What the hell is NMUN?
This article was originally published in German. The English version is an automatic translation and may contain errors. The German original is authoritative.
On 12 July 2021 I get a call. I don't recognise the number. I answer. "Hello, this is Lea from NMUN. If you fancy it, we'd really like to have you on the delegation. What do you say?" It probably only took a few seconds, but it feels as though I needed an eternity to respond. "What kind of question is that, I'd absolutely love to!" Well done Miri, very professional. Off to a good start – I think to myself. At that exact moment, I'm not yet fully aware of what lies ahead of me. So far I've only focused on the relatively demanding application process and less on what would come with an acceptance. I got to know the project through exciting stories from some friends who took part two years ago. Behind NMUN, however, there's a heap of work that I'll have to tackle over the coming months. Before I go on about my excitement over the acceptance and the upcoming events, I should probably first explain what it's all about.
NMUN is an acronym for National Model United Nations. It's a simulation in which you simulate negotiations of the United Nations. For this, a delegation is created that is then supposed to represent the position of a selected country. The negotiations take place as part of a conference in which delegates from different countries meet in various committees to discuss global problems and work out solutions for them. The aim of such a conference is to draft a resolution that serves as a guideline for the future actions of the participating countries.
Sounds quite complicated, doesn't it? Behind it, however, are wonderful experiences and a lot of fun. You have the chance to slip into the role of a diplomat for a few days and talk about topics that you wouldn't necessarily discuss with your friend in your favourite bar or your flatmate over breakfast.
Now we're here. A colourful mix of students from different subject areas at Uni Würzburg. Ahead of us lies a long period of preparation until we fly to New York in April for the final conference. It won't be easy. It will be exhausting. And there will definitely be days when motivation abandons you a bit. However, I'm certain that all the effort will definitely be worth it. I can hardly wait to embark on this journey and I'm all the more looking forward to taking you along with me. Stay tuned!