Model United Nations

Model United Nations is a simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants ( students of high school or universities ) about current issues, international problems, conflicts, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda.The participants take on roles as diplomats during the General Assembly.

The history of Model goes back to the 1920s when students participated in simulations of the League of Nations in New York City ( National Model United Nations ) .

The oldest modern simulation of the MUN is the Harvard Model United Nations which was established in 1951 .

History

In the early days the participants of MUN were students of select colleges in the USA .Nowadays MUN has expanded . It is practiced all over the world . The MUN participants are not only students of high schools but also elementary, secondary, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.

Conferences are organised in Europe as well. The most famous are : ●THIMUN- The Hague Netherlands ●LIMUN- in London ( started 30 years ago ) ●PIMUN- in ParisThe first MUN in Poland was organised in Gorzów Wielkopolski in 1992 by Mathew Bennett a Peace Corps volunteer.

The main aims of MUN● to educate participants about the workings of international organization UN ● to enhance students’ negotiating and oratory skills ● to broaden student’s knowledge of the world

IssuesEach MUN has it’s own way of organizing the debate. Although the issues always refer to the problems of the present world : ● peacekeeping and enforcement ● humanitarian aid and development● human rights

Sample topics:

● Legal measures to eliminate international terrorism ● Cyber crimes and identify theft● Improving the lives of slum dwellers ● Eliminating arms sales to areas of social and political unrest ● Child soldiers:demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration ● Measures against contemporary forms of slavery

Resolution topics

● Practise students communication skills, writing & speaking ● Improve their vocabulary knowledge● Learn debating and negotiations

Students benefits

● Understand diplomacy function● Obtain motivation to study English

Teacher benefitsYou go with

inactive, bored, demotivated students

You come back with

hard-working, enthusiastic and motivated young people

Why are alternative ways of teaching more effective ?

Tell me and I forget Teach me and I rememberInvolve me and I learnBenjamin Franklin