Welcome to The National Model United Nations Preparation Phases: Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana

As the world’s only truly universal global organization, the United Nations has become the foremost forum to address issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone. Taking a global view reveals some interesting facts.

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The National Model United Nations is an extra-curricular activity in which students typically roleplay delegates of the United Nations and simulate UN committees. Such model is therefore a simulation of the United Nations´system in which the students from various universities around the world represent the diplomats of the different Member States of the United Nations. The  students are then encouraged to act as leaders and Ambassadors of a Nation to gain knowledge of a current issue set on the UN agenda and are enabled to discuss and debate political issues through the deliberative forum designed by the National Model United Nations. Also, the students  are given the responsibilities of a delegate and diplomats where they are expected to create speeches, outline paper drafts, debate, deliberate, consult with one another and further negotiate with other Member States to resolve and develop solutions to the political issues set on the agenda. 

The aforementioned simulation was designed to be excatly the same as the United Nations. The simulations are divided among the different organs of the United Nations such as: The General Assembly which is the main Deliberative Assembly, The Security Council for deciding certain resolutions for Peace and Security, The Economic and Social Council for encouraging and promoting International and Social Cooperation and Advance of Development Issues, the Secretariat for providing information needed by the United Nations and the International Court of Justice which is the main Judicial Organ of the United Nations. Through these five bodies, student delegates are able to hold mock conferences and regular meetings.

In order to correctly participate in the model, the students must go through two preparation phases which are made up by the following training topics: culture, politics, economic aspects, international relations and organizations, society, oral and writing skills, rhetoric and logic since the participation of the model involves substantial research and public speaking, debating  and writing skills. Furthermore, it fosters critical thinking, teamwork and leadership abilities.

In the early 1920’s: students from the United States participated in collegiate simulations of the League of Nations whic is the predecessor of the United Nations.

In the 1930s: The National Model United Nations began as the Model League of Nations Assembly. This Model employed similar simulations to the ones implemented in the League of Nations.

In 1945: The League of Nations was dismantled and the United Nations was created.

In 1947: The League of Nations and the Model League of Nations Assembly made a decision to combine their efforts to transition to a new organization that would later be named the Model of The United Nations.

In 1968: Even though The United Nations Model has traditionally always been a collegiate driven organization, this year, the model was expanded to High School students in order to enhance high school students´ participation when it comes to negotiation and oratory skills and to broaden their understanding and knowledge of the world.

The National Model United Nations is a non-profit organization that aims at educating the student public of the United Nations and its political international issues. This organization’s main purpose is to actively engage students and to mold them to be more effective global citizens and build strong leaders that are able to collaborate and deliberate about contemporary issues that plagues the world. They strive to develop “a world comprised of civically engaged people who are aim to create peaceful, multi-lateral conflict resolution and equitable, sustainable human development”.

The essential purposes of the National Model United Nations are:

1. To provide an interactive educational experience that essentially teaches students about the United Nations.

2. To offer a detailed experience and understanding of how the process of international debate, negotiation and diplomacy operates. 

3. To solve conflicts and issues set originally on the United Nations agenda. T

4. To teach how to prepare tworking papers, plot strategy, negotiate with supporters and adversaries and resolve conflicts that affect almost every country in the world, all in the interest of mobilizing international cooperation. 

Deliberation in a Model UN simulation takes place in various committees within the organization. The general committees most often include the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council & Regional Bodies and the Specialized Agencies. The discussion topics for each committee are chosen by the Host Institution, which generally includes issues that are currently being discussed in the United Nations.

A Member State is usually represented by one delegate in each council, but the exception of the number of delegate representation can be granted by the host. Prior to the simulation, delegates are expected to have conducted a thorough research on their respective countries and have a working paper regarding their stance to the topic.

A basic flow of the deliberation process in The National Model United Nations could be:

1. Agenda Setting

2. Debate & Caucus

3. Working Papers

4. Debate & Caucus

5. Draft Resolutions

6. Amendments

7. Vote on Draft

8. Final Resolutions

The NMUN utilizes Rules of Procedures to facilitate and regulate deliberation and may include general rules such as the usage of official language, authority of each role and delegate conduct. They also contain the rules governing debate, for example, the debate agenda, the caucus and the appeal proceedings. During the deliberative sessions, committee chairs act as moderators. In some simulations, the chair would prepare a speakers’ list to ensure equal speaking opportunity. In others, delegates would simply raise their placards to acquire a speaking time. However, delegates are almost always responsible for only speaking at the chair’s discretion.

Caucusing in the NMUN simulation is conducted both formally and informally. To open a debate, each delegate takes a turn to address their position on the chosen issue. The delegates split into those who support and those who oppose a specific position and are allocated equal speaking time. In between the sessions, informal small group discussion present an opportunity for delegates to assemble and work out differences and resolutions.

Throughout the sessions, delegates keep a working paper that includes proposals regarding problems with the topic at hand. These working papers can be shared between delegates with the Chair’s approval. This process aids the committee in keeping clear records of new ideas and proposals. Proposals eventually accumulate into more concrete statements and are rewritten into comprehensive resolutions. A number of draft resolutions then go through committees for voting. Each member state has one vote, either voting “yes”, “no”, or “abstention,” Though in the Security Council, simulating the UN, one “no” from any permanent member would veto the draft resolution. A draft resolution must be passed through majority voting before it becomes the final resolution.