Pacific Model United Nations (PACMUN) is the largest Model UN conference in Washington State, welcoming hundreds of delegates annually from across the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 2014 by a group of local high school students looking to establish an overnight, student-run MUN conference in the Greater Seattle Area, PACMUN marked its 9th annual event this past November at the Sheraton Grand Seattle.
PACMUN is a student-led initiative run by Model United Nations Northwest (MUN Northwest), a nonprofit organization that seeks to empower student leaders through diplomacy, debate, and leadership. Our Secretariat team is responsible for hiring and directing over 70 staff members, managing the conference’s finances, conducting outreach, and planning events for delegates throughout the conference. PACMUN’s staff and Secretariat members are all high school students skilled in creating complex background guides for delegates and guiding their committee through 2 full days of debate.
This year, PACMUN’s staff team created 20 well-designed committees, covering a range of both conventional as well as specialized and crisis committees, from the League of Arab Nations to the International Press Corps. Delegates were able to discuss many relevant issues, including combatting international trade of illicit goods and addressing the United States debt crisis. They came to the conference well-prepared, with solutions to current and future world issues, which were incorporated into creative and thoughtful resolutions.
PACMUN values the contributions of the local leaders who serve as keynote speakers at the conference and fosters a sense of community through their participation. This year, PACMUN hosted two keynote speakers, Deaunte Damper and Dr. Lynne Robinson. Deaunte Damper is an activist and the Co-Chair of the Washington Therapy Fund, who has worked to uplift the voices of marginalized groups and advocate for equal access to education. Dr. Lynne Robinson is the Mayor of Bellevue, Washington, and has extensive experience in public service and leadership, including participating in Model UN during high school. Both speakers shared their stories and insights on leadership and diplomacy, providing valuable lessons and inspiration to the delegates.
PACMUN 2022 welcomed over 600 delegates from over 30 delegations based in Washington, California, Idaho, and Canada. In our continual commitment to increasing the financial accessibility of our event, PACMUN was able to meet every request for financial aid in its entirety. This would not have been possible without the support of our generous sponsors: the Bainbridge Community Foundation, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, the Kent Community Foundation, and Cognito Forms. Throughout the year, we also partnered with Mod Pizza and Panda Express for several fundraisers in our local community.
MUN Northwest organizes four conferences annually, including two spring conferences: King County Model United Nations (KINGMUN) and Seattle Model United Nations (SeattleMUN). SeattleMUN will be held on February 25, 2023, while KINGMUN will take place later that spring. These conferences provide opportunities for beginner delegates to participate in smaller committees while also introducing new and experimental topics to the circuit. MUN Northwest also hosts Educational Model United Nations (EDUMUN), a day-long conference emphasizing skills training through beginner and advanced seminar-style sessions and a culminating capstone, every October. Providing a variety of events throughout the year in which local students can connect, collaborate, and develop solutions to pressing issues is an essential part of MUN Northwest’s efforts to promote global citizenship and leadership among young people.
Thank you so much to our Secretariat and staff teams, as well as our MUN Northwest volunteers who gave their time to support this year’s conference. We hope to see you all at PACMUN 2023!
