MUN at George Watson's College
Welcome to the Model UN pages for George Watson's College. Our next Model UN Conference, the fifth in succession, will take place over the weekend of 11 to 13 March 2011.
Information on the last two Model UN Conferences in 2009 and 2010 is available in the menu on the right for your information and guidance.
What is MUN?
Model United Nations is a highly diversified activity, following the pattern of the United Nations and making us face up to the ongoing problems in today's world. Delegates at an MUN Conference take on the role of representatives of UN member states in various Committees, debating current global issues from their country's viewpoint. There are many MUN conferences worldwide, including in The Hague, Paris, St Petersburg, Istanbul, a large number in the USA, as well as those in Dublin, Belfast, London, Bath, Cheadle Hulme and George Watson's College.
In March 2007, Scotland's first schools' MUN Conference was held at George Watson's College, Edinburgh, the largest Independent school in the UK. Following the success of three more MUN, George Watson's MUN Conference has in 5 short years become one of the largest MUN Conferences in the UK. The next Conference will run from 11 to 13 March 2011, when we expect over 600 Delegates.
George Watson's College MUN Conference
The GWC MUN Conference is held over three days:
Friday evening consists of informal lobbying in which Delegates gather other delegations' support on Resolutions (researched and prewritten by each Delegate) on their Committees' chosen topics. Lobbying forms alliances between Delegates of different countries, leading to continued mutual support within debates that follow, as Delegates rely on other countries to support their stance in the way they address the Committees' issues.
Saturday begins with a formal opening ceremony, after which Delegates are dismissed to separate Committees. The Committees at GWCMUN11 are likely to be Europe I and II, Disarmament, Economic, Environment I and II, Health I and II, Human Rights I and II, Middle East, Political and Security Council: a total of 13 Committees. Committee Chairs select Resolutions to be debated throughout Saturday, each debate being concluded with a vote, leading to the Resolution passing or failing.
Sunday consists of one further Committee session followed by the calling together of all Delegations in the General Assembly for the GA debate, and an Emergency Debate, which is designed to test Delegates' ability to react rationally and quickly to developing situations as given by the Conference organisers in an 'emergency' scenario.
At the closing ceremony, prizes are awarded in each Committee to those Delegates who are Commended, Highly Commended and considered Best Delegate and Best Junior Delegate, and in General Assembly to those considered the Best Delegation in GA and finally the Best Delegation over the course of the whole weekend Conference.
MUN is a hugely varied and enjoyable activity, and attending an MUN Conference gives Delegates first-hand experience of many coveted learning situations. MUN combines first line research, summarising of information, succinct writing of Resolutions, negotiation, debate, political and background knowledge of country-based and world affairs, confidence building, public speaking, social and diplomatic skills, empathising with others' viewpoint and defending of the Delegate's own. Being a Conference Delegate is a chance to meet new people, to voice closely-held opinions and hear those of others and to extend personal knowledge of the unfairnesses of today's world and seek an negotiated solution to them.
Model UN is an activity hugely enjoyed by those young people who take it up. A lot of serious preparation is needed, but that commitment rewards the enthusiastic MUNer with a great sense of satisfaction: of investigating world issues from another, often very different angle; of finding out 'what is really important to me' in today's world; and most important of all, of helping you to see why other people are different from you – but not wrong!
We at George Watson's College very much hope that as many schools as possible in both State and Independent sectors can share our own pupils' enjoyment of this hugely varied and rewarding activity.
We hope, too, that you will decide to join us at GWCMUN11 in March 2011.
Rob Crawford
MUN Director
George Watson's College
Booking for Watson's MUN Conference takes place online only, and will open in November 2010. If you wish to make sure we let you know the exact date, or for further information, please email the MUN Director, Mr Rob Crawford at: mun@gwc.org.uk.
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