This recap has been provided by Jayshree Raghavan, USG of PR
Opening Ceremonies
On April 11th-14th, 2013, the tenth annual Northwestern University Model United Nations conference took place in Evanston, IL. That this conference was our largest, most energetic, and exciting one yet is a testament to the ten years that NUMUN now has under its belt. NUMUN X and its 70 Staff and Secretariat members hosted approximately 600 delegates in 17 committees, occupying nearly every nook and corner of the Norris Student Center.
NUMUN has always enjoyed highlighting its Northwestern University pride, and this year was no different. Our Opening Ceremonies not only began with the Northwestern University Marching Band striding in, instruments ablaze, but included keynote speaker Henry Bienen, former university president. He highlighted the value of jobs in the foreign service and a greater awareness of international issues, setting the tone for a challenging and fruitful weekend ahead.
NUMUN X may be celebrating its tenth birthday, but it was a conference of many firsts. This year introduced our newest committee, the NUMUN Press Corps. Run by two seniors at the Medill school, this small committee sent its delegates, outfitted with press badges, to report and write up news stories about what had been happening in the world of NUMUN. This highly successful endeavor culminated in two print issues and a live website, carving its place in NUMUNs to come. Other firsts this year include live-updates from committees via Twitter, which was definitely an exciting thing to watch unfold. Dais’ got witty with their hashtags and our UNEP committee managed to get tweeted at by the actual UNEP. Playful banter between committees and play-by-play updates online made for a much more interactive experience.
Delegates in Committee
Perhaps the most important discovery this NUMUN, however, was the cohesion of the group as a whole. The energy and excitement for the occasion was palpable among Staff and Secretariat alike. Each Chair was heavily invested in their committee, from the Thatcher-enthusiast returning from a quarter abroad in London, to the history buff designing the 1960s Chicago Cabinet, making each committee that more innovative and dynamic. A true love for the MUN world really shines through when seniors and freshman alike happily give up a weekend to chaperone Delegate Dances and voluntarily stay awake until 4:30AM for a crisis. This was the pioneer year in building strong working relationships between all those of us leading the conference, be it as a Moderator or Secretariat member. NUMUN X may be over, but this senior is assured that the next decade of NUMUN will be filled with the most hardworking and passionate people, who will continue to raise the bar for this fantastic organization.
