Registration Cle.Spring Matrix Topics Advisor Manual
REMINDER:
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF COUNTRY PROFILES, STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, AND POSITION PAPERS IS ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE OPENING DAY OF THE SESSION!
CCWA and Model United Nations
Challenges for a New Generation
For the past 67 years, the Cleveland Council on World Affairs has organized Model United Nations conferences in northeast Ohio to broaden the international horizons of thousands of area high school students. Our staff helps educate and guide students to understand the values of diversity, cooperation, and compromise - all crucial tools for shaping lives in a global world.
Every year, nearly 1,000 students from over 30 northern Ohio high schools participate in one or more of the three 2-day Model UN sessions hosted by CCWA. This includes Lorain County Model UN first held in 2007 and created to reach out to students in that area. In addition, for the fourth consecutive year, CCWA hosted a Junior Model UN in which approximately 200 middle school students from 9 schools participated.
What is MUN?
Model United Nations is a worldwide program for secondary and college students to: 1) foster understanding about the United Nations, 2) educate participants about world issues, 3) promote peace, and 4) teach about the United Nations model of cooperation and diplomacy. Middle school students participate in the Junior Model UN. More than 160 Model UN conferences are held globally, with approximately 100,000 students participating annually.
MUN's Purpose
The program involves students in a practical way in the study and discussion of global issues. Research about countries, oral debates, and written position papers encourage the development of critical thinking and demonstrative and writing skills. MUN is an interactive educational experience that teaches about the United Nations in a memorable and enjoyable way.
MUN's Process
MUN simulates the UN system of negotiation and diplomacy about critical world issues. Student delegates represent member states in the committees of the UN General Assembly. Students role play as "ambassadors" of assigned countries as they debate current issues on the UN's agenda from the perspective of that nation. They plot strategy, negotiate with supporters, navigate the UN's rules of procedure, and write resolutions that are voted on to become UN Mandates.
The process educates participants in the functions of international debate, negotiation, and diplomacy. MUN helps produce informed global citizens who better understand the decisions their nations make and how those decisions affect politics locally and globally.
MUN's Benefits
- Promote recognition, acceptance, and incorporation of multicultural content and competencies in schools and communities
- Gain knowledge of U.N. issues and how the United Nations operates
- Develops awareness of global issues and current events
- Investigate a nation's perspective and policies
- Expands understanding of geography
- Acquire negotiation skills
- Imporves crititcal thinking skills
- Sharpen leadership and public speaking skills
- Increases appreciation and tolerance of other cultures
- Sparks independent motivation
- Initiates constructive interchange on world issues
- Encouraging the importance of teamwork to reach a common goal
MUN Themes and Topics
Recent conference themes have included Reevaluation and Collective Reconstruction as a Global Community, A World Fit for Children, and A World at Risk. Some of the wide-ranging topics debated by actual UN committees and at Model UN are International Migration and Third World Countries, Crisis in Darfur, Economic Impact of HIV/AIDS, International Debt Crisis, Universal Jurisdiction and War Criminals.
The theme for 2010-2011 is: Challenges for a New Generation
MUN Sessions for 2010-2011 will be held:
Cleveland Session I: November 10-11, 2010
Cleveland Session II: Dates TBA
Site: The Church of the Convenant
11205 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44118
Lorain County Session: November 18-19, 2010
Site: The Spitzer Conference Center
Lorain County Commmunity College
1005 N. Abbe Road
Elyria, OH 44035
Junior MUN: January 6-7, 2011
Site: John Carroll University
Dolan Science Center
20700 North Park Blvd.
University Hts., OH 44115
MUN Staff
Richard Crepage, Ed.D.
Interim Administrative Director / Director of Education
rcrepage@ccwa.org
Judy Nelson
Model UN Coordinator
intern5@ccwa.com
Michelle Athanas
Model UN Student Coordinator
intern4@ccwa.org