Model United Nations: impacting the world on a small scale
 

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 10 (April 2009).

Model United Nations: impacting the world on a small scale

Recently, I attended my first Model United Nations Conference at a local university in my town. Model United Nations is a simulation of the United Nations and draws over 400,000 middle school students, high school students, and college/university students worldwide. High school and college conferences are usually held at large universities/colleges. Each delegate is assigned to a committee (e.g. United Nations Security Council, World Health Organization) and takes on the role as an ambassador from a country. Conferences welcome students of all experience levels who are eager to learn about international relations and collaborate with other students to write resolutions. Usually, conferences last three to four days and are filled with hours of committee sessions. Some of the oldest high school conferences are held at prestigious American universities such as Harvard and the University of California – Berkeley.

My first conference was an eye-opener for me. I represented Vietnam,which was ironic considering I am Vietnamese. I was assigned to the Disarmament and International Security Committee. That night as entered the large conference room for my first committee session, I was quite nervous as there were over twenty people and I felt intimidated by a few delegates. Prior to the conference, I set goals for myself: I was going to speak on the first day, no matter what. During all committee sessions, you must follow the United Nations’ body of rules, called ‘Parliamentary Procedure’. Parliamentary Procedure is basically an effective way to debate, without getting off topic or going back and forth between topics. As debate opened in the first session, my heart was beating fast as if I just ran a marathon. First, we had to debate the order of topics and after some deliberation, the agenda was set: landmines, small arms, and private military companies. Immediately, delegates representing the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia raised their placards, eager to voice their respective country’s stance.

The debate was lively, going back and forth between various countries. I kept my eye on the clock, waiting to be called on to speak by the chairperson. As the seconds, minutes, and hours ticked by I wonder when I would speak. It was not until the last ten minutes of the session that I was finally able to voice my opinion. I took a few deep breaths and walked to the podium, thinking positive thoughts along the way. I faced the rows of delegates and proceeded to say my speech. I did not feel as nervous as I thought I would. Before I knew it, it was finally over and walked back to my seat feeling quite relieved, proud of myself. I received some nice comments from a few delegates, telling me that my speech was good and concise. I was finally able to overcome my biggest fear at the start of the conference.

I had a wonderful experience at my first conference because it allowed me to step out of my comfort zone. I am not much of a public speaker, but am a fan of debating, especially on topics concerning American and international politics. I felt Model United Nations was the perfect scenario for me to hone my debating skills. My dream is to become a diplomat, so this was a perfect way for me to learn more about international politics. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience because I met and made friends with a few individuals which is probably the best thing Model United Nations offers. In addition, Model United Nations stimulates your mind and teaches you to work with others to make a difference in the world, even if it is on a smaller scale. I am excited about the possibility of attending another conference next year and hope that I will be able to reconnect with individuals I met at this past conference.