What is Model UN?

What is Model UN?

Model UN, also known as Model United Nations, or MUN – is an extra-curricular activity in which students learn and practice diplomacy, negotiations, international relations, history and decision making by preparing and participating in a simulation of the General Assembly, Security Council, Specialized Committees or other non-UN bodies, such as national cabinets or crisis committees, which follow their own procedure.
Model UN, more than anything else, is a diplomatic competition.

How close is Model UN to real UN?

While Model UN started as a close simulation of UN about sixty years ago, today’s Model UN conferences have diverged into simulating both UN as well as non-UN bodies. Even when simulating UN-related committees, Model UN does not accurately follow UN in terms of parliamentary procedure, resolution negotiation and committee work in general. Model UN conferences have broadened their scope over the years, aiming at offering students the opportunity to learn about international relations, current events, history or literary/fictional contexts.

What does MOSMUN stand for?

MOSMUN is our acronym for Mosaic Model UN.

Is MOSMUN a club or a class?

Typically, public high schools may offer Model UN as a club format that meets for 1/2h a week under the supervision of an advisor. At Mosaic, Model UN is run as class/club. We meet every week for 2h and teach/review a series of important topics, such as UN, Model UN content and parliamentary procedure, strategies for conducting research, position paper writing, conference preparation, public speaking, impromptu speeches, mini-simulations, and so on. We use Canvas as our learning and collaboration platform.

How many conferences does Mosaic offer per year?

We started with one conference in 2015, two conferences in 2016 and three conferences every year since.

What are some of the past conferences Mosaic has participated in?

Dartmouth Model UN, organized by Dartmouth college – two times
BOSMUN, organized by Boston University – four times
SSUNS, organized by McGill University of Montreal – two times
EagleMUNC, organized by Boston College – two times
PEAMUN, organized by Philips Exeter Academy – one time

How many types of awards are out there?

The awards vary from conference to conference. Typically, there are two tier awards:
– Delegate Awards for every committee: Best Delegate, Outstanding Delegate, Honorable Mention, Position Paper
– Delegation Awards: Best Large, Outstanding Large, Best Small, Outstanding Small

Have Mosaic delegates ever won any awards?

We are very proud of all of our delegates who participate in conferences. We have brought back awards from almost every conference we participated in. Our students did amazingly well despite the intensity, size and competitiveness of some of the committees they attended.

Our delegation won both Best Delegation as well as Outstanding Delegation awards.

Is participation in all conferences mandatory to be able to enroll in MOSMUN?

No, students can choose to attend one, two or all three conferences. Novice students are welcome to attend only our last of the year conference, which will most likely be scheduled during March/April timeframe. Of course, should they feel ready to take on the challenge from day one, they can plan to attend all conferences, as long as they understand the level of commitment necessary to prepare.

What is the sequence of events for participating in a conference?

– Register our delegation in the conference, as early in the year as possible since the most reputable conferences fill up fast. We usually do this step over the summer.
– Receive approval for participation
– Adjust delegation size before corresponding deadline
– Receive assignments; typically within 4-6 weeks before conference, sometimes earlier
– Distribute assignments to students
– Research and prepare
– Submit position papers
– Finalize research binders
– Students receive personalized notes and lapel pins from their advisor
– Conference starts

From a logistics perspective, hotel and travel arrangements are made along the way at the appropriate times as well.

What are different types of committees?

Typically, conferences offer:
– General Assembly, such as ECOFIN, SPECPOL, DISEC or SOCHUM Security Council
– Specialized Committees, such as The International Skating Union or The International Court of Justice
– Historical, such as the Roman Senate, The Oregon Trail or the Westphalia Treaty
– Literary/Fiction, such as Harry Potter or Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
– Crisis, such as Anasazi in Crisis or MI6 Espionage
– Ad-Hoc.

General Assembly Committees are the largest, with Specialized being smaller.
Crisis and Ad-Hoc committees’s main goals are to make delegates think on their feet and act fast, yet strategically; delegates are constantly receiving crisis updates and intel that can completely change the course of action in committee.

How are the assignments handed out to MOSMUN delegates?

Assignments are handed out based on previous delegate experience, historical assignment progression, level of commitment, and ability to work with deadlines and communicate/collaborate with the advisor.

What are some of the benefits of Model UN?

Students benefit from doing Model UN by:
– learning about world issues and becoming more informed, concerned citizens
– practicing and constantly improving their research, public speaking, academic writing, diplomacy, and teamwork
– increasing their confidence
– sharpening their soft skills
– leveraging their experience and awards on the college application or job interview