JCCC Model United Nations is taking an upcoming trip to Chicago for the 2022 American Model United Nations Conference, Nov 18-22. JCCC delegates will be representing Ghana and Mozambique.
Model United Nations, or Model UN, helps students gain insight on global democratic practices through role-play and simulations in which students, known as ambassadors, represent different countries.
“In essence, Model UN is a simulation of the committees, councils, assemblies, and organizations of the real United Nations, ” said Persephone Roberts, MUN President. “Students are given a country to represent in these simulations, as well as usually fascinating and compelling topics to research.”
“In a simulation, delegates are working amongst other countries to figure out how to resolve the issues presented in the given topics by creating resolutions that lay out a plan to solve these problems, ” Roberts said. “These simulations take place on a large scale throughout the United States and even throughout the world, often involving hundreds of students participating.”
Model UN teams are judged in seven categories: research, public speaking, debate, writing skills, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership. Outstanding delegates at the conference are awarded a certificate.
“MUN helps students both in the short term and in the long term,” Roberts said. “From day one, I was learning how to practice diplomacy and how to think critically about the world and the things happening around me.”
“After my first conference, I began to notice a difference in myself – I was holding myself differently and consistently feeling more confident,” Roberts said. “In Model UN, I met so many like-minded people, people who cared about the things happening around the world and who were resolved to do something, and that made me feel less hopeless and sad about conflict and problems happening, both around me and around the globe.”
“But that’s just my experience,” Roberts said. “I know that, from my experiences and the experiences of others I’ve met in and through MUN; Model UN allows one to practice diplomacy, which is a valuable skill in life, and it helps one to really think critically about the world that we live in.”
Model UN meets every Wednesday, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., in-person in the CoLab, OCB Room 107, and through Zoom. Students can also take the 3 credit hour class, Model United Nations, or POLS 200. Contact Dr. Wright for more information, at bwright1@jccc.edu.
Upcoming Conferences:
- MidWest Model UN (St. Louis), Feb. 21-25, 2023
- Metro Kansas City Model UN conference (JCCC), April 5, 2023
- National Model United Nations Conference (New York), April 7-14, 2023
Abby Rinehart, news editor