In Model United Nations, or MUN, students are able to represent countries or companies. Model United Nations is based off of the United Nations, or UN, an intergovernmental organization established in 1945 to promote international cooperation. Its job is to maintain international peace, protect human rights, and deliver humanitarian aid. In fact, UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, was created by the UN.

MUN was created for students to role-play delegates in the United Nations and to simulate committee sessions in creating solutions to real world issues. Delegates research the needs, aspirations, and foreign policies of the country they represent, leading them to learn about history, geography, culture, economics, and science.

The entire process helps delegates develop skills such as writing, problem-solving, and compromising. MUN does focus on public speaking, but there is no requirement for all to speak.

However, competition exists. Those who represent their country in the best manner are able to receive the top award of “Best Delegate,” a title all delegates in MUN admire and desire. Dublin High’s very own Evan Cornelius took home this title.

Dublin High attended the Berkeley Model United Nations Conference in February, representing the Central African Republic, Each pair of delegates was given two issues to focus on based on which committee of the United Nations they were part of. For example, the delegates of the Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian Committee were in charge of researching and discovering solutions for self-determination and ethics of technology. Digging through the CIA World Factbook and reading countless articles, delegates were able to learn about their country’s history, current situation, and policies on those two topics to develop solutions to the topic of which they would be presenting at the conference.

Conferences bring hundreds of students together to attack problems. Most of the time, the solutions delegates propose are rational and well developed. But once in a while, they can be unrealistic. And irrational. And entertaining. This past conference, the delegate of DPRK, or North Korea, presented a resolution that would result in DPRK firing missiles all over Berkeley and preventing technology from spreading throughout the world. And because of the humor within the “serious” series of solution proposals, this resolution passed.

Dublin Model United Nations (DMUN) also attended the Davis conference this May as representatives of Venezuela and the Czech Republic. The club delegates were excited to see who they would debate or form alliances with.

The delegates of DMUN are thrilled to see a widely known club finally appear at DHS and cannot wait for each conference to arrive. We would now like to motion to adjourn discussion.