The third edition of WFUNA’s flagship Model UN will take place in New York, USA from February 1-4, 2017. WFUNA International Model United Nations (WIMUN) is the most accurate and realistic simulation of the United Nations featuring UN4MUN procedures, intensive workshops taught by UN officials, topic briefings by Member State delegates and UN Agencies, and conference sessions at the United Nations Headquarters!
WIMUN is a Model UN conference for those who truly want to learn about how diplomacy is conducted inside the United Nations, which is very different from what is simulated in traditional Model UNs. The conference takes place at the United Nations Headquarters, features UN speakers and workshops, and uses UN4MUN procedures and practices developed by the UN Department of Public Information. With 800 delegates from over 50 countries coming to New York City, WIMUN has become a must-do conference for Model UN enthusiasts and newcomers alike. There will be committees for high school and university students, and each age group will simulate the Security Council, General Assembly Committees, and the Economic and Social Council.
WIMUN is the Real UN Experience!
United Nations Headquarters
WIMUN is the only Model UN conference in the world to host both its Opening and Closing Plenary Sessions and both its Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the United Nations Headquarters General Assembly Hall in New York. Last year, UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Cristina Gallach, UN Youth Envoy Ahmad Alhendawi, and WFUNA Secretary-General Bonian Golmohammadi spoke to delegates at Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Delegates had the opportunity to speak in the General Assembly Hall about the Sustainable Development Goals during Opening Plenary and adopted their committees’ resolutions during Closing Plenary, just like how it is done at the real UN.
UN Speakers and Workshops
WIMUN features United Nations officials or delegates as speakers on the topics for every committee, and topics selected are from the actual UN agenda. This helps delegates understand the topics in-depth and in how they are debated, negotiated, and implemented in real life. Furthermore, the conference begins with UN4MUN training by Mr. Bill Yotive, who developed the UN4MUN procedure while at the United Nations Department of Public Information, as well as workshops led by the experienced WIMUN staff on practical delegate skills in a UN4MUN simulation. Many delegates are participating in UN4MUN simulations for the first time, and this ensures that everyone is comfortable and confident in getting the most out of their experience.
UN4MUN Procedure
WIMUN uses UN4MUN procedure developed by the United Nations Department of Public Information, and it is the global flagship conference for this procedure. UN4MUN simulates the United Nations accurately and gives participants an experiential insight into how the UN really functions. This includes a goal of adoption of resolutions by consensus, meaning delegates have negotiated resolutions to a point where they feel it can pass without even needing a vote, which is important in real life to ensure implementation of the resolutions by UN Member States. The collaborative nature of the procedure to focus on every solution presented is in stark contrast to the simple majority voting goals of rival resolutions in traditional Model UNs.
International Friendships
WIMUN had delegates, staff, and advisors come from 50 countries from all six inhabited continents last year. But diversity at WIMUN is more than just about statistics. WIMUN is one third the size of the typical Model UN conferences held at the UN Headquarters, which allows for more quality interactions with delegates in each committee. Its consensus-based approach makes committee feel much more diplomatic and cordial than in competitive Model UNs. And its location in the heart of Midtown with plenty of famous attractions within walking distance makes it inviting for newfound friends to explore New York City together. This is a conference conducive to fostering friendships from around the world in the spirit of the United Nations.
Click here to learn more and apply!
WIMUN website: www.wimun.org
WFUNA website: www.wfuna.org
E-mail: wimun@wfuna.org
