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HARVARD GAZETTE ARCHIVES Young 'Policymakers' Gather for Model U.N. Conference
More than 2,000 high school students from around the world gathered as delegates to a simulated United Nations at this year’s Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN) conference, which opened Thursday, Dec. 9, at Boston’s Park Plaza Hotel. With adult intensity and youthful fervor, the delegates spent the next several days hashing over real issues of international significance and addressing these topical controversies with carefully drafted resolutions. The conference included simulated committees of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and several specialized agencies, including the Security Council and the International Court of Justice. And every day The Reporter, a product of the HMUN "press corps," published an account of the proceedings. By tackling issues facing the real U.N. and experiencing firsthand the challenges of working with colleagues from around the world, student delegates develop an understanding of the complexities of international issues, an appreciation of the dynamics of group interaction and cooperation, and an awareness of the purpose and the capability of the U.N. in today's world. Through the Model U.N.’s emphasis on international consensus, students gain an appreciation for the difficulty of balancing national interests with the need for global solutions. Delegates however, are not pressured to make the United Nations "successful," because in reality the U.N. has been unable to resolve many issues in its 53 years of existence. Therefore, the process, not the product, is emphasized, and delegates begin to appreciate both the effectiveness and the limitations of the United Nations in today's world.
Copyright 1999 President and Fellows of Harvard College |