The Model United Nations is a simulation of the actual United Nations, with various committees and passing of resolutions. IT has a fine balance of intellectually stimulation debates as well as opening delegates to a wealth of cultural exchange. Started in 1991, with Poland being the first host country, IT has grown in the applicants received each year.  Every year, the World Model United Nations would be held in a different city. In 2011, the World MUN will be held right in our own shores as the National University of Singapore has won the bid to host it.

The proposal started out as a small joke between friends in the Model United Nations wing of the political science society in NUS. Sharmeen Alam and Jing Zhi, both undergraduates from NUS started concertizing their idea and sent out a package in a bid to host WorldMUN 2011 in Singapore. This was Singapore’s first bid to host WorldMUN and the Harvard team chose Singapore as it would be the first South East Asian country.

The five-day long day conference will comprise of social events to keep delegates entertained at night. These social events would expose delegates to a wealth of cultural exchanges as this is the time where delegates let their hair down and mingle with other delegates from various countries and backgrounds, while soaking up the host country’s atmosphere. The most intense cultural exchange would be the first social night, as it is a tradition to kick it off with “Global Village”. Global Village is when participating teams from various universities set up their own booth to showcase their culture. In 2010, when Taipei hosted the WorldMUN, the Singapore team has set up their own booth filled with Durian Paste and traditional sweet treats for delagates from all over the world. Needless to say, the Durian Paste proved to be a challenge for most of the international delegates as the “pungent” smell turned them off immediately. Despite that, the Singapore booth proved to be a hit with delegates as most of our candy and sweet treats were wiped off almost immediately.

Cutting the Durian Paste into tiny bite-sized pieces for easy swallowing. The individual who could eat the whole tube of durian paste emerges as the winner and rewarded for such courage.

The Global Village also comprises of Dance activities and traditional games to keep delegates entertained.  The team had assumed that it would be hard for international delegates to place Singapore on the world map, but most of these delegates knew of our tiny island, its strong economy and the death penalties.

Delegates from Germany and Spain with the NUS sign

Some of these delegates are avid MUN-goers and have been actively participating in various MUN activities around the world since high school. They said that it provided a deep insight into the various countries which they have been assigned to represent, and also to be more vocal about their thoughts. The Model United Nations has also improved their public speaking skills tremendously and has increased their social circle through the MUN network.

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