As permanent representatives and heads of states, organizations, and projects convene in New York City for UNGA77, it is impossible for us to know everything that goes on related to the conversations, decisions, and sidebars that happen in the hallways of UN headquarters.
What we do know, however, is that they will employ conflict resolution techniques, engage in negotiations, demonstrate persuasive examples, and leverage tactics to support diplomacy. All of these skills and qualities are those that can be exhibited by YOU, at home, as you also serve as a delegate representing a UN member state within a particular committee.
That is, on Friday, October 21st, you will have the opportunity to move from “diplomatic armchair quarterback,” as they say, to active delegate in the InterGenerational Model UN (IGMUN). Hosted by the United Nations Association of the USA, (UNA-USA), IGMUN will offer participants of any age or background and with any Model UN experience—including none at all—with the chance to role play as a delegate in one of six committees incorporating a UN agency working in that topical field.
Collaborating with partners such as United to Beat Malaria, Shot@Life, Girl, Up, UNICEF USA, WFP USA, USA for IOM, USA for UNHCR, and other US-based networks of UN agencies, IGMUN will bring together Americans and US residents to roleplay as delegates and to engage in dialogue and debate on topics that are relevant and meaningful today (and brought up during UNGA77!).
- Security Council Committee: including the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN*
- UN Environmental Programme (UNEP): Plastics pollution and the global plastics agreement
- World Food Programme (WFP): Food insecurity in Yemen
We’ve taken the best parts of a traditional Model UN conference and made it easier and more accessible for participants from all walks of life to engage and experience a simulation of the UN General Assembly. For example, unlike in most MUN conferences, delegates will not need to write position papers in order to register; volunteers are busily preparing Country Profiles and Background Guides so that delegates don’t need to do any research themselves. And after a brief training and opening ceremony, delegates will be supported in their respective committees by experienced MUN volunteers who can guide proper protocol and adhere to processes normally followed by the UN and/or MUN conferences.
So, whether you are young, seasoned, keenly familiar with the UN system or new to learning about the world’s largest institution, senior in your career or just starting out, we invite you to register to participate!
For more information and to register, please visit https://igmun22.splashthat.com/.
*note that participation in the Security Council committee is limited to delegates with priori MUN experience
About UNA-USA
The United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) is a grassroots movement of Americans who know the importance of and value our country’s participation in the United Nations. UNA-USA inspires, educates, and mobilizes members more than 20,000 supporters take action to advocate for a strong relationship between the U.S. and the UN, along with helping to actualize the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals within communities and our country. UNA-USA chapters collaborate and partner with local Model UN clubs and conferences, and also promote the utilization of a proprietary app called MyDiplomat in order to reinforce skills such as conflict resolution, negotiation, research, collaboration, etc. which are employed by delegates to the United Nations.
