AESA Prep Academy's Model United Nations

Above: Model UN Resolution Debate

Participating in a Model United Nations can be a life-changing experience.

You will have the opportunity to gain first hand knowledge about the UN-System, the decision-making process and the diplomatic work. All the while you will be enhancing your communication skills and debating techniques on the search for compromise, cooperation and consensus. Our students learn to work together with other students, take part in a simulation of a United Nations debate, learn how to represent the needs of their country, and learn about international relations and foreign affairs. It means debating current issues of the United Nations’ agenda, and experiencing how the international community achieves solutions for such concerns. You will be a delegate, thus you will have to use diplomacy and negotiation in order to achieve a consensus. You are expected to cooperate with other delegates and to actively participate in the debate, the writing of a resolution and the decision making process.It is really important to keep in mind that you will not be representing yourself or defending your own opinions, but the ideas and opinions of another country, as its ambassador. You might even have to argue for a position that goes against your own opinions, therefore changing the perspective you have about a particular problem, conflict or topic. Assuming this role and expressing the ideas and plans of the country you are representing is one very important aspect of every Model United Nations. You are the ambassador of the country that has been assigned to you in the United Nations.

Another important part of Model United Nations is learning from other cultures, gaining a global perspective, and gaining a much better understanding of the problems around the world.

To represent the country you have been assigned properly you need to prepare yourself thoroughly. An excellent preparation, being informed about the topics and learning as much as you can about the country you represent, will also make your MUN experience even more interesting and exciting.

Our students learn to keep in mind that being a diplomat means to offer your utmost respect to every delegate and to the whole body, regardless of foreign policy affiliation or personal feelings.

Even if you are representing a country that has conflicts with another country, you should work together in a cooperative and dignified manner. This also means that personal conflicts should stay outside during the conference.

In accordance with the spirit of the simulation, our students are required to wear professional business attire.

This varies between countries and as such the reality at the United Nations influences what to wear at a MUN conference. If your home country has a specific business attire, that is what you should wear. But keep in mind that this only refers to business attire and not to a national costume.

Our students have greatly increased their public speaking ability.

Being a delegate for Model UN is a very good student leadership opportunity that you will also be able to put on your resume for college.