XI Modelo de las Naciones Unidas
National Model United Nations (NMUN)
Definition
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.