This recap article was provided by Utkarsh Pandey, Editor-in-Chief of the International Press, and Jeremy Gonzaga, MUN at UCLA’s Director of Marketing.

Delegates arrive at BruinMUN 2013′s opening ceremonies

Held on the University of California, Los Angeles’s beautiful campus from November 9-10, this year’s Bruin Model United Nations conference marked the 21^st anniversary of this prestigious event. Over 1100 delegates were in attendance, discussing pressing topics ranging from the international proliferation of small arms to the rights of indigenous people in countries like Rwanda and Myanmar.

At opening ceremonies, President Mark Warwick began the proceedings by touching on the importance of Model UN in character building and skill-development, while Secretary-General Patrick Donovan stressed the importance of diplomacy in daily life. Rob Deutschman, founder of the Water Buffalo Club charity, spoke briefly on how high school students can become involved in their communities and make a difference in some of the humanitarian topics discussed in committee; the conference raised over $2000 for the Water Buffalo Club charity, twice its original goal. His Excellency Dr. Kantathi Suphamongkon, former Foreign Minister of Thailand was the keynote speaker for the conference and gave the delegates advice on international relations through humorous anecdotes in his own experience as a diplomat.

MUN President Mark Warwick, keynote speaker Kantathi Suphamongkhon, and BruinMUN Secretary-General Patrick Donovan

Sticking to tradition, BruinMUN’s twenty committees were composed almost entirely of organs of the United Nations. These committees debated the problems facing the world today: from Iran’s stance on Nuclear Power in the IAEA, to the provision of humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees in the ECOSOC. In addition, BruinMUN 2013 saw the return and expansion of the highly lauded Novice committees, which were used to school less experienced delegates on the nuances of MUN. Although focused mainly on General Assembly style committees, BruinMUN offered a few specialized crisis committees, the most notable being the simulation of the KGB in 1956, which saw a slew of assassinations and depositions, culminating in an invasion of UNICEF by KGB forces due to a minor dispute over the use of child soldiers.

Although consisting mostly of UN-related committees, BruinMUN also offered specialized committees such as the KGB in 1956

One distinctive aspect of BruinMUN 2013 that set it apart from other conferences was the inclusion of an International Press, which provided a critical analysis of committee proceedings via social media and a newsletter, the ComMUNiqué.

UCLA’s 21^st BruinMUN offered interaction through technology and various forms of social media. Sarah Kirk, the External Director, highlighted the implementation of an “[online] feedback system to cater directly to the needs delegates and advisors”, as well as committee Twitter accounts and a Facebook page.

A print version of BruinMUN 2013′s newsletter, the ComMUNiqué. Releases by the International Press were also announced in committee and posted online

After two days and five committee sessions, delegates, advisors and BruinMUN staff congregated for closing ceremonies. In addition to individual committee awards, BruinMUN also presented school delegation awards. The Best Small Delegation Award went to Mountain View High School, with the Best Large Delegation Award going to Huntington Beach High School and the Best California Delegation Award going to Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. The Bruin Award, traditionally presented to the delegation that embodies the spirit of BruinMUN and Model UN the best, went to Temecula Model United Nations.

With over 1100 delegates in attendance, BruinMUN 2013 saw its “highest registration numbers in recent history”

Unmoderated caucus on the situation in DR Congo in 4th SPD

Co-delegates get ready to make a speech in the IAEA

The Water Buffalo Club was chosen as the conference’s official charity because it was “local and at a size and level so that [BruinMUN] can be a partner to them”

Delegates collaborate on working papers outside of committee

Historical crisis committees allowed delegates to take a “what-if” perspective on history

In the African Union, Burundi, Guinea-Bissau, and Libya discuss the possibility of military intervention in Mali

The Security Council discussed key issues such as the situation in Syria

Delegates in Novice UNICEF make a speech. BruinMUN’s Novice committees were aimed to be “more developmental than competitive”

BruinMUN 2013 closing ceremonies in Ackerman Union

The dais of Novice UNICEF posing with the Best Delegate award winners, Kenya.

BruinMUN 2013 Sec-Gen Patrick Donovan remarked that, “Model United Nations, regardless of whether you learn the policies, offers a lot of life skills—negotiating, writing, analyzing—that are applicable to the entire professional world, not just necessarily one career path”

More pictures of BruinMUN 2013 can be found below:
Best Delegate BruinMUN Album
BruinMUN International Press General Conference Album
BruinMUN International Press Closing Ceremonies Album

For every single Model UN conference one attends, there is always a background guide, a rules of procedure guide, and a research guide. However when it comes to what to wear to a Model UN conference, there is a severe lack of consensus surrounding what is appropriate.  For students who have just started their Model UN careers, the whole concept of western business attire can be a bit foreign and intimidating, and searching “western business attire” does not necessarily make the whole process of choosing what to wear any less confusing.  Therefore, in order to clarify the doubts for the many stressed out female delegates out there,  Best Delegate has created a beginner’s guide to Model UN fashion that includes a list of key pieces of a Model UN wardrobe, outfit suggestions,  and some miscellaneous fashion tips that you might find helpful

Key Pieces of a Model UN Wardrobe

There are usually three to four days in a Model UN conference, so you might assume that you need three or four completely different outfits for each day.  However, this is not necessarily true; what you really need are a couple of key pieces which you can mix and match between days to create completely different outfits using the same pieces. The pieces suggested below will help you build a Model UN wardrobe for the many conferences to come.

Female Suits

The female suit is often considered the quintessential business attire.  Pioneered by the world renowned fashion designer Coco Chanel, the female suit is worn by women all around the world in all sorts of formal environments, such as Model UN conferences. On average, a good quality female suit tends to retail at a rather high price.  However, investing in a female suit will not only be useful for Model UN conferences but also for future internship or work opportunities.  Having said that, if you are willing to invest in a female suit here are a couple of things that you might want to consider:

•  When trying on the jacket, the shoulders should extend about an inch beyond your shoulder and the length of the sleeves should reach to your wrist bones. Make sure that the suit is not too tight or not too big and that you can move your arms freely without feeling constricted. A tight suit can be really uncomfortable while a large suit might appear slightly unflattering.
• Navy, black, camel, and gray are good colors for suits. These colors are neutral and becoming, and they are easy to pair with different shades.
• Underneath the suit, you may wear a blouse or a button up. You may definitely consider matching them with patterns or solid colors.
• Make sure that the pants are neither too long nor too short. They should not drag on the floor, but your ankles should not show either

Female Suit

Blazers

It is not always necessary to purchase a business suit in order to look put-together.  A blazer paired with a pair of straight black pants makes a delegate look serious and chic. When purchasing a blazer, the same requirement set forth about suits applies. Neutral colors such as navy, black, camel, and gray are suggested. These colors function well because they are versatile and combining them with different colors is a breeze. Blazers are also very useful for keeping warm and covering up sleeveless blouses and dresses.

Blazer and Straight Pants

Blouses and Button Ups

Blouses and Button Ups can be either paired with straight pants or a knee-length skirt.  The easiest way to wear colors and patterns is through blouses and button-ups. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the top:

• Make sure that the blouse is not too low-cut.
• Take care that the blouse or shirt is not too tight. Tight shirts or blouses are really uncomfortable, especially if you are going to be wearing them all day.
• If the blouse or shirt is too sheer, wear a tank top or a spaghetti strap shirt underneath the shirt. Committee rooms tend to be really cold so wearing something underneath would be an added bonus.
• If you are wearing a sleeveless shirt, wear a cardigan or blazer on top.

Pants

Straight pants are a great choice for your Model UN. They are flattering for all body shapes and can be paired with just about everything.  Jeans and leggings, however, should never be worn to a Model UN conference. These types of pants are comfortable, but they are better suited for casual wear than for western business attire.

Skirts

The appropriate skirt for a Model UN conference should be knee-length. When you sit down, the skirt should only ride up about four fingers up your legs.  Pencil skirts and A-line skirts are great pieces to combine with your blouses and blazer. When you don’t want to wear pants, simply wear a skirt! The top part of your outfit can still remain unchanged. Just remember that when you wear a skirt, you should wear tights underneath. Wearing different colors of skirts is encouraged, but just makes sure that the colors are not too vibrant and are neutral and slightly muted.

Blouse and Dresses

Dresses

Wearing a dress is by far the easiest solution to the question of what to wear. You do not have to worry about matching a top with a bottom. The length guideline for skirts also applies for dresses. If your dress is sleeveless, you should wear a cardigan or blazer to cover up and you should also wear tights under your dress.

Outfit Combination

Dresses

Shoes

Ladies, I know you love your shoes, but wearing five inch heels or platforms to a Model UN conference is definitely not a great idea. Comfort should definitely be a priority seeing that you will spend the entire day debating without ever having the chance of changing out your shoes when your feet hurt or are tired. Kitten heels or two-three inches heels are great for Model UN conferences. They give you a little bit of height without greatly hurting your feet. The other alternative you have for shoes are flats. Some flats are really fashionable and give you the comfort you need. It is important to note that the shoes worn to a Model UN conference should be closed, meaning that sandals or open toe shoes should not be worn.

Jewelry

A necklace or a pair of earrings can instantly brighten up any outfit. However, make sure that they are not too flashy or over sized. You want the jewelry to complement the outfit and not the other way around.

Miscellaneous Tips

1. Bring a big tote. You need a bag that is big enough to fit your laptop and your research papers.
2. Bring a pair of flats and stuff it in your bag. If you are wearing heels, after a long day of walking in them, you would definitely be grateful for the opportunity of changing your shoes.
3. Bring a cardigan and also stuff it into your bag. You never know how cold the conference room will be.

Color Psychology

The color you choose to wear says a lot about you as a person. The human brain reacts to colors differently and produces a different emotional response accordingly. The emotional effects produced by colors can be used for our everyday interpersonal relationships. By wearing a certain color you can influence how other people perceive you and thus produce either a positive or a negative image. Businessmen and politicians around the world use color to their advantage. I have personally used color psychology during my high school Model UN years and have discovered that colors evoke certain emotions in people, so here is a list of colors and what messages they transmit.

• Blue gives off the impression that you are a  trustworthy and honest person.
• Black conveys messages of confidence, authority, and power.
• Dark green and purple generally give people the impression that the person is calm, relaxed, and friendly.
• Red is an eye-catching color; people who wear it give others the impression that they are confident and assertive.

Dressing up for conferences is definitely one of my favorite parts about Model UN, and it is definitely a great way to show your fellow delegates your amazing sense of style. The tips listed on this guide are merely suggestions and there are definitely more ways in which you could dress up for a Model UN conference. I hope you found this article helpful and if you have any other tips or suggestions feel free to post them in the comments section!

This recap and photographs have been provided by Ray Li, Director-General of Duke International Security Conference (DISCon)

The delegates of DISCon take in closing ceremonies.

DISCon Staff pose at closing ceremonies.

Tulane poses with their Best Delegation award.

The College of William and Mary pose with their Outstanding Delegation award.

A record number of delegates attended this year’s DISCon, with delegations from Alabama, Elon, Emory, Pitt, Princeton, Tulane, UNC, Virginia Tech, Washington and Lee, and William and Mary. This year’s crisis theme was  “Security Challenges of the 21st Century: The Geopolitical Implications of Cybersecurity.” Delegates answered questions such as: Is cyber-espionage an outgrowth of traditional intelligence activities, or does it represent something categorically new? How will nations utilize these capabilities?  Who will benefit from its increasing importance: established great powers with big budgets, middle powers with new flexibility or other actors entirely? Will customary law or an international treaty on the conduct of cyber-warfare emerge? 

All of the delegates were fantastic, but two delegations really stood out. The delegation award winners were:

Outstanding Delegation: William and Mary

Best Delegation: Tulane University

We hope all delegates enjoyed the crisis simulation, the social event at the infamous Shooters Saloon (we hope you rode the mechanical bull or danced in the cage), and the beautiful campus of Duke University.

If you are interested in coming to DISCon 2014 please email ray.li@nullduke.edu to be added to next year’s mailing list and visit our website at www.discon.org

It’s everyone’s worst nightmare. Walking into a conference, a brand new experience, and having absolutely no idea what to do. You’ve been told its easy, “Model UN can be learned during a conference”, they say. In reality, if you want to start off your MUN career with a bang, it’s important to come to your first conference prepared.

Personally, when I went to my first conference, I was dumbfounded, and by the end of it, I wish I had known the following ten things before I walked in:

1. What the UN is. Yes, it’s the United Nations, and yes it solves problems. But how? Going into your first conference, you might think that the UN is the governing body of the world and that it creates laws which countries have to abide by. In reality, most of the actions taken in the UN are non-binding, and countries can’t be forced to follow every resolution. The UN consists of various committees where delegates represent their countries’ policies and negotiate resolutions to benefit their country and the world.

   The United Nations Headquarters in the East Side of Manhattan, New York.

2. What MUN is. Hopefully you already have an idea as to what Model UN is. It’s a simulation of the United Nations! But there’s much more to it. Model UN , simply put, is a diplomatic competition. Students are, in most cases, assigned countries, and their job is to express their countries beliefs in committee in order to pass favorable resolutions. Students who show the most skills in negotiating, public speaking, paper/resolution writing, and diplomacy are those who receive awards. In general, MUN is used more to foster those skills than to actually simulate the United Nations.
3. The Different Types of Committees. There are three main types of committees, they are:
   1. General Assemblies (GAs): These committees simulate the six GAs, DISEC, ECOFIN, SOCHUM, SPECPOL, Administrative and Budgetary, and Legal. They are typically the largest committees and pass non-binding resolutions.
   2. Specialized Committees: These committees do not always simulate United Nations committees, but when they do, they simulate one of the fourteen ECOSOC committees. They can also simulate other congregations of delegates, such as the International Olympic Committee or the United States Senate. Typically, specialized committees are smaller than GAs.
   3. Crisis Committees: These committees are made to force delegates to think on their feet. They can be anything from Historical Security Councils to futuristic rebel meetings. Delegates are constantly provided with random crisis updates that can completely change the flow of committee at the chairs discretion. These committees, typically for more advanced delegates, are among the smallest in MUN.
4. Parliamentary Procedure. Walking into your first committee session can be confusing, because people aren’t going to be using pronouns like I or my. Instead, they’ll be following Parliamentary Procedure. Since you will most likely be representing a nation, it is important to express beliefs on behalf of your nation. For example, “The United States is a strong supporter of the conservation of resources.” Parliamentary procedure also includes:
   1. Points of Inquiry: These are used if you have a question about an aspect of committee you don’t understand.
   2. Points of Personal Privilege.  These are used if you experience some sort of discomfort such as the inability to hear a delegate, you would kindly bring this up to the chair.
   3. Points of Order. These are used if you believe there was a mistake made in the rules of procedure.
   4. Motions. Motions are used mainly to transition between stages of committee. For example, motions are used to move into a moderated caucus (see #5) or to move into voting procedure. They can also be used to open and suspend debate and various other things that vary from conference to conference.
5. The Phases of Committee. Committee is usually split up into four main phases, they are:
   1. Speakers List. The speakers list is where delegates usually begin and is usually used to discuss opinions rather than foster debate. During these, it is necessary to define your countries opinion on the topics discussed in the background guide.
   2. Moderated Caucuses. Moderated caucuses usually immediately follow Speakers Lists, and encourage more back and forth debate. Speakers usually speak from their seats about a set topic and the speaking time is less than that of a Speakers List. During these, you should be arguing as to why your countries policy/your solutions should be carried forward with.
   3. Un-moderated Caucuses (Unmods). Unmods are used to form blocks and write working papers. Most of the time, motions for unmods take place after a few moderated caucuses when clear opinions have already been stated. During these you should either be convincing others to work with your block, negotiating mergers, or writing your working papers.
   4. Voting. Voting procedure is typically the last portion of committee, and is invoked by a motion. Working papers become draft resolutions when introduced, and then, if passed, become resolutions.
6. How to Write Working papers. Working papers consist of signatories, sponsors, pre-ambulatory clauses, and operative clauses. They are meant to contain solutions to the topics debated in committee. For more information on how to write a working paper, check out this link.
7. How to research. Your background guide is NOT your only form of research. It’s important to study the topics, country policies, and how you want to represent your country in committee. Check out the following article on what to research and how to efficiently organize your research into a binder.
8. How to Write a Position Paper. Most conferences require you to write something called a position paper preceding your first committee session. A position paper consists of three parts, Topic Background, Past International Action, and Country Policy. More detailed instructions can be found here and here.

9. The Term National Sovereignty. These words are mentioned all the time in committee, and if you don’t know what they mean you’ll be clueless. National Sovereignty, in essence, is the power of a country to govern itself in the way it pleases, with the right to deny any outside intervention. The United Nations isn’t allowed to, in most cases, impede on National Sovereignty, or

   Don’t be afraid to raise your placard!

   force a country to do something they don’t want to.

10. How to Make the Most of it. Going to your first conference, for many of you, will be intimidating. There will be an influx of power delegates (those who only care about awards, and will do anything in their power, right or wrong,  to win), and if it’s your first time doing so much public speaking, you will most likely be nervous. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself! There is nothing more rewarding than finishing your first conference with a wealth of information that will help improve you as a delegate and further increase your chances at success in the future.

For more articles similar to this one, check out the Resources section of this website!

Photo source: United Nations

This recap has been provided by Kara DeSanna, Chief of External Relations for Southern United Nations Model United Nations (SUSMUN).

Delegates raise their placard to speak in one of SUSMUN’s ten committees.

The Southern United States Model United Nations (SUSMUN) held its fifth annual conference in Atlanta, GA from November 1-3, 2013.  SUSMUN is sponsored by the International Model United Nations Association (IMUNA) and builds on the successful design of our sister conferences held annually in New York (NHSMUN) and San Francisco (RHSMUN).  Since 2009, SUSMUN has established a new standard of educational excellence in the Southeast through its commitment to smaller committee sizes, a personalized delegate experience, and a diverse staff.

SUSMUN was warmly welcomed at its new home in the Hilton Atlanta hotel.  Staff and delegates alike embraced SUSMUN’s new location right in the heart of the downtown area.  Throughout the course of the weekend, 310 delegates addressed some of the world’s most pressing topics, including human trafficking, access to safe drinking water, and the legal issues of human cloning.  SUSMUN’s keynote speaker, J.D. McCrary, Executive Director of the International Refugee Committee in Atlanta, noted how several of the topics being addressed in committee directly related to the work he does with his organization.

Even with all the exciting changes that took place at the conference this year, SUSMUN maintained its tradition of education through simulation.  Nothing serves as more of a testament to that mission than the staggering success of the 2013 Service Learning Project (SLP), in partnership with Heifer International.  The purpose of the SLP is to allow delegates to connect the topics they discuss in committee to real people and communities across the world. Thanks to the incredible passion exhibited by the delegates, faculty, and staff, SUSMUN is proud to announce that it raised an incredible $3,174.52 over the weekend. SUSMUN will be donating a wide range of gifts to Heifer International that includes water pumps, a family farm care package, and a variety of livestock. The delegates in each committee collaboratively decided on which projects to send their donations to, and SUSMUN will be donating over 16 gifts to the organization in total.

SUSMUN staff pose at closing ceremonies.

Although SUSMUN’s education philosophy deemphasizes individual awards, three delegations were recognized for their exceptional diplomatic skills. Richland Northeast High School received the Award of Merit, Hillsborough High School received the award of Excellence, and the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools received the Award of Distinction.

Secretary-General Kandasi Griffiths and Director-General Emily Padget pose with delegation award recipients.

Congratulations to everyone that made this year’s SUSMUN conference the most successful yet! Check out www.susmun.org for continued updates about the 2014 conference!

High School Model African Union delegates gathered together for a crisis update.

This recap has been provided by Sarah Montell, Director of Outreach and Coordinator for the Third Annual Ohio High School Model African Union Conference.

The Ohio High School Model African Union Conference (OHSMAU) saw its third yearcome to fruition November 9 with students from all over the state coming together to learn about different issues facing the continent of Africa after studying for weeks in and out of the classroom in preparation.  OHSMAU is staffed by the Ohio State University Collegiate Council on World Affairs each year with Columbus North International School, along with The Ohio State University Center for African Studies. The event has continued to grow and offer quality content to its attendees, this year with more than 70 students in attendance from 9 different high schools, making it the largest Model African Union conference in Ohio.

Ohio State student Alec Ansusinha helps delegates with resolution formatting

Throughout the conference, students grappled with water security issues throughout all regions of Africa,  including the prevention of water borne illnesses, international water law, agricultural development, and water in conflict and disaster zones.  Delegates then addressed a crisis involving the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile River, engaging in substantive debate on trans-boundary water management and cooperation among sovereign states, as well as the role of water in maintaining peace and political stability. Ultimately, four comprehensive working papers were passed, addressing both the crisis and the overall threat of water scarcity facing the continent.

The Ohio High School Model African Union conference and partnership with Columbus North International School is CCWA’s keynote outreach event. Engaging four different high schools within the Columbus City School District, the event aims to encourage research and analytic debate on global issues for students with little to no Model UN experience. As Columbus has an increasingly large African refugee community, the conference served not only as an exposure to debate but also as a means of cultivating global awareness for relevant international issues of personal importance. Many of these students lack a high school curriculum that emphasizes analytical thinking, debate, and thinking in a global context, and this conference was an opportunity to exercise and develop these skills.

AdHoc Crisis Director Akhilesh Goswami leads the Kennedy Club to a crisis update (Photo courtesy of UPMUNC).

The University of Pennsylvania hosted the forty-seventh session of UPMUNC this past weekend in (sunny) Philadelphia and proved that although the conference has existed for nearly half a century, the Penn IAA still has some tricks up its sleeves.

In the largest North American ‘world’ collegiate circuit conference of the fall semester, delegates from across the globe had the opportunity to experience a wide variety of committee styles.  General Assemblies are becoming a rarity on the ‘world’ circuit of collegiate Model UN, as more and more conferences are branding themselves as ‘crisis’ only, with some even eschewing United Nations-related committees altogether. At UPMUNC, the traditional GA committees of the First (DISec), Second (EcoFin), Third (SocHum), and Sixth (Legal) are represented, and other International Organizations are rotated in; this year the WTO was a “GA.”  Georgetown, Harvard, the United States Military Academy at West Point, Yale, and the University of Chicago took home gavels in each of these committees respectively.

In the ECOSOCs, WHO, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, UNESCO, UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and the UNHRC, delegates delved into contentious topics such as the role of children in the elicit drug trade.  UPMUNC continues to do an excellent job selecting topics that are pertinent to global discourse, and this year did not disappoint.UNHRC discussed rights of the disabled, which is very salient today with the U.S. Senate debating the disabilities treaty that the UN passed.  Michigan State University, Florida International University, Ohio State University, the U.S. Naval Academy, and New York University took home first place finishes in these committees.

Since it wouldn’t be UPMUNC without a little debauchery, ECOSOCs became “Cris-o-SOCs” as a Michigan State delegate so eloquently called them, with UPMUNC staffers giving an occasional crisis update to an ECOSOC to change the tide of debate.  One of these updates included a Cardinal from Costa Rica who spoke in favor of adoption rather than encouraging IVF treatment.

The crisis committees at UPMUNC were on point, especially the Papal Conclave. With a schism planned from the get-go, the committee almost immediately split into Rome and Constantinople factions, becoming a JCC without delegates truly preparing for it.  Anonymous had updates that were coded so well that if you weren’t a delegate or a staffer for the committee, there was no way you’d understand what was happening. Issues regarding East Asian politics and the economy were settled for better or for worse in the Question of Hong Kong, and in the China Investment Corporation, while delegates battled for Kashmir in the Kashmiri Secession of 2020.  Delegates also entered the fictional universe of two novels (and movies) in the Godfather and 1984, with many characters meeting their demise, and delegates reborn as new members of the Corleone (or 4 other) families. The JCC: Hezbollah and Israel worked to solve a centuries old conflict, the Oligarchs of  Eastern Europe debated future financial holdings in the region, and the historical UNSC debated the Suez crisis.  Harvard and the University of Chicago dominated the crisis committees each taking home four gavels a piece, with Michigan State University, Boston University, Georgetown University and Florida International University taking home a gavel a piece.

The AdHoc committee takes a limo ride to the Philadelphia Federal Reserve for a crisis update (Photo Courtesy of UPMUNC)

The AdHoc Committee of the Secretary General, which operated in a league/universe of it’s own this weekend, became known affectionately as the Kennedy Club. The brainchild of Yadavan Mahendraraj and Akhilesh Goswami, the AdHoc operated in true UPMUNC fashion by taking a limo to the Philadelphia Federal Reserve and listening to a crisis update from none other than JFK himself.  Goswami and Mahendraraj headed a team of fast-responding crisis analysts, priding themselves in taking no more than 10 minutes to answer a note from delegates in committee.  With a mic ready and earpiece in at all times, the two tag-teamed like nothing I’ve ever seen at a Model UN conference.  In a committee stacked with amazingly talented delegates, Sam Brothers of Georgetown University, Troy Robinson of the University of Florida, and Brandon Moore of United States Military Academy at West Point took home Best Delegate honors.

Delegate fest, of course, lived up to the adage, “work hard, play harder,” as delegates were able to unwind a bit after a long weekend of debate.  Complete with a senior toast (with none other than champagne bottles lit with sparklers) and a confetti drop, the Roxxy and UPMUNC put on a great party.

Delegates celebrate a great weekend of debate at the Roxxy (Photo by the author).

While a diverse group of schools took home top honors in each committee, there were a few teams that were clearly dominant last weekend.  Eric Wessan, head delegate at the University of Chicago, was ecstatic about his team’s Best Large Delegation honors.

“The University of Chicago prides itself on hard work, research and substance,” said Wessan.  ”I am incredibly proud of my team for putting in the long hours necessary to do our best at UPMUNC. It is great that our effort was recognized and rewarded by UPMUNC Secretariat, who threw one of the best conferences of the year (as always). Shout out to my VP’s Apratim (Gautam) and Nisha (Bala) for their commendable work and to Hirsh (Shah) and UPMUNC for throwing a fantastic conference. Also to David Burke and his Vito Corleone impression.”

Cadet Brandon Moore, head delegate at the United States Military Academy at West Point, said he was proud of his team, especially the younger members.

“Though I may be especially biased after my limousine excursion with Ad Hoc, I know West Point’s delegation was very pleased with how well UPMUNC went,” said Moore.  ”In that light, I would again congratulate Hirsh Shah for killing it this year.”

This is Moore’s fourth year on the USMA MUN team, and with graduation looming, he mentioned the bittersweetness that came with winning at his final UPMUNC.

The USMA team poses at delegation dinner. West Point took home Best Small Delegation (Photo Courtesy of Brandon Moore)

“Our other 4-year members (Claire Williams, Warren Geary, and Jack Worthington) will be moving on to bigger things next year in the Army, so it’s bittersweet to conclude our final time attending these conferences. In any event, we couldn’t be happier with how this season has turned out and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone on the circuit again come January.”

The University of Chicago team poses with their Best Large Delegation honors (Photo courtesy of Eric Wessan).

Mark Hodgson, head delegate for Florida International University’s Outstanding Small Delegation, called UPMUNC the “Super Bowl of the fall season,” and was “absolutely [thrilled] to come away with a team award.”

“Even more thrilling was the fact that 11 of our 13 delegates came away with an individual award in their committee, including several ‘newbie’ delegates who just started this semester.  Special congratulations to Anthony Mercado for placing first in the 1956 Historical UNSC, and Kevin Hernandez for his first place performance in the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs committee.”

The Florida International University team poses with their Outstanding Small Delegation honors (Photo Courtesy of FIU MUN).

Sam Brothers, head delegate of the Outstanding Large Delegation Georgetown Hoyas was equally enthralled with his team’s performance, but also cited that their youthful team exceeded expectations in their great performance.

Georgetown poses with their Outstanding Large delegation honors on the steps of Healy hall on campus. (Photo courtesy of Sam Brothers).

“Having seen firsthand the work and dedication that every Georgetown delegate put in last weekend, I’m incredibly proud of our team for a strong showing at UPMUNC,” said Brothers.  ”I’m particularly pleased with the performance of our team’s younger members, who won several awards– given that Georgetown’s delegation at UPMUNC was nearly two thirds underclassmen, everyone, even first-time delegates, contributed tremendously to the team.  I’m extremely happy with Georgetown’s performance on the circuit so far, and I can’t wait to see what the spring semester holds!  Special congratulations in order to UChicago, West Point, and FIU for their delegation awards, and to Penn, for running an absolutely amazing conference!”

Delegation Awards:

Best Large Delegation: The University of Chicago; Eric Wessan is the head delegate

Best Small Delegation: The United States Military Academy at West Point; Brandon Moore is the head delegate

Outstanding Large Delegation: Georgetown University; Sam Brothers is the head delegate

Outstanding Small Delegation: Florida International University; Mark Hodgson is the head delegate

As anyone who’s been in a General Assembly (GA) committee can tell you, the challenge of standing out in a sea of 200+ delegates is a daunting task to say the least. Between giving formal speeches, leading un-moderated caucuses, and leading resolution blocs, finding success in large GAs can be a struggle for even the most experienced of delegates. With this in mind, here are ten tried and tested tips to help you find success in committees of this size:

1. Get to Committee Early

It’s important to attempt to get to committee 25-30 minutes before the first session. This is a great opportunity to show the chair that you are prompt, punctual, and prepared for committee.

2. Try to Get a Good Seat

Perhaps one of the most overlooked ways to find success in committee is choosing a good seat. In a committee of over 200 delegates, having a well position seat can be the difference between being called on a few extra times by the chair, which is invaluable in committees of this size. Typically, most delegates find that sitting in the aisle seats of the first 3-5 rows puts them in the “sweet spot” for getting called on the most.

3. Introduce Yourself to As Many Other Delegates as Possible 

Though it’s unreasonable to attempt to be on a first-name basis with every delegate in a large GA, introducing yourself and making connections with as many delegates in your committee as possible can give you a huge advantage before committee even starts. Exchange policy ideas, find common ground, and create potential solutions with a plethora of delegates in order to start creating a bloc.

4. Use Parliamentary Procedure to Your Advantage

Knowing how to use Parliamentary Procedure to your advantage can give you a huge edge in committee over those who don’t. By proposing Moderated Caucuses of certain lengths, reserving the right to speak first or last in a caucus you proposed, or proposing Un-Moderated Caucuses to override other caucuses in precedence, you can manipulate the flow of committee to go your way. 

5. Use All of Your Speaking Time Wisely

In large GAs, you might not find yourself speaking in front of the committee as often as you’d like. It’s imperative that you raise your placard as often as possible to speak, and be recognized formally by the committee. Since speaking time will be limited, try to make the most out of each speech by planning out what you’re going to say ahead of time. Also, try to refer to your country by name fairly often while speaking in front of the committee.  By doing this, delegates will begin to put a name to your face, and you will begin to have more of a presence in committee

(Raising your placard as often as possible is a great way to speak more!)

6. Maintain a Good Relationship with Your Chair.

At the end of the day, it’s your Dais who decides whether or not you’ll be winning an award. Though winning an award should be a result of your hard work as a delegate, it certainly can’t hurt to create a friendly relationship with your chair. Introduce yourself at the beginning of the first committee session, and thank your chair after ever subsequent session. Also, try to ask your chair if they like the direction committee is taking every once and a while. Your chair will be pleased to see that you are trying to increase the quality of debate.

7. Lead Un-Moderated Caucuses Diplomatically 

Because Un-Mods are the most common form of debate in committees of this size, it’s important to be an active part of this informal debate. Attempt to be the leader of an Un-Mod circle, while still letting as many people share ideas as possible. Try to be as diplomatic as possible, and avoid serious confrontations and vicious debate in these circles. Compromise is the name of the game in MUN, so try to incorporate everyone into the Un-Mod circle.

(Try to be a physical presence in Un-Mods and get your voice heard!)

8. Have Creative Plan Points

Having diverse plan points is a great way to stand out in committee and get noticed by other delegates. By incorporating creative points and ideas, clever acronyms, and unorthodox styles of dealing with the problems at hand into your plan you will garner the attention of many more delegates, and more importantly, your chair.

9.  Be the Face of Your Bloc’s Resolution

When it comes time for the introduction of Draft Resolutions, make your best effort to be one of the delegates who presents the Resolution in front of the committee. Speak about your Resolution as much as possible and make it known that you were one of the key sponsors. By the end of committee people should be calling it “*your country’s* Resolution”. In doing this, the chair will be able to see that you were a leader in the Resolution writing process.

10. Know the Policies of As Many Countries as Possible

Though it should go without saying that you should be very well-versed in your own county’s policies, taking the extra step and researching the policies of other countries can be extremely helpful in committee. Other delegates will always gravitate towards working with delegates who seem very knowledgeable, and by knowing the policies of many nations you can help them out, while simultaneously showing your leadership skills to your chair.

Melissa Miller and Heena Mohammed, two of Best Delegate’s media associates, meet during OxiMUN. (Photo Courtesy of Melissa Miller)

Melissa Miller is a Media Associate at Best Delegate.

Now a junior at the George Washington University, I have travelled across the pond to Edinburgh, Scotland for a year abroad. Of course, as I find it impossible to live without Model United Nations, I joined EdMUN, the University of Edinburgh’s top ranked MUN team this fall and was lucky enough to participate in their fall training conference and compete for them at Oxford International Model United Nations conference earlier this month.

In high school, I had attended a European conference and became familiar with THIMUN procedure, which is what I expected from British MUN. I could not be further from the mark. For Americans interested in competing in the U.K. while abroad or vice versa, Americans competing at British conference or vice versa, or just enjoy learning about MUN, take a look at the biggest surprises I had encountered this semester:

1. Parliamentary procedure is almost exactly the same

The bare bones of parliamentary procedure are the same as in America, but many of you will notice that American procedure is not standardized anyway. As I’ve competed for nearly seven years now, I will cite differences in reference to the most common rules I have encountered on the East Coast.

The British actually have a standardized way of introducing resolutions and discussing them afterwards. Many Americans will be familiar with the idea of an authors’ panel, but that concept does not exist in British MUN. The process for introducing and discussing working papers and resolutions starts with a motion to introduce. The committee votes to introduce, which means delegates can now formally reference clauses. Introduction entails the delegates sponsoring the paper reading out clauses. The delegates sponsoring do not speak or answer questions on the resolution. For the former, delegates can motion for a moderated caucus to discuss that specific resolution, and for the latter, the chairs have no qualms returning to the speakers list to facilitate questions.

The amendment process works similarly except after voting to introduce, two delegates speak for and two against the amendment. The committee votes immediately on them. Unlike the U.S., amendments are much more likely to be friendly rather than unfriendly. Chairs believe that if the clause is substantively changed, that the entire committee must vote on that change, regardless of whether the sponsors agree.

2. While Americans focus on realistic solutions, the British and Europeans focus on more idealistic solutions

In my committee at OxIMUN, I was baffled with some of the coalitions formed and the clauses produced and passed in resolutions. With American MUN’s competitive nature, American delegates cannot help but produce more realistic solutions. With the P5 and other powerful countries always vying for power, it’s a wonder solutions are watered down. Although there is a sense of competition in the U.K., it is not nearly as strong, which causes delegates to be more willing to make concessions and compromise to produce solutions more effective in solving the problem but less realistic.

Melissa Miller, right , participates in the UNSC at OxiMUN (Photo Courtesy of Melissa Miller)

3. Working papers are much less formal

Technically, most U.S. rules stipulate that working papers do not have to have complete clauses, but most delegates disregard this and run straight for the perambulatory and operative clauses. The British and Europeans don’t disregard the rule and list their ideas with bullets and numbers. Because they don’t create actual clauses, I think that this rushes the merging process later in the weekend. Because Americans have full clauses when introducing a working paper, this makes it easier to merge before submitting draft resolutions.

4. Militant about Personal Pronouns

Again, technically, delegates should not use personal pronouns like “I” no matter what conference you attend, but American delegates are less likely to follow this rule and American chairs are less likely to enforce it than British delegates or chairs. At one point, our chairs at OxIMUN started a tally on the chalkboard for every personal pronoun used to discourage their use. I’m not sure which I prefer, but my advice would be to refrain from use at either type of conference, and if you slip up not to stress

5. We do work on Sundays

Most U.K. conferences run Friday to Sunday instead of Thursday through Sunday. The Thursday night makes a tremendous difference, allowing delegates to get a jump start on working papers and coalition formation. Most American conferences vote on draft resolutions either late on Saturday or early Sunday, leaving delegates time to recover from the delegate dance on Saturday night and the long weekend of debate by the time Sunday committee rolls around. My advice is to simply mentally prepare yourself that you will finish debating and voting for most of Sunday session to avoid disappointment.

Bonus: One of the smallest, yet weirdest parts of British chairing is that they are fond of saying “Thank you, delegate. That was perfectly timed.” If the delegate finishes his or her 30 second speech in exactly the time frame allotted, the chair will usually comment on its timeliness. There is nothing wrong with this, but when I asked why for curiosity’s sake, a few friends of mine said it was a combination of habit and positive reinforcement.

This conference recap was provided by Dennis K.A. Penu, Director of Programs and Acting COO of Life-Link Ghana.

Delegates listen intently to speakers as Life-Link Ghana kicks off UN Day festivities with its 14th annual session of JHSMUN.

This year’s United Nations Day was chock-full of excitement for some 160 students at this year’s 14^th annual Life-Link Junior High School Model United Nations (JHSMUN) conference. Held in Accra, Ghana, the conference focused on the theme of “Providing Quality Education for Sustainable Development”  and was organized as a part of Ghana’s UN Day celebrations in conjunction with the Ghanaian Foreign Ministry and United Nations Office. As with any successful, large-scale conference, participants from across the country spent one day actively engaged in international affairs and negotiations in a competitive and educational manner.

At the colorful opening ceremony, the Foreign Minister sent her well wishes through Mrs. Novisi Abaidoo, Director of Multilateral Relations Bureau. Staying consistent with the theme of the conference, she noted that Ghana’s government was committed to improving education in a safe environment.  She emphasized the importance of educational programs like Model UN and thanked Life-Link Ghana for creating such a good platform to develop the Ghanaian Child.

The special messages continued with Wolgang Haas, UN Coordination Specialist and speaker for the UN Resident Coordinator. Thrilled that the UN was making sturdy progress in Ghana, especially in the efforts towards the post-2015 development agenda, he was excited to see that Ghanaian children were joining in the UN’s commemorative activities and playing mock roles as the world’s greatest leaders. The Executive Director of Life-Link Friendship Schools Ghana Mr. Ernest Gyimah-Danquah then on his part announced that the Life-Link Model UN program had expanded extensively since the year 2000 into rural areas and all educational levels. He added that the Life-link Model UN TV shows aimed at partnering stakeholders to produce a well-groomed UN Youth Ambassador for Ghana in the coming year.

Throughout the day, young delegates made speeches and engaged in formal and informal negotiations to finally formulate a resolution that called for improved education funding for less privileged societies in UN member states. The delegates also simulated a Crisis Session on the Security Council which discussed and passed a resolution on a mock Terrorist threat in Nigeria. Princess Agbeka (Cradle Grace School) won the Best Position paper award while Laurin Donkor (North Ridge Lyceum) and Woedem  Astutse (St. Paul’s Methodist School) were adjudged the best female and male delegates, respectively. Marcus Garvey Ashiangonor of Star Basic School was adjudged the Overall Best Delegate and was awarded a fully funded trip to the Global Classrooms Middle School Model UN in the USA next year.

As Model United Nations delegates, we always try to make maximum use of the resources available to us. This often entails researching to the point that

we know our country’s gross production of baskets, scouting for that perfect seat at the start of committee, and employing the most emphatic language possible to point out that the other delegate is just wrong. Whether or not these tactics work for an individual delegate, an invaluable tool is often overlooked by everyone: international law.

Why should I use international law in committee?

Treaties can be evidence of friendly relations among states.

Being able to successfully integrate concepts of international legal norms will vastly legitimize your arguments and will therefore make you appear more prepared. Chairpersons will be more likely to take note of your speeches while delegates will feel more inclined to gravitate toward your working groups.

You can not only use international law to your advantage, but also to your opponent’s demise. If I had a nickel for every time I have seen even the best of delegates make comments or propose plans that run contrary to international law, I could fund the entire United Nations for a lifetime. If you familiarize yourself with elements of international jurisprudence, it will be possible to respectfully paint your opponents as ill-informed and you, in turn, as a “best delegate.”

Lastly, once you are well versed in the mechanisms of international law, a wide array of opportunities for you to create legally based solutions will present itself. Chairpersons will usually take very kindly to plans that include restructuring or make use of an existing body. Anyone can reinvent the wheel by establishing a new court or committee, but only the most astute have the ability to make full use of the resources already available to them.

Sources of International Law

Treaties and Conventions

First of all, it is important to recognize that there is no difference between a treaty and a convention. Together, they represent the most “concrete” form of international law that we have to work with. They cover a broad range of topics ranging from environmental and trade agreements to human rights and relations among states. When you research for a Model UN committee, in terms of treaties, you should always the following questions:

• Are there any treaties governing the topic I am researching?
• If so, am I bound by these treaties? Are my allies and enemies bound as well? Is it widely accepted?
• What is the historical context of this treaty?

Once you have answered these questions, you should have a sense of what exactly you are dealing with.

Next, you should analyze the travaux préparatoires of the treaty. This is essentially the history of the document’s drafting. This sheds light on whether your or others’ interpretation of this treaty is correct. This may be difficult to research at times if you do not have access to academic journals, but the Yale Law School Lillian Goldman Law Library has an excellent online collection.

Before you begin reading the treaty, however, you should be familiar with some of the terminology used in many of these documents. The United Nations Children’s Fund provides a list of some of the most important terms—including ratification, signature, and accession— here. The worst thing that you can do is claim your opponent is violating international law when in fact they aren’t!

Equipped with these tools, you should be ready to begin reading. Your first stop should always be the table of contents. Some treaties can be quite extensive—even hundreds of pages long! It is important to look for key words that pertain to exactly what you are looking for.

One invaluable component of a treaty will be its preambulatory articles. As delegates, we usually write these in haste when drafting our own working papers, so we tend to glance over them when reading actual treaties. They can provide excellent sources for further research and provide much-needed historical context.

Definitions run the world, and many times this is really what you will be looking for when scanning a treaty. In a Model UN committee, one comma might prevent nuclear war! Be careful to read these definitions, usually located at the beginning of the treaty, but also look for them in articles that are relevant to the topic at hand.

Customary International Law

There are instances where customary international law does not apply.

The concept of customary international law (CIL) is very complex but very rewarding if utilized effectively in committee. CIL is evaluated on the same level as treaties and conventions are, meaning it is equally important in terms of applicability. The existence of CIL is determined using the following formula:

State practice + opinio juris = CIL

State practice is the phenomenon of many (if not most) states abiding by a certain norm, or principle. It can be evidenced by verifiable state actions. This element of CIL is easier to understand and to demonstrate, usually because its presence is obvious.

Opinio juris is the belief of a state that a certain practice is legally binding across the international community. This can be evidenced by speeches made international or domestically by state officials or internal memoranda, among other forms of proof.

I like to think of this concept in the following way. I picture a square yard bordered by sidewalk with a sign that reads, “Keep off the grass.” People generally follow this rule until one day someone walks diagonally across. They may or may not get in trouble, but then someone else follows suit a few months later. This starts happening more and more, until finally a diagonal path is worn into the grass. After many years, the sign has faded away and almost everyone takes the diagonal route. Finally, the sidewalk border becomes overgrown with shrubbery. A binding custom is born.

Judicial Decisions

There are other sources of international law, but the last one that will be discussed here will be judicial decisions. Firstly, I want to distinguish the International Court of Justice (ICJ) from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The ICJ is an organ of the United Nations. It consists of a panel of fifteen elected judges, representing all major regions of the world. The ICJ rules on two kinds of cases: advisory opinions and contentious cases.

Advisory opinions address complex matters of international law and are non-binding in nature. However, they carry heavy legal weight and can be designated as binding should the UN choose to do so for a particular matter. Actors that are deemed relevant by the ICJ will present their arguments, but there is no one victorious party.

Contentious cases, on the other hand, settle disputes between states that have consented to the ICJ’s jurisdiction. If this is the case, the ruling is binding. Consent is given in at least one of three ways: all state parties voluntarily submit to the ICJ’s jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis, the states have consented to the ICJ’s jurisdiction for certain matters through a dispute settlement clause in a particular treaty, or the states have issued an article 36(2) declaration under the Statute of the Court in which they agree to compulsory jurisdiction.

Both types of cases can be reviewed here.

Almost all states are parties to the ICJ statute.

The ICC is a completely different body that deals with distinct legal issues. The ICC is an international criminal tribunal that processes individuals for four specific crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. States are only subject to the ICC’s jurisdiction if they have signed the Rome Statue, which also details the specifics of the crimes listed above.

Lastly, you should be aware of arbitration and institutional courts as methods of dispute settlement. The Permanent Court of Arbitration is one example of an arbitral tribunal that is in use today. Arbitration differs from litigation in that all parties consent to the proceedings and work together to determine who presides over the case and what law is applied. The document that lists these agreements is called the compromis.

Many international organizations and treaties establish their own court systems to act as enforcing entities. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, for example, arose from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and handles cases relevant to the convention.

“I feel overwhelmed!”

Don’t. A basic knowledge of what is discussed in article will set you light-years apart from your peers. Keep references nearby so you can look up anything you may be unsure about. Feel confident that the Best Delegate team can help you with any Model UN related questions, as well. Feel free to contact me at julianpr@nullbestdelegate.com if you have any concerns!

Indonesian Student Association for International Studies (ISAFIS) once again became the premium partner of U.S. Embassy Jakarta to present ISAFIS-@america Model United Nations held in @america, a high-tech American cultural center in Pacific Place Mall, Jakarta, Indonesia on November 24^th, 2013. Following the success story of last year’s event, this event attracted up to 343 delegates from universities and high school all over Indonesia in a United Nations Development Program simulation on the topic of “Energy Challenges in 21^st Century”.

The co-founder and former Secretary General, Indah Gilang Pusparani, who also a Media Associate for Best Delegate, shared her view, “This is a unique opportunity to reach out Model UN to new audience and transform it into a pop culture for Indonesian youth. I myself see Model UN phenomenon is growing fast in Indonesia and more students, teachers, and young people realizes the educational benefit of Model UN.”

the Committee Session is supported by @america high-tech facilities (photo courtesy of Indah Gilang)

343 delegates from all over Indonesia gathered at ISAFIS-@america Model United Nations (pthoto courtesy of Indah Gilang)

Unlike conventional Model UN, this event offers a new approach of Model UN workshop and simulation in series of inspiring talkshow, movie screening, presentation of rules and procedures of Model UN, and thought-provoking Model UN simulation. Delegates and committee also enjoyed the perks of @america with state-of-the-art technology, such as many large screens for showing off the formal debate flow, video streaming, TweetBeam-Pages, and slideshows.

The event was officially opened by Kristen Bauer, Chargé d’Affairs, U.S. Embassy Jakarta, followed by a welcome speech by Maya Susanti, President of ISAFIS, who reiterated the objective of this one-of-a-kind Model UN workshop and simulation, “the grand aim of this event is to introduce ISAFIS as the leading student-run International Studies organization Indonesia, and its interest on Model United Nations. We have been here for 29 years in promoting mutual understanding among youth. And, we are very glad that the response from the youth are overwhelming.”

The delegates also actively involved in a triggering talk on Indonesian Development Policy presented by Bobby Adhityo Rizaldi, Member of Commission VII, and Joel Kopp, Environment, Science, Technology, and Health Officer, U.S. Embassy Jakarta, and on people-run Micro-hydro Power Plant project by Pradydha Kumayan Jati, from People Centered Business and Economic Initiative (IBEKA).

Joel Kopp, Environment, Science, Technology, and Health Officer, U.S. Embassy Jakarta (photo courtesy of @america)

All-star seasoned Chairs from ISAFIS. (photo courtesy of Indah Gilang)

MUN Introduction Presentation with High-tech facilities (photo courtesy of Indah Gilang)

To proliferate the enthusiasm and educational benefit of Model UN, Gea Larissa Kuncoro from ISAFIS presented “Model United Nations: An Introduction” to the delegates and walk-in participants, most of whom are new-comers and high school students.

The talk definitely improved the quality of the debate during the committee session, as debate heated on whether the world need to curb the rise on fossil fuel demands first or to speed up the transition process towards renewable energy. Surprisingly, developing countries like Turkmenistan, Ethiopia, Democratic People Republic of Korea, along with Japan and People Republic of China stood out at the committee session.

the heated debate at unmoderated caucus (photo courtesy of Indah Gilang)

Left to right: delegate of Turkmenistan (Honorable Mention), delegate of Ethiopia (Outstanding), and delegate of Japan (Best Delegate) (photo courtesy of Indah Gilang)

At the end of the session, delegate of Japan was crowned Best Delegate, delegate of Ethiopia was the Outstanding Delegate, and delegate of Turkmenistan was for the Honorable Mention. Congratulations delegates!

Nadia Sekarsari, delegate of Japan who won Best Delegate award shared her impression towards this event, “I know this opportunity from Facebook, it is very popular. I think this event can sharpen my diplomatic skills and allow me to get connected with fellow Indonesian MUN enthusiasts. Besides, unlike other workshop or simulation, this is free and @america is so cool! I like how the Director make everything under control and promote the debate to be very subtantial. It is very useful for newbies to get to know Model UN without worrying being crushed on the debate!”

So, when are going to join the Model UN phenomenon? Because, even a newbie can shine!

This recap was provided by Matthew Heffernan, the Media Director of the 27th William and Mary High School Model United Nations Conference (WMHSMUN). 

The College of William & Mary’s International Relations Club held its twenty-seventh WMHSMUN conference with over 1,300 high school delegates in attendance this past weekend in historic Williamsburg, Virginia. The twenty-seventh session, under the direction of Secretary-General Serena Saffarini, showed that even though the conference has been held since the 1980’s, each year always brings innovation, modernity, and competition to one of the high school MUN circuit’s most competitive conferences.

Delegates from across the United States came to Williamsburg for a variety of innovative committees. This year, WMHSMUN was comprised of 12 General Assemblies and 15 Specialized Agencies.

Delegates prepare to vote as a Working Paper is finished being introduced

WMHSMUN’s General Assemblies, overseen by Undersecretary-General Karthik Kumarappan, covered a range of topics, from more traditional committees such as the African Union and Arab League to the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature: World Conservation Congress. In addition, one of WMHSMUN’s offerings was Novice Committees, in which delegates new to Model United Nations could compete in General Assemblies.

Delegates in the IUCN engaged in a scientific poster session before moving on to traditional debate

Delegates in the General Assemblies engaged in a range of topics, from Cybercrime and Pharmaceutical Trafficking to the Human Genetics Programme, the Political Status of Western Sahara, and the current topic of Iranian Nuclear Investigation.  The highlight of the General Assemblies was the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, where the first session featured a poster session in the Friday session and a Guest Lecture by William & Mary Professor Christopher Freiman, a specialist whose work has appeared in Environmental Values, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice.

Specialized Agencies, the purview of Undersecretary-General Christian McConville, had more delegates than ever before in a wider variety of committees than ever before and to resounding success. Delegates enjoyed the more traditional UNSC, but also the Post-Milosevic Serbian Cabinet committee and the Council of Trent. WMHSMUN XXVII also had two joint crisis committees: the 1969 Sino-Soviet Border Conflict and a Post-9/11 join crisis focusing on the relationship between the United States and the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan.

One of WMHSMUN’s most innovative committees was the NGO Programme, led by director Taylor Renard. Double-delegations represented different Non-Governmental Organizations and visited General Assemblies and joined in the debate to suggest policies that the respective NGOs would financially support with much success.

The Ad-Hoc Committee of the Secretary General

The classic flagship committee of WMHSMUN, the Ad-Hoc Committee of the Secretary General, was staffed by the past two Secretaries-General Katie Mitchell and William Shimer and simulated warring factions in Japan during the Meiji Restoration. The committee split in two during the conflict, with Secretary-General of WMHSMUN XXVI, Katie Mitchell, taking one half of the committee and Secretary-General of WMHSMUN XXV, William Shimer, taking the other half. With defections and infighting, the committee warred on and came together at the end for a final battle. Computer simulations and the Shakespeare in the Dark acting troupe enhanced the committee, resulting in a more intense experience for the delegates.

WMHSMUN’s signature out-of-committee experience was updated by Conference Development Director, Brendan McNamara, and the Assistant Conference Development Director Rukmini Bhugra. This year introduced WMHSFood and WMHSFun to the current offerings of the Student Leadership Summit, Ghost Tours, and Delegate Dance. WMHSFood offered delegates Friday night’s dinner from a variety of food vendors and WHSFun took place on Friday and offered delegates the chance to play video games, learn more about NGOs active on William & Mary’s campus, and a variety of other activities.

Awards:

Best Large Delegation: Langley High School

Outstanding Large Delegation: Port Charlotte High School

Best Small Delegation: West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South

Outstanding Small Delegation: School Without Walls

Finally, the most prestigious award WMHSMUN offers each year is the Coon Award for Diplomacy. Named after the Secretary-General of WMHSMUN IX, the Coon Award for Diplomacy is awarded to the school which most embodies the ideals of diplomacy and representation in Model United Nations. This year, the Coon Award for Diplomacy was awarded to Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School.

Notable performances were also given by Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Mira Costa High School, and John P. Stevens High School.

WMHSMUN XXVII Secretariat:

Serena Saffarini, Secretary-General

Clayton Southerly, Director-General

Melanie Gilbert, Registration Director

Karthik Kumarappan, Undersecretary-General for General Assemblies

Christian McConville, Undersecretary-General for Specialized Agencies

Matthew Heffernan, Media Director

Phoebe Benich, Chief of Staff

Brendan McNamara, Conference Development Director

Mimi Jou, Director of Technology

Lily Li, Director of Technology

Rukmini Bhugra, Assistant Conference Development Director

Tustin High School sponsored its 21st annual Model United Nations Conference on Saturday and Sunday, November 23^rd and 24^th.   Approximately 1,500 students from high schools throughout California participated in both Novice and Advanced committees. Thirty students and several teachers from the Czech Republic and Canada were in attendance as well.

At Opening Ceremonies, Tustin High MUN alumnus Brian Forde served as this year’s honorary Secretary General.  Tustin has a long-standing tradition of inviting THSMUN alumni to speak about the impact of Model UN. Tustin High School’s MUN program was started in 1991 as an extracurricular activity and has evolved into a four-year academic leadership academy curriculum.

Opening Ceremonies in Tustin High’s Sport Pavilion

Through debate and collaboration, delegates discussed topics ranging from political legitimacy in Southeast Asia to the use of torture during war. In addition to GA and ECOSOC committees, THSMUN also hosted specialized committees such as the Papacy, Politburo, and a joint crisis with Iran, the U.S., and Israel. Novice committees were one day long, while Advanced committees lasted for the duration of the conference.

THSMUN XXI has seen an increase of around 100 delegates from last year’s conference, and it is one of the major high school-hosted conferences on the Southern California circuit. “This annual student-run conference serves as a vital fundraiser for the Model United Nations program. It’s the largest MUN conference held west of the Mississippi,” said Tustin High MUN Academy Director David Waldram.

Delegates of Novice WHO take notes during a speech

The Advanced Specialized NGO committee drafts solutions for expanding universal primary education

Tustin High School’s Principle Jonathan Blackmore (left) and Assistance Principle Troy Fresch (right)

Unmoderated caucus in Advanced GA Plenary

Advanced Commission on Science and Technology for Development (STDev) in an unmod caucus

This year THSMUN gave out General Assembly and ECOSOC awards; Santa Margarita Catholic High School took home the large school award for both both GA and ECOSOC, and Ghar High School won the GA and ECOSOC small school award.

Did you attend THSMUN XXI? Leave your comments, insights, or general musings about the conference below!

Mari Manoogian is a Media Manager at Best Delegate, and is a senior/active Model UN participant at the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University.

When I received the phone message in early March 2013 that I was selected to be a Press and Public Diplomacy (PD) intern at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations (USUN), I was fairly certain someone from the Model UN circuit had prank called me.  To be honest, I didn’t even remember applying to the office, which is in New York City on First Avenue, right across from UN Secretariat.

Mari with US Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power.

I inadvertently checked the “willing to travel” box on my State Department internship app.  With a personal statement chockfull of my love of the United Nations, knowledge of the UN Security Council, and my experience as a Model UN delegate at previously at Michigan State University and now at GWU, it now makes perfect sense that I was placed in this amazing office.

An internship at USUN is truly a #MUNgirl’s dream.  Every morning, I get to walk past UN Secretariat. I thought it would get old after a while, but looking at that magnificent, mammoth, sea foam green building, I can’t help but think of the history that has been made there, and the millions of people the UN helps every day through all of the programs and funds.  All of the issues we debate as MUN delegates come to terms there, and it’s been surreal to be able to see firsthand how it all happens for real.

UNGA (pronounced: uhn-guh) is the most intense four months of the year for the UN. It’s a time when all of the topics we debate as MUN delegates are brought to the forefront, and every country sends their best and brightest to committees and the UNSC to hammer out resolutions.  This year, topics such as rights of the elderly were highlighted, and of course the ongoing crises in Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic remained on the UNSC’s agenda for the entirety of UNGA.

Mari with National Security Advisor Susan Rice at President Barack Obama’s UNGA reception.

Having an internship during the UN General Assembly at, arguably, the busiest Mission, has been nothing short of life-changing.  There are few other places in the world where a student of international affairs and a MUN geek can intern and say that within the first week of the internship they met the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, the Ambassador to the UN, the National Security Adviser, and Dule Hill.  UNGA means events, and events need staff, so typically all interns are on deck to help out with receptions and the occasional dinner.  When President Obama spoke to the GA, he hosted a dinner for Heads of State, and I was able to volunteer and attend the event.

Although the day-to-day work in the office isn’t always as glam as attending a dinner with POTUS, having the opportunity to be there even just once was really cool.  I do have to say, being able to take photos of Ambassador Power for USUN has been pretty cool, especially since I’ve been a fan of her academic work since I first started studying IR.  Another great part about interning at USUN is the access to the UN Secretariat that interns have.  My first time entering the UN Security Council was a few weeks ago, and I was allowed to sit behind the Ambassador during a briefing.  It was one of the most memorable moments of the internship, and is something I will absolutely remember for the rest of my life as I continue to learn and work in public service.

Interning in the Press and PD office has given the opportunity to explore an often underappreciated part of the Foreign Service.  When most MUNers think of working in the State Department, they think of writing policy that will be implemented around the world in our embassies.  But how does this policy translate into tangible results for people in other countries?  In Press and PD, the office does a great deal of outreach with local NGOs and student groups to teach them about the United States’ views on a variety of topics, and also works directly with reporters on the beat for a particular area.  For the USUN, this means partnering with NY schools and having Ambassadors and other members of our staff speak about their careers and passion for public service, and working with reporters from various media outlets on the United Nations beat as well as the larger media outlets for special stories (ie. This article about Ambassador Power in Vogue).

One of the coolest things I get to do at the Mission is talk with high school and college Model UN groups about how to get an internship at USUN.  During one of the briefings, a staffer told the kids about how former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was preparing to chair at the UN, but there was no gavel to be found.  Luckily, this USUN staffer was previously a Best Delegate at Harvard National MUN, and had his gavel on hand for Clinton to use!

As I previously touched on, I initially thought I had applied to Main State, which is the headquarters for the Department of State in Washington, D.C., but then found out that I was selected for USUN.  You can find the application for State Department internships here.  Finding housing was initially tough, but I reached out through my network of friends, and was able to live with a friend from high school (and her super nice sister, sister’s friend, and a puppy named Rascal!) in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

I ended my internship at USUN last week, and I already miss it dearly.  The Foreign Service Officers and Civil Servants in my office have taught me more than I could have ever expected to learn in a short 10 week internship.  Although the stakes (and stress levels) are incredibly high (the phrase “no room for error” was pretty common), I definitely encourage anyone even remotely considering a career in public service of any kind to apply for a Department of State internship, and if you’re willing to relocate, most definitely check out interning in an embassy abroad or a Mission to an international organization.

To learn more about internships with the State Department, click here: http://careers.state.gov/students/programs

We’ve all been there: hearing the power delegates rambling off an already memorized list of those international laws and treaties that even some Model UN veterans have never heard of. Nine times out of ten, most of those power delegates are banking on the fact that most people don’t know the laws as well as they do to get away with their points. Background guides do a great job on helping you determine where to start your research, but in order to succeed in MUN you really have to know how the international community works inside and out. It’s normal to be intimidated by more experienced delegates, but hopefully with this list, you can grasp a better understanding of what these laws are designed to do, and who knows– it may be you bringing them up in debate at your next conference!

The Geneva Conventions

The Geneva Conventions were a series of four treaties and three protocols signed and ratified by 195 countries. The first convention took place in Switzerland in 1864 and the last took place after World War II in 1949. The Conventions changed the ways of traditional warfare when the introduced laws that protected treatment of prisoners of war. This eventually expanded to include the wounded and civilians, especially women and children, in conflict zones. It’s best to include the Geneva Conventions in resolutions dealing with war zones and when naming-and-shaming leaders who are not in compliance with the treaties.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

UNCLOS is also a series of conventions that was signed by the international community between 1973 and 1982 and addresses the responsibilities that each country has for its national waters. As of August 2013, 165 countries have signed and ratified UNCLOS. The most important part of this convention is to remember that international waters start 12 nautical miles (22 km) out from a country’s coastline. The organizations that enforce UNCLOS are the International Maritime Organization, the International Whaling Commission, and the International Seabed Authority. Definitely something you want to check out if your topic deals with pirates or illegal fishing and dumping!

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Probably the most controversial law on the international agenda, the NPT works with the International Atomic Energy Agency to make sure countries are complying with the conditions necessary to seek nuclear proliferation. Every country in the world has signed this treaty at one point with the exception of India, Pakistan, Israel, and South Sudan. North Korea was the only country to withdraw from the treaty. This piece of legislature is the most religiously followed out of any arms and disarmament laws in the entire world. Under the provisions of the NPT, countries are able to seek nuclear power only for peaceful purposes like energy or medical treatment. The purpose was also to eventually give the P5, which are confirmed to have nuclear power, an opportunity to eventually disarm their nuclear programs. So far that hasn’t happened yet, but don’t let that stop you from bringing it up in DISEC or SPECPOL!

The Chemical Warfare Convention

With the heat on Syria’s gross humanitarian violations lately, everyone wants to know what’s stopping us from seriously intervening? Did Syria really cross Obama’s red line? Well technically no, since it never signed the Chemical Warfare Convention. As of October 2013, 190 have agreed to ban the use of chemical weapons in war primarily because containing something as deadly as gas is extremely difficult to do. This law was introduced by DISEC in the UN General Assembly in 1968. The CWC is enforced by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the organization who actually won the Nobel Peace Prize this year for its work on making the use of chemical warfare a taboo in the international community.

The Biological Warfare Convention

Like its cousin the CWC, the BWC became a hot agenda topic in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. This convention was actually a byproduct of the 1925 Geneva Protocol which prohibited the use and development of chemical and biological weapons. 170 countries have so far agreed to stop stockpiling biological toxin weapons that include, “Microbial or other biological agents, or toxins whatever their origin or method of production, of types and in quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes;” and “Weapons, equipment or means of delivery designed to use such agents or toxins for hostile purposes or in armed conflict.” You should also try bringing this one up in DISEC or SPECPOL!

Got any more you’d like us to take a look at ? Send suggestions and requests to lstefanos@nullbestdelegate.com and we’ll help you break them down. You’ll be using them in committee in no time!

Social Leadership in MUN: Redefining the “Power Delegate”

We’ve all been in committees with delegates who come out of the gate as aggressively as possible and let their competitive drive shine through as they make vitriolic speeches and regard any other paper on the floor as a joke. The first unmoderated caucus comes around and you immediately see the United Kingdom or France walk to the front of the room, waving their placard, yelling “IF YOU ARE A EUROPEAN COUNTRY OR HAVE BEEN SENDING NOTES WITH US YOU NEED TO MEET US RIGHT HERE!!!”, while at the back of the room you’ll hear China or India shouting “IF YOU ARE A DEVELOPING COUNTRY YOU HAVE TO COME HERE!!!”, immediately alienating half the room but giving the other half of the delegates some direction if they were unsure what to do. They can often be heard referring to “my paper” rather than “our paper”, and can be seen ordering delegates around the room to do minor tasks for them, like “go bring Russia over here”.

These delegates, who are often referred to with the laudatory title of “Power Delegate” are a regular fixture in any Model U.N. conference, and are often expected to get the best awards in committee. By calling them “Power Delegates”, we’re just validating that their tactics and attitudes about Model United Nations are the proper way to go about things. When we stop to think about it, this is counterintuitive. Model United Nations (except for crisis committees) it about simulating real world international organizations founded on diplomacy and collaboration, almost always with a “1 country, 1 vote” policy to emphasize the equal representation and respect to be accorded to each nation. Though we sometimes think that being aggressive and overpowering is the best way to get awards, when somebody actually comes along who can lead through collaboration, friendliness, and respect, they almost inevitably get the proper recognition for their work. We just need to learn where the line between leading versus commanding, debating versus bullying, and collaborating versus stealing ideas lies, and strive for the right path even though it may be less clear.

Example 1:

It’s the first or second session of the conference, and after listening (or not listening) to the speeches of your fellow delegates as they share ideas for potential solutions, the first unmoderated caucus comes up.

DO: Send notes before the caucus occurs to try to open up working relationships with other delegates. Explain to them why their ideas are compatible with yours, and why you really like what they have to say (being responsive to other delegates’ speeches is important). Seek out other delegates and ask them if they’re willing to meet with a group outside, and listen to everybody’s ideas.

DON’T:  Don’t yell for/at people. Don’t grab the microphone to direct delegates to meet in a specific location. Don’t tell people who they need to/ have to be working with.

Example 2:

There’s a working paper on the floor that was written by some inexperienced delegates and is currently being debated. You disagree with many of the clauses and there are a lot of things factually or structurally wrong with the paper, and you’re next up on the Speaker’s List.

DO: Explain why, because of national policies, your country can’t support this paper. Address your concerns about any factual inaccuracies, but follow them up with an interest in amending or working with the authors on these issues. Make sure to find a clause or two to highlight as a constructive or innovative idea that you really like to commend them on, and express your interest in meeting with this group to work out your differences.

DON’T: Don’t go overboard with explaining why this is a bad paper or why it’s all wrong and should be ignored by the committee. Don’t make it sound like the authors of this paper are stupid or don’t know what they’re doing.

Example 3:

Your committee is getting close to the stage where you need to start submitting draft resolutions, but there is still some work to go. You’re about to recess for the day and reconvene the next morning, and you realize that some work will need to be done with your block outside of committee.

DO: Get Dinner (or Breakfast/Lunch) with your working group with the expressed purpose of not getting any work done. This is a great way to build relationships with your group and actually develop a friendship that will motivate people to work together. Sit down with the group and do a round robin on what everybody wants to work on and think should be added. Encourage everybody to speak about the work they’ve done specifically to the rest of the body so that everybody can see how collaborative your paper is. Thank everybody profusely for the amount of work you’re all doing, and say how excited you are to see the great paper you’ve all written together come forward.

DON’T: Don’t give out assignments to delegates you’re working with to finish for the next day (example: you write a clause on the educational program in developing nations, you write 2 clauses on best practices/expertise sharing programs). Don’t make your bloc sit around while you type out clauses, ignoring them. Don’t tell people that they have to meet at a specific time the next morning if they want to be listed as a sponsor.

Obviously many of these decisions seem intuitive, but its’ always important to emphasize building a strong relationship with the people in your committee. At conferences you’ll be collaborating with a large group of highly intelligent delegates who’ve done extensive research, and everybody has something they can contribute. By exercising Social Leadership you can embody what Model U.N. is all about and bring home the awards, while also making new friends, being well liked, and having a good time. Let’s stop worrying about the “Power Delegates” and start trying to become “leaders”, because that’s really what Model UN is about.

(Left to Right) Front Row: Darby Sinclair (US Coordinator), Savanna Kuisle (MS), Ah-Young Song (US). Middle Row: Phil Lindert (MS), Erica Soublet (US), Lisa Casarrubias (MS), Natalie Vacirca (US), Anthony Ives (US). Back Row: Ron Bell (US), Karen Moulton (MS), Kristin Rowe (MS Coordinator), Peter Giordano (MS). Missing: Catalina Guzman (US), Kathy Sandler (MS).

KFC and I visited Taipei American School during our Round-the-World Tour back in October. We ran MUN workshops for high school (upper school) and middle school delegates. And we also spoke with parents about the lifelong benefits of having their children participate in Model United Nations.

TAS has an impressive MUN program. They send upper school and middle school delegates around the world to participate in both THIMUN-style and North American-style MUN conferences — has a record-setting number of 14 advisors supporting their MUN program — and they’re also pioneering the boundaries of Model UN through their partnership with THIMUN O-MUN (Online MUN). And they’ve managed to do this all in the last 5 years.

We interviewed middle school and upper school MUN coordinators Kristin Rowe and Darby Sinclair to learn more about the TAS MUN program, and what lessons and best practices they could share with Best Delegate readers and the Model United Nations community.

Best Delegate: Tell us about TASMUN. How many TAS students participate in MUN? How do you select MUN conferences to attend and how do you prepare for them?

Kristin Rowe: Five years ago Taipei American School only had a varsity and junior varsity MUN team of around 15 students each. Only the varsity team traveled overseas to attend an MUN conference, and the JV team attended an on-island conference.

Now MUN at TAS is a Grade 6-12 program. It caters for around 200 students (approximately 100 in MS and 100 in US) and this year TAS students will attend 13 MUN conferences around the globe. Now a senior’s MUN career can consist of delegate and student officer experiences at multiple conferences on-island and across Asia, as well as in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

The primary reason for this exponential growth was the decision to develop a MS MUN program built around the grand finale event of our own TASMUN junior conference. This produced:

• A greater quantity of students eager for MUN conference opportunities in Upper School
• Increased interest from students for more varied international MUN conference experiences across the course of their MUN “career”
• Higher quality delegates, through longer, deeper exposure to MUN research, lobbying/negotiation, and debate skills
• More leadership opportunities and thus a stronger pool of MUN student leaders.

TAS has also entered into partnership with THIMUN O-MUN (Online MUN) in order to increase opportunities for TAS delegates and student officers to participate in and lead global MUN debates. TAS students not only participate in multiple monthly O-MUN debates, they are also THIMUN O-MUN program leaders (e.g. the Taiwan Country Liaison and ICJ leaders are TAS students). Furthermore, in a mirror of our f2f program, TAS students have been pioneers in the development of jrO-MUN (the middle school branch of the program). The global Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General of jrO-MUN both hail from TAS.

But this is not just a story about increasing MUN student numbers and events. The most critical aspect of our TAS MUN program growth is our very deliberate and explicit cultivation of a culture of mentorship. The MUN program is much more than just a program – together, we have developed a community through our bottom line expectation that all participants “pay it forward.” That means, every student who is given an opportunity to attend an MUN conference is required to enrich another student’s opportunity. All MS delegates are mentored 1:1 by an US delegates – for EVERY conference/debate in which they participate. Every student officer position comes with it the expectation to lead through service to the team. Veteran MUN students do not just bang a gavel, they sit alongside  new delegates to model and encourage the development of  MUN skills. Thus, the TAS MUN program fosters service leadership.

We are passionate about the mentorship aspect of MUN. MUN is a student-led activity, thus the quality of the delegates is largely determined by the quality of the leadership. I’m going to do something terribly original right now and paraphrase the UN Charter Preamble, by saying that: the role of the UN is to provide us with the ability to build community, unite our strength, and work together for a better future and the advancement of all. Thus, developing a program of mentorship, and rewarding student leaders who best exemplify these values, has been every bit as important as simply starting students earlier with MUN. By building a cross-divisional mentoring network, building bridges between MS and US MUN participants, TAS students have been able to unite their strengths and have worked for the advancement of all in the program.

Building a program – and a mentoring community – from the MS up has made all the difference.

BD: Over the past 5 years, TASMUN has grown from 2 advisors to 14, which is the greatest number of advisors we’ve seen for any MUN program in the world. How has TASMUN managed to achieve this level of growth and support from the TAS community?

Darby Sinclair: A strategic part of our growth was getting the school Administration on board with our program. We started by developing a small Middle School club and offered our first small MUN conference with three schools and 100 delegates. This was the catalyst that we needed to begin to allow our Administration to understand the benefits of this program and what it would offer for our students. Our high school Administration knew that middle school students would soon be coming to our high school expecting a developed program and opportunities. With this understanding we had very generous support to build our program incrementally and define how MUN enhanced and supported our school’s mission and the desire to create students who had 21st century literacy skills.

KR: Of course, the TAS MUN program has grown because of easily measured gains such as the number of overall participants, the number of conferences TAS attends, and the number of student officer/leader positions TAS students earn. Nevertheless, the less quantifiable elements increasingly lend respect and develop interest for our program – and these boil down to the reputation of the program. And the reputation rests on the traits that our individual MUN participants exhibit. At this point, it’s a positive feedback loop because our MUN veterans continue to raise the bar and our newer delegates strive to reach and then surpass that level of achievement, which in turn further polishes our reputation. Notice again that it is the mentoring network that feeds this loop: the younger delegates are regularly exposed to the generations before them. They are encouraged and supported by those same high-achievers who are setting the standard.

Finally, the very same things – the reputation of the program, the diverse conference opportunities, and the mentoring culture of the TAS program – have attracted coaches to participate. Many of our coaches are new to MUN, but they learn about the program and meet the students and therefore want to be part of it. Likewise, the school administration has generously supported expansion because of the increased quantity of opportunities to develop student leadership and the increased quality of the program, which enhances the school’s international standing.

BD: TASMUN has also partnered with Online MUN (O-MUN), especially at the middle school level, which places TASMUN on the cutting edge of MUN and online education. How does the partnership between TASMUN and O-MUN work? What do TASMUN students get to do through O-MUN?

KR: TAS students continue to make history as pioneers of this paradigm shift to online global MUN debate at the middle school level. Through this online program, TAS MUN delegates are gaining extra MUN debate preparation, practice, and performance as well as the opportunity to network and collaborate with MS and US students with whom they may well debate face-to-face at future MUN conferences in Asia and around the world, particularly THIMUN-affiliated conferences. O-MUN has afforded TAS students opportunities for more MUN – and more authentic, truly global debate – without the restrictions of space and time (geography – we’re on an island!! – financial resources, daily schedules and commitments to other activities, etc).

Junior Online MUN has provided another avenue for replicating the success of our mentoring program. When our delegates sign up for monthly global debates, they are supported by a team of upper school MUN mentors from TAS, as well as students from the global O-MUN community, who serve as jrO-MUN Assistants under the supervision of O-MUN Director, Lisa Martin. Indeed, the jrO-MUN Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General are our own upper school TAS students: Rohan Sinha (11) and Jessica Chen (10).

BD: Best Delegate recently visited TAS to teach MUN workshops and talk to parents about the benefits of MUN. How did Best Delegate impact TASMUN delegates and parents?

KR: Best Delegate’s visit to TAS demonstrated another breakthrough for our program. The visiting consultants were funded by a Parent Teacher Association grant. In other words, the parent community representatives deemed the MUN program worthy of spending a significant sum of money to bring out Ryan and KFC to teach TAS students advanced skills. Usually, the PTA funds curricular opportunities, so this was a departure from normal practice because a co-curricular activity was the beneficiary!

The value of the Best Delegate visit for our students was manifold. Middle School students for whom MUN was a baffling and daunting concept were inspired to sign up for the program this year because Ryan and KFC made MUN accessible and interesting for the MS mind. The US students benefited from the opportunity to have all the delegates across our many and varied teams come together and receive the same foundational MUN skill review. This also helped to provide a common language for all our coaches and delegates to continue to use in future conference prep. Finally, the natural result of such a large program with many facets, is that we have tended to overcomplicate some elements and get ourselves lost in the detail. Ryan and KFC brought everyone back to basics, and from there launched us into advanced understanding of some of the discrete MUN skills. Basically, they got us all back on track. No delegate left behind!

Best Delegate also helped our TAS parents see the connection between MUN for school (a co-curricular activity that boosts academic performance across a range of subjects) and MUN for college applications (an activity that colleges recognize and value) and MUN for life (an activity that develops real-world career skills, the ability to make friends and influence people). Finally, Best Delegate reminded everyone us that MUN is for FUN! Serious fun!

DS: In the 6 weeks since Best Delegate visited we have heard students discussing many practical aspects of skill building that were exemplified in the workshops that Kevin and Ryan taught. Students have discussed how they need to become more proactive at lobbying and using the informal periods of an MUN conference to develop their relationships with fellow delegates. Another very positive aspect of the Best Delegate visit was the Parent Evening. Kevin and Ryan were able to share their personal stories as to how MUN had allowed them to develop the necessary skills to become successful in their college experiences and early careers.

BD: What is the vision for TASMUN for the future? What goals do you hope to achieve in the upcoming year?

KR: We strive to continue to improve on the quality of our own TASMUN conference – we want our conference to provide the best MUN debate experience students can have every year! We want to maintain a strong ratio of student officers, i.e. leaders, per team. The number of student officer positions our students earn at other conferences is a measure of our school’s reputation. This year, we added a Grade 7 travel team into our program so we look forward to these students bringing back lessons learned from their Shanghai conference experience to teach other MS students and thereby continue to enhance the MS program, which in turn feeds the US program. And this year, in particular, we are looking forward to partnering with the Yale MUN Secretariat on a project to establish a YMUN sub-conference in Taiwan.

DS: Our hope for the future of TASMUN is to provide an inclusive conference that supports the newly emerging MUN programs at other schools across the island of Taiwan. Although Taiwan does not have diplomatic recognition in the United Nations it has a fully thriving and functioning democracy that allows citizens to actively use their voices to make changes within their communities and nation. We hope that by continuing to include Taiwanese schools in the TASMUN conference we can provide students with the critical thinking and public speaking skills that they need to be effective agents for change in their communities.

We also hope to use TASMUN as a vehicle to connect students to the local and international community. We would like to invite more guest speakers and activists who can share their stories and messages and allow our students to see the various opportunities for careers and service that are possible once they move beyond the MUN arena.

Thank you to Kristin and Darby and the TAS family for hosting KFC and me in Taipei! We hope to see you and your delegates again soon!

Article provided by BERMUN Secretariat Members Eleanor Kelly and Rebekka Schoell

This year, over 500 delegates from around the world gathered at the John F. Kennedy School for the 22^ndannual BERMUN conference. They debated critical topics ranging from the right to education to the situation in Syria and regulations on cyberterrorism. As in previous years, BERMUN succeeded in providing students with valuable insight into world affairs, as well as giving them the opportunity to form intercultural friendships.

    The conference began on the afternoon of November 20th with an opening ceremony at the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.  The Secretariat, composed of four John F. Kennedy High School students, warmly welcomed the General Assembly and introduced this year’s conference topic of education being the key to advancement, equality, and a secure future.  Markus Jungnickel, Secretary-General, along with guest speaker, Professor Dr. Thomas Rommel, highlighted the importance of education for all and how social and financial backgrounds do, but should not, influence access to education.

    The Youth Assembly (YA) had a separate opening ceremony at the Taipei Representative Office in Berlin.  The YA is a distinct body of the BERMUN conference, in which participants devise reasonable action plans that they will carry out in their schools and communities. Alex Schaper, JFKS alumni and YA co-founder, conducted a motivational workshop at the ceremony.

    The remaining days within each committee were spent in debate.  The General Assembly (GA) consisted of four committees, each discussing subjects pertaining to both the conference topic and the topic within their own group. In addition to the GA, the Security Council debated its internal structure, which impacts its efficiency, as well as the ongoing Syrian crisis. Meanwhile, the newly created Historical Security Council made its debut with the topic of the 2003 conflict in Iraq.  The Special Conference debated a number of educational topics, whilst the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) debated scientific advancement, digital divide, and the human dignity of migrants and refugees.  Another separate entity of BERMUN was the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which ruled on the issue of whaling in Japan and Australia.

      Friday, November 22^nd marked the 50^th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination.  In honor of its host school’s namesake, BERMUN commemorated JFK at the conference.  Each committee viewed a brief video provided by the BERMUN Press Corps and held an honorary moment of silence.  As Kennedy’s legacy included education for all in addition to international cooperation, it merged well with the theme of this conference.

     Not only did delegates simulate foreign diplomats and contribute to drafting resolutions, they also raised over 1400 Euros that will directly benefit the victims of the recent disaster in the Philippines. This was originally brought to light in the Opening Ceremony, when JFKS student, Sophia Natividad, delivered an inspiring speech on the country’s current state, and two Filipino singers sang a native song in heartfelt tribute.

All in all, the conference was a very successful time of debate and creation of international friendships, providing everyone involved with long-lasting memories.

It’s easy when you’re in committee session to get caught up in the thrill of debate. The essence of MUN is about diplomacy and decorum, and therefore it is important that you remember to use our manners when in committee. Not only will they help you win Best Delegate, but they will contribute towards you leaving the weekend having made genuine and lasting friendships.

Here are some tips that you should remember the next time you’re in a committee session:

1) Introductions: Over the course of the conference you will have to introduce yourself over and over again. Not only is it important that you introduce yourself in a memorable way to your fellow delegates and chairs, it is even more important that you introduce your country in the best manner possible. Each time there is a roll call vote, you need to show the best etiquette that your country has to offer. The best way of doing this is to stand up (every time), hold your placard clearly in front of you, address the Dias directly and use the official full title of your country. Most delegates will do this on the first day, but by the last day delegates can get complacent. You need to show you’re still serious on day 3.

2) Language: The first thing you’re taught when you begin your MUN journey is the way you need to address the committee. This, of course, means the importance of ‘Honourable Chair/Distinguished Delegates.’ Most delegates will almost always begin their speeches in this manner, however it’s just as important to begin your 15 second moderated caucus comments in this way as it is your Opening Speech. It shows the Dias that your ability to remain diplomatic and professional supersedes your need to say as much as you can in 15 seconds. Furthermore, no matter how friendly you have become with your chairs and fellow delegates over the few days, try not to make your speeches too informal. It’s very important that you first represent your country to the committee before you represent yourself to your new friends.

3) Time: Keep your speeches to time. It can be difficult to say exactly what you need to in a short amount of time, but if the director has tapped the gavel to indicate time up, finish quickly (but don’t rush), say thank you and sit down.

4) Behaviour towards the Dias: You may not realise this, but the Dias put in a huge amount of work both before and during the conference. Delegates become so caught up in debate, that they often forget this. Treat your chairs well, not because you want them to give you an award, but because they deserve it. When it looks as though they’re not calling on you, don’t pull faces in exacerbation, or roll your eyes to a fellow delegate across the rule. Continue engaging in debate, keep raising your placard and the Dias will recognise your professionalism.

5) Behaviour towards delegates: It’s tempting to use all the time you get to show other delegates why they should work with you, but remember that you’re also there to meet new people. It’s always a shame when the first time you meet a delegate, they ambush you with facts and figures to try and get you to vote for the topic they want to discuss first. We all appreciate eager delegates, but first impressions count. When you first meet another delegate, use the opportunity to get to know them. Have a genuine interest in them and what they do. That way you’ll have gained a new potential signatory, but more importantly, a new friend.

6) Points of Order: If you have a genuine point of order, by all means raise it when it is appropriate. However, if it is possible to frame it as a Point of Parliamentary Inquiry, try and do so. It shows your aim isn’t to show off in committee or to call out your chair.

7) Placard Waving: PLEASE don’t wave your placard in an attempt to get the Dias to notice you. Chances are that they have noticed you but are calling on other delegates to expand debate. It’s extremely rude and makes you seem very impatient.

8) Thank You: Try to say thank you as much as you can during your speeches, during caucuses and within your bloc. It shows that you recognise the efforts put in by all delegates and that you give credit where credit is due.

9) Finally, Smile! It’s important to take your role in the conference seriously, but remember to smile wherever and whenever appropriate.  It’s polite and respectful, and leaves an excellent impression.