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Why Join MUN?

MUN is more than just a simulation—it’s a learning experience that combines academic challenge with real-world relevance. It deepens participants’ understanding of international relations, politics, economics, law, and global governance. At the same time, it cultivates vital skills such as public speaking, negotiation, diplomacy, critical thinking, teamwork, writing, and leadership. It also strengthens confidence and fluency in English, as this is the primary language of debate at most conferences. MUN fosters global awareness, empathy, and the ability to engage with diverse perspectives—skills that are essential in both academic and professional life.

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Key Roles in MUN

• Delegate: A delegate is the most common role at any MUN conference. Delegates represent a specific country or actor in a UN committee. They must research their assigned country’s policies and positions in advance and advocate for those during the conference. Their role is to speak, debate, negotiate, and collaborate with other delegates to draft and pass resolutions on the committee topic.
• Chair: The chair (or committee director) is the moderator of a MUN committee. Chairs ensure that the debate follows the rules of procedure, recognize speakers, guide the flow of discussion, and help resolve procedural questions. In some committees, there may also be a co-chair or rapporteur to support the head chair. Chairs are often experienced MUN participants with a strong understanding of both diplomacy and procedure.
• Secretariat: The Secretariat is the team responsible for organizing the entire MUN conference. It is usually led by the Secretary-General and includes other members such as Under-Secretaries-General for academics, logistics, delegate affairs, finance, and more. The Secretariat plans the event, coordinates the committees, and ensures everything runs smoothly.

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Structure of a MUN Conference

MUN conferences typically last three to five days and simulate various UN bodies and other international organizations. Committees may include:

• The General Assembly (GA) – large committees that cover broad international issues
• The Security Council (SC) – focused on international peace and security, often simulating crisis situations
• The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – deals with development, health, education, and economic affairs
• The Human Rights Council (HRC) – addresses global human rights concerns
• Specialized or fictional committees – may simulate historical events, crisis simulations, or regional organizations like NATO, the EU, or ASEAN

Each committee has its own rules and challenges. Delegates are expected to prepare thoroughly and actively participate in debates, form coalitions, and draft documents.

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Key MUN Terms

• Position Paper: Before a conference, delegates usually submit a position paper, which outlines their country’s stance on the committee topic. It includes background information, the country’s perspective, past international actions, and possible solutions the country supports. It is a crucial document that shows preparation and guides debate strategy.
• Working Paper: During the conference, delegates collaborate to draft working papers—informal documents that outline proposed solutions to the issue at hand. These papers evolve over time as delegates negotiate and build consensus.
• Draft Resolution: Once a working paper gains enough support and is formally submitted, it becomes a draft resolution. This document follows official UN formatting and contains the committee’s proposed solution to the topic. Delegates debate, amend, and vote on draft resolutions, and those that pass become official outcomes of the committee.
• Resolution: A resolution is the final, adopted document of a committee. While not legally binding (in most MUNs), resolutions represent the consensus reached by the delegates and demonstrate their ability to collaborate and solve global problems diplomatically.
• Rules of Procedure (RoP): MUNs follow specific rules of procedure that structure how debate is conducted. These rules determine how delegates are recognized to speak, how motions are made, how voting takes place, and how documents are submitted. Familiarity with RoP is essential for effective participation.

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The MUN Experience – Inside and Outside the Committee

While the academic and diplomatic aspects of MUN are central, the social side of the experience is just as important. Most conferences feature exciting social events such as welcome parties, cultural nights, gala dinners, game nights, and clubbing. These events are a chance to unwind, make friends from around the world, and experience the culture of the host city. The friendships and international networks built at MUN often last far beyond the closing ceremony.

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