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| This is Northview's first year running a model un program. This Web page will give info about model un and how to start your own club. Here is a little tips and directions about getting started: Courtsey:http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/modelun/start_register.html ******************************************************* Get permission to set up a MUN team from your school or community center. Identify a schoolteacher, counselor or other adult advisor who will act as a mentor and offer suggestions as you set up your MUN team. Write a purpose statement for the club. Writing a purpose statement makes your commitment to creating this club more concrete. It should include why you want to start this club, what will the club stand for and how you propose to achieve this. Example "The MUN club engages in an authentic simulation of the United Nations system by learning about the UN system, the skills of debate, compromise, conflict resolution and negotiation. MUN team members have fun learning about the workings of world diplomacy through the lens of current events." Find a classroom or appropriate meeting place where team members can meet and where you can set up a workspace with book resources, maps, and a computer if possible. It is often helpful to meet in a space where you can practice your debating skills and do research together. Set up a consistent time to meet. Create a flyer that advertises the formation of this club to enroll others into the club as team members. The team should include members who are familiar with one or many of the following skills: debate, public speaking, international affairs, negotiation, conflict resolution,writing draft resolutions, plotting strategy and understanding UN rules and procedures. Set a communications system - e-mail, e-groups, club telephone line, weekly Decide where your teams strengths and weakness lie and create a training program with the support of your advisor/mentor, team members, and resources from the MUNDA and other internet sites to build your team's capacities and strengths. ******************************************************* How to Select a Conference: There are many factors to consider when selecting a conference to attend, most notably: cost, travel distance, conference size, and dates. There is no international rating system or quality index for Model UN Conferences - the reputation of a given conference is the only indication of quality available. If you have never participated in a particular conference, it is wise to request the names and addresses of faculty members and students who participated in a previous conference and contact them directly. UNA-USA does not rate conferences or promote competition among them, but will assist teachers and students by recommending conferences. If you are doing Model UN for the first time you should consider starting out small. Success at a smaller model will often give your team the necessary confidence and skills to debate well on the larger scale. The ideal is to attend a series of conferences that gradually increase in scope and size, marking your team's progress and improvement. For many MUN delegations the goal is to work toward a final large event, thus retaining focus, momentum, and excitement throughout the year. At the same time, smaller conferences can offer a challenge to even the most experienced delegate. ******************************************************* How to Register for a Model United Nations Conference: The 2001-2002 Calendar of Model United Nations Conferences is designed to make it as easy as possible for you to select the conference best suited for your schedule, financial resources, and location. Select the dates and location of the Model U.N. conference(s) appropriate to your group's academic level and financial resources. Also, set goals on what you would like to (or can) achieve by going to what particular MUN conference. Write to the Secretary-General or contact person of the Model U.N. conference(s) to request registration forms, and if you wish, information about contacting a faculty advisor or student who attended the conference(s) the year before. Many conferences have Internet sites, which can provide a good look into the size and scope of a conference. Remember that many conferences are student-run. If you do not receive the information you requested within a reasonable period of time, a quick call can get things on track. Once you have received the registration forms, complete and return them with the requested information and fees. Your group will soon receive confirmation or notification of registration and a "country assignment" as well as background materials, the conference schedule, etc. Remember to keep a copy of all material and checks sent to the conference organizers. This whole process becomes easier when would-be participants can register on-line or download the registration forms. So check the web sites. ******************************************************* How to Select a Country When registering for a Model U.N. Conference, you will usually be asked to indicate your preferences of countries to role-play in the conference. With 190 countries to choose from, the opportunities are immense. The greatest competition among Model U.N. groups is often for the 15 countries of the Security Council, especially the 5 permanent members with veto power: China France United Kingdom United States Russian Federation It is worth noting, however, that in the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and most other U.N. governing bodies, the principle of sovereign equality governs the proceedings. That is to say that each member state has one vote and even the "smallest" member state not only has a role to play, but can sometime wield considerable influence. Therefore, when selecting countries that you would like to represent, bear in mind that size and power are not the only important criteria. Country Assignments Most conferences work on a first-come, first-served basis when it comes to country designation. The sooner you send in your registration material and pay the fees, the better your chances of getting the country of your choice. Other conferences give country assignments according to which schools received awards the year before. Questions to Consider It may be helpful to consider some of the following criteria when narrowing down the countries to list as preference: What would you like your group to learn from the experience? Which of the countries would help you to satisfy this learning experience? How do these countries fit into the existing course of study for members in your group? Are you creating a pattern for your course of study? For example, you may wish to teach about Economic Development and would therefore choose countries that are emerging economically. How much of a challenge do each of the countries pose for your group? How familiar are members of your group with the countries or region that you have chosen? Are there enough people in your group to represent the countries that you have chosen in the Model U.N. conferences that you plan to attend? Most conferences provide a matrix detailing the minimum and maximum number of delegates needed to represent each country. ******************************************************* Here are six important areas for you to research as part of your preparation for a conference: Know the UN system. We have created an on-line introduction to and virtual tour of the UN for students who want a basic understanding of the UN system. Become familiar with the your country's history, culture, political structure, and current political affairs. In addition to resources you may find at your school, university, or public library and on the internet, it may be useful to read fiction and non-fiction books (e.g., biographies) written by authors who live in your country. They may offer insights into the culture you are learning about. Learn about your country's viewpoints on as many of the issues that will be discussed at the conference you will be attending as you can. Know your allies and your opposition. In order to adequately represent your country during the conference, you will need to interact with delegates from other countries. Knowing their positions on your topic will help you predict their arguments during debate. This will be very useful in helping you decide in advance where it might be useful to seek cooperation or compromise. Be familiar with current statistical data on your topic and country. Review the rules and procedures for your conference. These rules are intended to create a level playing field allowing each country to accomplish its individual goals in speaking about their policies while maximizing opportunities for the group to reach agreement or even consensus on the issue. Each conference publishes a set of rules and procedures that are derived from those used by the UN. There are many resources on protocol and parliamentary procedure available through MUN sites and books. ******************************************************* Current News Small window of opportunity for peace has opened - UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen briefs the Council 12 December – A narrow window of opportunity has opened to re-start the Middle East peace process, but the situation remains fragile and the only viable solution is to follow the Road Map, the senior United Nations envoy for the Middle East told the Security Council today. Briefing the Council in New York, Terje Roed-Larsen, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process, said a step-by-step approach by the Israelis and the Palestinians, combined with confidence-building measures, is essential if the window of opportunity is not to be wasted. Mr. Roed-Larsen said both sides need the strong support of the international community, led by the diplomatic Quartet of the European Union, the Russian Federation, the UN and the United States. The Road Map is a Quartet-sponsored peace plan that calls for parallel and reciprocal steps leading to Israel and Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security by 2005. Mr. Roed-Larsen said the opportunity to get the peace process back on track follows the willingness of the leaders - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the recently selected Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei - to resume talks. He added that, on the ground in the Middle East, the situation was relatively quiet in recent months, with fewer deaths and acts of violence on both sides. Mr. Roed-Larsen concluded his briefing by saying that if this opportunity is not seized, "the cost could be devastating. The current hopes for peace among the peoples could be replaced by the creeping paralysis of a hopeless outlook by a greater hardening of positions and a deepening of the spiral of violence." Security Council members then held consultations on the issue after the briefing. ************************* |
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