives of the North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN) asked me to host a similar forum – but excited. This past weekend at NAIMUN, I spent a sleep-deprived hour of Saturday morning sharing my experiences and answering questions as best as I could with just five delegates and their moderator (from a top MUN high school), and it was one of the best conversations I’ve had. We discussed everything from how staffers can factor diversity into awards decisions, disability and learning styles in various types of MUN committees, and that ever-difficult balance of inclusion and competitiveness. I was stopped in the hallway later by a delegate with follow-up questions, who prioritized our conversation enough to ask her bloc members to come back later.

With graduation looming, I wish I had done more throughout my four years on the MUN circuit. But throughout these four years I’ve also seen a growth in conversations around exclusion, a better system to call out biased actions, and a prioritization on competitive teams of inclusion above awards. I’ve been grateful to Best Delegate for providing a platform on which these conversations can happen and diverse individuals can share perspectives. There’s still a long way to go, but I believe that continued commitment to change on individual, team, and circuit levels are all capable of creating sustainable change.

From November 9th to 11th, 2018, delegates throughout the United States traveled to Rhode Island to attend the 22nd session of the Brown University Simulation of the United Nations (BUSUN). With an annual theme of “promoting vital dialogue”, delegates were challenged to come up with unique solutions to global health issues that approached Sustainable Development Goal 3: “to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.”

By 6:30 PM, faculty advisors and delegates began to pour into Salomon Hall for Opening Ceremonies. Keynote speaker Dr. Adam Levine, Director for the Humanitarian Innovation Initiative at Brown University, spoke about his experience in responding to humanitarian crises throughout the world. Having led research in regions such as Asia and Africa, Dr. Levine’s unique perspective enabled him to discuss the challenges involved with the delivery of humanitarian assistance as well as the future of responses to global health issues. Secretaries-General Colette Bare and Jourdan Smithwick followed Dr. Levine’s presentation by calling BUSUN XXII into session.

Keynote speaker Dr. Adam Levine at Opening Ceremonies

After Opening Ceremonies, delegates entered their committees for the first session of the conference. With a total of 37 committees, this year’s BUSUN offered a wide array of General Assemblies, Specialized Committees, and Crisis Committees. From cryptocurrency regulation in the European Union to the Algerian War of Independence in the National Liberation Front, delegates had the opportunity to debate a set of diverse issues from both present and past.

Delegates completing their working papers in an unmoderated caucus

Outside of committee sessions, delegates had a wide range of activities to choose from. Prior to Opening Ceremonies, delegates could attend workshops to learn about the structure of Crisis Committees or advanced parliamentary procedure. For prospective delegates, the BUSUN Secretariat not only provided delegates with campus tours of Brown University but also the chance to experience classes relating to international relations. Finally, by the end of the second day, delegates were invited to “A Night at Brown,” BUSUN’s annual social with music, photobooths, and games for delegates to enjoy.

Delegates participating in the delegate dance at “A Night at Brown”

At the end of committees’ final sessions, delegations gathered once more at Salomon Hall for Closing Ceremonies. Before chairs spoke distributed committee awards, Secretaries-General Colette Bare and Jourdan Smithwick took the time to present the Erinn Phelan Award. The Erinn Phelan Award was established in 2011, in honor of former BUSUN Secretary-General Erinn Phelan after she became the victim of a hit-and-run accident. With the goal of promoting women leadership and empowerment, the Erinn Phelan Award is given to delegates that best embody its virtues.

This year, delegates Aliyah Logan and Alice Blackwood received the Erin Phelan Award

With BUSUN XXII gaveled out of session, many delegates left Brown University excited for next year’s iteration of the conference.

Every year on March 8th, communities around the world celebrate International Women’s Day. This global holiday recognizes the importance of gender equality, as well as the importance of empowering women of every age in all nations.

The MUN Institute works hard to align with the educational values of the United Nations – especially on issues like gender equality. Every summer, we see how important it is for young people – whether they’re female, male, or non-binary – to have access to education that will develop their understanding of global issues like sustainable development, nuclear non-proliferation, and more.

One of the most important aspects of participating in a crisis committees is the amount of paper you push. Of course, it’s important to generate a large volume of documents, but keep in mind the idea of quality over quantity. It’s much better to introduce a few well-planned documents and get them passed, rather than introduce thirty rushed documents, none of which end up passing. Before you can begin writing these thorough, high-quality, documents, it’s necessary to understand what kind of documents crisis committees use, and how you can use each type to your character’s advantage.

Research can be an intimidating stage for many beginner delegates. Proper research skills are typically not introduced to students in school until later in high school. Without adequate research, delegates lack the foundation required to reach their full potential in a Model United Nations committee. How can middle school and younger high school students equip themselves with the research skills needed to excel in Model UN?

Best Delegate has created a world-class Model UN curriculum with the aim of bringing the best in every delegate. This curriculum has helped thousands of delegates become more confident and competitive delegates and excel in their committees. Delegates at Best Delegate’s inaugural conference, BDMUNC, underwent a five-week training plan in preparation for the conference. In Week 2 of the training program, delegates were introduced to resources and techniques to help launch their research. With the interactive activities and worksheets, delegates learned more about their assigned countries on their respective committee topics, which ranged from access to clean water to the situation in Yemen. In Week 3 of the training program, delegates learned about the elements of a great position paper and took the lesson into action by writing their own position paper for BDMUNC.

BDMUNC’s Under-Secretary-General of Committees Sam Taglia commented on Best Delegate’s pre-conference training curriculum, saying “The especially unique part about BDMUNC is the fact that we wrote 5 weeks of contents for delegates to read through on any areas that they might find troublesome going into the conference. This is not something that’s done by any other conference on the circuit. This is something that BDMUNC has started and something that BDMUNC hopes other conferences will emulate.”

With these lessons and more, delegates arrive at BDMUNC ready for more delegate training and later engage in debate in their committees!

Interested in learning about Best Delegate’s educational programs? Check out bestdelegate.com

Model UN is used by thousands of delegates worldwide as a way of learning and improving their English language skills. However, typical conferences with a focus on competition and awards can be an intimidating and possibly unwelcoming environment for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. At Best Delegate, we value diversity and strive to create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for delegates of all backgrounds. Best Delegate welcomes delegates from over 40 countries to the Model United Nations Institute (MUNI) and even hosts the English Exchange program specifically for delegates who want to enhance their English language skills.

Our inaugural conference, BDMUNC, welcomed many delegates with the same goal in mind. In 4 fun-filled days of training sessions, expert briefings, and committee sessions, delegates are immersed in an environment that fosters growth and learning of English reading, listening, writing, and speaking skills.

Hailing from China, BDMUNC Secretary-General Angela Min Yi Hou joined Model UN to improve her own English language skills. In regards to how BDMUNC can support ESL delegates, she commented “BDMUNC offers a feedback-oriented and a very catered learning experience. Because we maintain a small student to staff ratio, the students get more attention, more encouragement, more specific, actionable feedback that will be able to help them break out of their shells and not be afraid to make mistakes.”

With the knowledge and experience acquired during their time at BDMUNC, ESL delegates will gain the confidence to actively participate in English-language MUN committees and increase their English proficiency!

Interested in learning more about Best Delegate’s educational programs? Check out bestdelegate.com

Participating in Model United Nations requires a lot of skills – public speaking, negotiation, debate, problem-solving, and more. Most of these skills are utilize during committee sessions, but one big MUN skill is required before the conference even begins. Research is a key part of preparing for any MUN conference, and it can be one of the most time-consuming parts as well.

We’re here to make things easy when it comes to all things MUN, and today, we’re focusing on research! Below, you’ll find 6 sources to make your MUN research easier, as well as information about our awesome Country Profile and Policy Map that has information about every country.

Key Sources to Check Before Every Model UN Conference

1. CIA World Factbook Page: The go-to site for MUNers, the World Factbook is the perfect place to start your MUN research about your assigned country. It has information about your country’s geography, economy, government, population, and many more facts and figures!

2. Speeches at the United Nations: Want to find out what your country has actually said about your topic at the UN? Using the UN Member States on the Record tool, you can find all the statements your country has made to the UN General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, and Security Council in the past few decades.

3. Official Government Website: As a Model UN delegate, you’re representing the government of the country you’re assigned. Check out their website to see what your government has to say about the issue.

4. UN Permanent Mission: Check out your country’s permanent mission to the UN to find out who your Permanent Representative to the UN is, find quotes, and search for your country’s position on the most important issues to your committee.

5. BBC Timeline: Find the most important events in your country’s history! This can help you figure out why your country has the policies it does, and what your history may be with the other countries in your committee.

6. IMUNA Country Profile: The International Model United Nations Association has some quick facts and resources for MUNers on each country – check out yours!

Country Profile & Policy Research Map

Click below to head over to the Country Profile and Policy Map, and start researching today!

Four years ago, the course of my life changed forever when I received my first college acceptance. Like many people, I wrote about Model United Nations in many of my college essays, and I recommend talking about how this activity helped you grow in and out of committee when you apply to college as well. However, don’t be fooled into thinking your Model UN experience only helps you get into college. Past the common app essay on MUN that we may have written to get into our dream school, the skills we learn in Model United Nations can help us succeed and grow in college as well.

1. Negotiation and collaboration skills: Like in high school, many classes in college require group projects and assignments. Just like organizing a group chat or a breakfast meeting, proactiveness and attention to detail are required when organizing your group project and making sure everyone is doing their part of the work. Collaboration skills will become very important when you are meeting with your group to discuss your visions for the project.

2. Public speaking confidence: Something that many people do not often tell you is that clubs and organizations in college can be extremely difficult to get into. Whether it be a private or public school, the competition can be intense and some clubs require multiple rounds of interviews and applications to be considered for a spot in the club. The public speaking skills required to participate in Model UN can help immensely in the interview process for any club, or internship. During one internship interview, I was even asked how many MUN awards I had.

3. Seeing all sides of an issue: You’ll be doing a lot of writing in college, and the critical thinking skills you practiced from creating new, innovative solutions or crisis arcs will come in handy here. Perhaps it’s a creative writing class, or it’s a political science class on post-Soviet conflicts in Eastern Europe. Being able to critically analyze the issues you learn about, and challenge existing educational structures in the assignments you turn in, is integral to success in your classes. Model UN teaches us to see all sides of an issue, which becomes super helpful when classes ask us to interpret essay prompts in a creative light. Even if you are a STEM major, this can help you in your general education classes or even with science and math projects, since you will still have to think outside the box.

4. Quick research and writing: Sometimes, it feels like professors are purposefully coordinating all their assignments to be due at once. When you have three papers to turn in in the span of two days, those quick research and writing skills from MUN will definitely come in handy. First off, you may already even have some background knowledge on some of the topics you’ll be writing about in your essays because you’ve debated them in committee. Second, you’ll know how to find the best sources from all those position papers you had to write and quickly cite. Lastly, you’ll be able to speed-write from all those times you’ve had to crank out a detailed resolution clause, or a directive, minutes before the turn-in deadline for them.

5. Interpersonal skills: The more committees you compete in, the more friends you will meet and the more connections you will establish. Model UN teaches valuable interpersonal skills that will become very helpful in college. Not only will you be able to branch out and make new friends quickly, but these interpersonal skills will give you a leg up in professional settings. Colleges often host networking nights, where you will speak with many job recruiters and meet people with the same career interests as you. The setup of these events often resemble MUN committees, so you will feel right home as you walk through and introduce yourself to everyone.

6. Advancing to College Model UN: And, of course, if you wish to continue pursuing Model UN in college, having high school experience can help you get into your college MUN club. Model United Nations in college is definitely more competitive than in high school. However, it is also way more fun because you get to travel more with some of your best friends and get to know other schools’ teams more. Having done high school MUN, you’ll already know the foundations of competing and staffing, and will be able to quickly learn from more senior members of your team.

From getting a dream internship, to feeling comfortable in a new environment, to making a class presentation to an audience of 120, Model United Nations has helped me navigate the challenges we face in college. Writing the perfect college essay was the first step in a long journey of utilizing Model UN skills in my everyday life. I firmly believe that this activity is valuable in the long run, no matter whether or not you decide to pursue MUN in college.

Check out our college e-book here for more tips and tricks!

Whether you’re a Model UN newbie or a seasoned veteran, public speaking is a skill that we can always continuously hone and improve. 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.

It happens in every Model United Nations committee – a delegate will say that they will enlist the help of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to support the solutions outlined in their comprehensive resolution. But which NGOs, exactly? How will they support their solutions? What do NGOs do in the real world, anyway?

If you really want to improve your MUN skills (and impress your committee chairs), do some in-depth research on the NGOs that conduct amazing work in your topic area in real life. But there are thousands of NGOs out there, so how can you easily comb through all of them to find the right ones to bring up in committee?

The answer is easy – check out Best Delegate’s NGO Guide! This guide not only outlines some of the major NGOs that are doing incredible work around the world today, but we’ve broken it down for you even further – we’ve categorized the NGOs based on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that they relate to most closely. All seventeen SDGs are represented, and you can check out some awesome organizations that are working to help the world achieve the SDGs by the year 2030.

Model United Nations conferences start way before opening ceremonies – they actually start when delegates are researching for their committees! Whether the topic is nuclear disarmament or climate change, every single delegate must determine what their assigned country’s policy is so they can accurately represent it in committee.

But research can be really difficult, especially if your country isn’t super involved in the topic at hand, or if it’s a very specific topic. How can you find accurate information to determine how your government feels about each facet of the topic?

This guest article series was written by Nickolas Harris, the Director and founder of the international MUN conference, the Global Education City Model United Nations (GECMUN) conference held on Jeju Island, South Korea. He is also the founder of the San Pedro Sula Conferences (SPSCON) in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. He has been coaching MUN for eight years, with experience coaching delegates in the Middle East, Central America, and East Asia, and teaching a MUN elective course at Escuela Internacional Sampedrana and Korea International School, Jeju.

I’m a millennial.

As much as it hurts at times to admit my connection to a generation often associated with being difficult to manage at the workplace and having an odd affinity for avocado toast (which I love), I have found the way I approach MUN conferences very conducive to the so-called “stereotypes” of the so-called “millennial generation.”

So, what are the stereotypes?

We are a generation often criticized for being overly idealistic and difficult to manage, but we are also considered to be the ones looking for innovative solutions for existing institutional problems. For example, Brian Chesky challenged the existing structures of hotels through Airbnb. John Zimmer challenged the inefficient organizational system of taxis through Lyft. Daniel Ek found paying $2.00 for an individual song overpriced, and came up with the innovative idea of a mass music streaming service, Spotify. We are a generation which has been able to spot organizational and structural flaws and suggest and implement changes.

How does this rather long preface relate to MUN?

As an advisor, I’ve had the great fortune of being able to work at schools that have provided students with opportunities to visit and attend various conferences around the world. Many of these conferences provided my delegates with extraordinary experiences, but also gave me insights into which conferences tend to do well and which have room for potential improvement. After attending dozens of conferences in numerous cities and countries around the world, I made conclusions about what improvements were needed and what type of trends I noticed in the MUN circuit. This motivated me to start a new conference where the primary purpose of the conference was not for the organizers, but for the delegates.

So, what type of issues did I repeatedly see? And how did we attempt to remedy these issues?

#1 Oversized Committees

This is perhaps the single greatest issue for any large conference. A large committee is simply not helpful for students at all levels. When conferences exceed the size of more than fifty delegates in a room, often the following issues arise:

• The high number of delegates frequently results in a lack of decorum. It is difficult for college students or high school student chairs to manage that number of teens in one room and maintain a high level of decorum. There is a reason why our classrooms in schools have only 15-25 students. When the classroom exceeds a certain size, decorum  becomes near impossible to maintain.

• The high number of delegates prevents opportunity to speak. MUNers all know the feeling of raising a placard over and over again for fifteen minutes only to be called upon once. This could happen even in a committee with fifteen delegates if all delegates are highly engaged and active. When the number of delegates gets as high as 50+, simple math would tell us that in a competitive conference, speaking time could be potentially limited to a maximum of three times every two hours, assuming most delegates are engaged. Three times in two hours is not enough. This, especially, is painful for me to witness when I am attending an international conference and I see teams who have traveled thousands of miles so their students could only speak two-three times in a two hour period, and only a dozen times in the entirety of the conference.

• The high number of delegates makes effective communication difficult. During an unmoderated caucus (for UNA-USA) or for a lobbying session (for THIMUN) when there are over 50 delegates, the communication is far less purposeful, and often delegates find themselves aligning simply based on the geography of the room. The limit in communication is not limited to unmoderated caucuses. The chairs have difficulty communicating with delegates in general when there are so many in the same room. A major part of MUN is for the delegates to be able to communicate and learn from the chairs – how do we expect any of this learning to happen when the chairs have to oversee so many students at once?

THE SOLUTION

The remedy to this issue is quite simple. Smaller committees! Yes, it comes with a price-tag, fewer delegates does mean less money for a conference to make, but sometimes it’s worth the cost if it means ensuring a quality experience for the delegates. This is a very simple solution for such a serious and pervasive problem.

Check back soon for Part 2 of this series, which will tackle the issue of Lengthy Conference Schedules!