Model United Nations is a conference in which students simulate delegates in the United Nations, they make resolutions (a proposal document to address certain issues in today's society, which include many clauses). Students debate these resolutions through POIs, speeches, and more.
Last weekend, I went to the MUN conference at the American School of Bombay.
It was an enlightening experience, filled with engaging debates and insightful discussions. I left feeling inspired and eager to continue my involvement in international affairs. In this article, I will cover many aspects of the conference (yes, including the funny parts, which include me dancing to a very weird Just Dance®)
Let's Dress to Impress Together, Shall We? - What I wore to MUN
Ok, dear middle schooler, imagine you are sitting in a tight suit in a classroom in the summer; even with the AC blasting, you are sweating so bad. And all of this is for 2 hours straight; ok, it's not all that bad; with the suit, I looked extremely
cool and handsome (cool enough to be in a movie, lol). I had to go shopping the night before with my mom to get a new belt and shirt. Nevertheless, here is what I took on MUN -
1 Blazer (kind of a formal jacket that makes you sweat even more)
2 belts
3 pairs of formal pants
3 pairs of formal shirts
2 ties
1 pair of casual wear
essentials
Entering the room and the process of MUN
So, you have entered the classroom where you will debate and converse for the next 3 days (gulp); let me explain the best I can in simple terms how the MUN process works. Let's pretend there is a resolution about climate change, the main submitter (the person who submitted the resolution) will first make an opening speech saying why everyone should vote for it; let's name him John, he's the delegate of Spain. After he is done; The chair (the person managing the committee) will ask if he is open for POIs. It is likely John will say, "Any and all!" then another person; let's name her Pooja, she makes a POI - "Where does the delegate of Spain believe would be a reasonable area to implement windmills?"
As you can see dear middle schoolers, POIs are questions to ask to the speaker, if you want to say a sentence however; it makes more sense to say: "Is the delegate aware ____".
Next, we are going to talk about for and against speeches... yeah they are exactly what they sound like... they are speeches that can be made by any delegate to support or be against the resolution. POIs can be made on any speech.
The final thing in this section I want to talk about are amendments. Amendments if you want to add, change or delete something in the resolution. They get debated as if they are their own mini-resolution and without amendments, I would say would be MUN is as basic as speech and debate.
The food to Fuel your Brain: My Experience About the Food at ASB
I get it; I am pretty sure you still don't understand MUN fully. How about some food? Yes, your brain burns calories, loads of it. Compared to AES, I would prefer the cafeteria food at ASB. I am extremely in favor of the diversity of food we get at the cafeteria in ASB, also it has so much more taste compared to AES. Something I think is not good for kids is why did we get a dessert everyday there??
Inside the School Festival: A Memorable MUN Experience
Hold your horses, before I get to the controversial funny parts of my experience; let me talk about the school festival, let me give a list of what foods were available there:
Chicken Shawarma - Great all rounder, had a unexpected slight crunch I liked, personal favorite.
Pizza - The non-veg pizza was a scam, it was double the price of the veg one, but the veg one fulfilled my craving, so the veg one was good enough to do it's job.
Boba tea - Expensive, but worth it (kind of)
Vada Pav - 5 STARS! everything was (almost) perfect, you could get 2 for just 50 rupees. Only thing I would approve was more spice.
Fries - I didn't get this since it is kind of generic, but was been cooked fresh. So that's good.
Popcorn - Since I have braces, I couldn't get popcorn, but it was cooked fresh. So that's good.
Dosa - Good, average dosa. PERIOD.
Cotton Candy - Personally I am not a big fan of cotton candy, since it tastes just like pure sugar. It's way too sweet. So I didn't get this, however you can ask Aarav, a friend of mine that came along since he got it.
Softy. - Scam, 100 rupees for 1 cone. Just go to Burger King. PERIOD.
I recall there were 2-3 other foods, but I can't remember what they were.
Also there were games, but I didn't have time to play them.
... This is kind of embarrassing for me...
Finally, the part you've been waiting for. For the fun of it, some delegates (including me) took up the challenge of dancing to a weird just dance. It was called "Dark horse". I was the only person who didn't feel afraid to do it.
Another fun moment is when I got special permission from a senior to use the elevator. (VIP).
The final funny moment is I didn't manage my time wisely and didn't get time to play games during the festival.
Conclusion
MUN is a great place to strengthen your communication skills; as well as your speech and debate skills. Here are a few tips if you plan to join MUN next year. -
Research your country, it is awkward when you make a resolution that is the opposite of your country's stance. I have seen many MUN first-timers make the mistake of not researching their country.
Speak confidently (especially when it means to get free candy... just kidding)
Be formal,
To add on to the previous points, do not use personal pronouns, instead say the "the delegate of {country}" or "the delegate"/
Be flexible, MUN can change unexpectedly or not go your way
Have fun!
If you ever need help or tips, you can always reach out to me, Mr.Currey, and more people!
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