Model UN Nations has connected high school and college students around the world for years. As more and more international conferences are hosted, delegates are becoming increasingly interconnected. Now with technology and social media, friendships fostered by a shared passion for MUN and international relations are able to transcend continents. Matthew Kim, a senior at the Hotchkiss School, hopes to facilitate and grow the true spirit and internationality of Model UN through his new app, Global Conversations.
Global Conversations Home Page
The idea for the App was inspired by Matthew’s school trip to Sri Lanka, where he realized how sharing your experiences from different parts of the world can widen global lenses and create a more interconnected society. “I wanted to initiate a conversation among the users to bring humanity together”, said Matthew. By working with friends on his school’s MUN team, Matthew hopes to use the app as a tool to bring delegates together regardless of their physical locations.
Global Conversations can be used by delegates, chairs, conference organizers, or anyone looking to broaden their world view. Delegates can use the app to post their position papers and research. This way, delegates can grow their resource repertoire for future conferences, gain feedback from others, and catch a glimpse into MUN communities from around the world. Chairs can also use the archive of research to choose topics and write background guides. Students of all ages can utilize the app to learn about various international topics and current events.
Global Conversations was created with Facebook software, and built to provide an interactive experience for all users. At the top of the website, a list of countries with the most frequent postings appear. Below the tabs, the users can view basic facts on various countries such as the GDP, population, capital, form of government, and more. These countries are added once the contributor contacts Matthew about a country that they want to cover. The app can be accessed by anyone, but you must request to be admitted as a contributor. “As soon as they receive an approval from me, they can post video, journals, position papers or research under the relevant country. In case of MUN organizations, they can sign up under the school name and give access to all delegates from that school to post”, explains Matthew.
Research Page on Global Conversations
As Model UN moves towards the technological sphere of the 21st century, more opportunities for “global conversations” present themselves. “Ultimately, I hope this app will be an educational platform to raise awareness of diverse humanitarian issues around the world”, says Kim. Model UN is truly a borderless activity bringing thousands of students together over a shared passion for repairing the world. With apps such as Global Conversations, delegates can have the chance to inspire others and take action on issues they are passionate about. All in all, with exciting developments such as this, the future of Model UN looks more global than every!
For more information visit: http://globalconversation.herokuapp.com/
