What is Model United Nations?
Model United Nations (MUN) is an academic simulation of the United Nations (UN), an international organization with over 190 Member States working together to maintain global peace and multilateral diplomacy. The program has a focus on effective communication, academic growth, and skill development for all active members. Representing one of the many Member States of the UN is an arduous task and through continued work, members are taught through experience productive time management, concise writing skills, and unsurpassed oratory ability.
As many as 400,000 collegiate students annually participate in MUN Conferences around the world, from American cities such as New York City and San Francisco to international countries such as Germany, the People’s Republic of China, and the Czech Republic. At one of these conferences, students represent the national policy decisions of one of the 193 Member States of the United Nations, serving on committees such as the General Assembly or Security Council. Here, students are responsible for working closely with other delegates from universities across the world to write and advance policy papers and resolutions on key international issues such as environmental sustainability, security in dangerous regions, and developmental aid for less advantaged Member States.
The NMSU Model UN Program
Serving New Mexico State University for fifteen years, the Model United Nations program on-campus is an award-winning national team, having received awards for “Distinguished” or “Outstanding” Delegation for more than four years running. Being the only Model United Nations program in the State of New Mexico as well as West Texas, our program is uniquely exceptional in terms of academic skill and achievement, as well as our continued commitment to the Las Cruces community. Regularly participating in volunteer events, we have worked to help clean up parks and give back to the community that has raised us up to be where we are. Our mission for each new member includes these following goals:
- To enhance student awareness of international affairs and problems world-wide
- To open students eyes to how we can effectively handle these problems in a productive way
- To build key research and writing skills to help students prosper
- To teach students how to excel in public speaking through experience
- To offer a uniquely hands-on experience with international diplomacy
- To represent New Mexico and Las Cruces with respect abroad
This program is open to all students, regardless of field of study, and is supported by academic coursework offered by the Department of Government.
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