Soon after the founding of the United Nations in 1945, the Model United Nations was created to provide students of all ages with realistic simulations of the actual United Nations and other international bodies. To date, millions of students around the world have participated in Model United Nations conferences and have gained a greater understanding of international events and the global community.
Every year, scores of high school and college Model United Nations conferences students may represent one of over 190 countries in the world, or they may represent a non-governmental organization–such as the International Red Cross or Greenpeace. In every case, students act as the “official spokespeople” of their country in the body they are assigned to. Students learn about their country’s position on critical domestic and global issues and act as diplomats to represent their country’s point of view. During the course of their experience, students learn the complexities of diplomacy -- including the give and take involved in writing resolutions and securing their passage -- as well as the art of parliamentary procedure. Most, if not all, students come away from the Model United Nations experience with a renewed appreciation for the process of peace and cooperation. Many, if not all, come to realize that global cooperation cannot be achieved by being passive bystanders. They must become active participants.
