Model United Nations

Model United Nations (MUN) is an academic simulation of the UN.  Each year, in schools around the world, groups of students come together to familiarize themselves with the procedures of the United Nations and assume the roles of delegates. 

MUN at Ermitage

In some schools MUN is a full semester class, but here at Ermitage, our MUN "club" consists of a group of students brought together by their interest in researching, debating, staying informed and formulating solutions to global issues.

With a packed schedule, teachers and club members are willing to stay behind after school. The fact that they manage to keep up the discussion until well after 6pm at the end of a tiring day bears testimony to exactly how much everyone enjoys our weekly meetings. 

If you would like to participate in MUN, Mr. Jonathan Hager would be very happy to welcome you into the club.  Information about become a "future delegate" is available directly through Mr. Hager at the Lycee building.

MUN 2011 Student Report

Reflections from the Annual Haarlem Model United Nations Conference 2010

For a couple of years now our Model UN team has been participating in the annual Haarlem Model United Nations conference.  During the three-day conference students from all over the world join committees similar to those at the UN and are involved in debating, negotiating, lobbying and voting and all other things that are normally done by adult diplomats.

The train ride to the Netherlands tends to be quite stressful because everyone is doing last minute work and putting together resolutions. Teachers get swarmed by students who need help. Students either get stressed, thinking they aren’t prepared, or they use the four-hour train ride as an opportunity to play card games.

Once we reached Haarlem though we barely had any time to feel stressed or play card games. The atmosphere was very professional and all the delegates did a great job of staying in character and looking out for the best interests of their assigned countries. This made it easy to assume the role of diplomats and work hard to get our resolutions through. We left Haarlem exhausted but with a sense of accomplishment. Not even the realization that our resolutions weren’t “real” did anything to take away from that feeling.

Students followed up on the their by writing and producing an in-house newsletter, The Chronicle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Model United Nations?

Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the UN General Assembly and other multilateral bodies. In Model UN, students step into the shoes of ambassadors from UN member states to debate current issues on the organization's agenda. While playing their roles as ambassadors, student "delegates" make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, negotiate with allies and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and navigate the Model UN conference rules of procedure - all in the interest of mobilizing "international cooperation" to resolve problems that affect countries all over the world.
 

Before playing out their ambassadorial roles in a Model UN simulation, students research the issue that their committee will address. Model UN participants learn how the international community acts on its concerns about topics including peace and security, human rights, the environment, food and hunger, economic development and globalization. Model UN delegates also look closely at the needs, goals and foreign policies of the countries they will represent at the event. The insights they gain from their exploration of history, geography, culture, economics and science contribute to the authenticity of the simulation when the role playing gets under way. The delegates' in-depth knowledge of their countries guarantees a lively and memorable experience.
 

How did Model UN begin?

While there is no official record of how Model UN began, we do know that Model UN is the successor of a series of student-led Model League of Nations simulations. Some people believe that the first Model UN conference was held at Harvard University, although other colleges claim they held the first conference. Regardless, simulations of international organizations began even before the birth of the United Nations!
 

What types of topics are discussed in Model UN conferences?

The agenda items discussed in committee vary at each conference. Most conferences tend to focus on current affairs issues that are being discussed in the United Nations. These issues can highlight political, financial and/or social concerns. However, the task of some committees might be to address hypothetical concerns or issues from the past or future. For example, many conferences have "crisis" committees, in which delegates must react to a hypothetical or actual crisis situation. Other conferences host historical or future Security Council simulations.
 

What is a Model UN delegate?

Model UN delegate is a student who assumes the role of an ambassador to the United Nations in a Model UN simulation. Prior to a conference or event, a Model UN delegate does not need extensive experience in international relations. Anyone can participate in Model UN, so long as they have the ambition to learn something new and to work with people to try and make a difference in the world. Model UN students tend to go on to become great leaders in politics, law, business, education and medicine, such as the people mentioned above.
 

Why should I participate in Model UN?

Model UN promotes students' and teachers' interest in world around them and broadens a student's knowledge in a variety of subjects. Model UN also teaches vital skills in negotiation, public speaking, problem solving, conflict resolution, research and communication. Model UN also gives students and teachers the opportunity to meet interesting new people and make new friends.