Model UN in Mexico

Delegates from St Andrews are in Mexico this week to represent the University in a student simulation of a United Nations Conference.

The fourteen students, ranging from 1st to 4th year, have been granted £2500 from the Principal’s Office to compete in the international event from March 24th-29th.

MUN conferences provide students interested in international affairs with the opportunity to take on the role of a delegate of a specific state or of an accredited non-governmental organisation.

Within the University of St Andrews the MUN Society plays a very active role in promoting awareness and understanding of international issues among the student body through simulated debates and seminars.

Members of the society, who have gained more awards than any other UK institution, have been heavily involved in preparation for the conference by holding weekly debates, mini conferences and carrying out research in the library.

Sponsorship Officer Esteban Ramirez said, “We are hugely grateful for the support of the University for this year’s World MUN.  Our University team has a very high reputation having won more awards than any other UK institution.

“This funding allows us to preserve our high profile, enabling us to keep it competitive and send those who deserve to go to Mexico rather than those who can afford it.  It represents the high quality of student experience here and we hope to perform well to maintain the University’s high reputation and further promote St Andrews.

The School of International Relations has also given £250 towards entertainment at the conference.  Evening events include the “Global Village” where every university sets up a stall sharing the food and culture of the delegation’s own or represented country and the Cabaret, where delegations perform a dance, parody, or other piece strongly connected to their country’s cultural heritage.

President Rebecka Salim said, “The St Andrews MUN Society is one of the most successful in the United Kingdom, regularly attending prestigious conferences around the country as well as internationally, and garnering numerous awards, the most obvious measure of our success.

“Annually, these conferences include OxiMUN at Oxford University, LIMUN in London, BRIMUN at Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany, and most importantly, Harvard WorldMUN, hosted in conjunction with that institution by a different international university every year. The latter conference brings together about 2000 students from around 250 institutions in 100 countries across the world, and the quality of our participation in this forum has contributed significantly to our international reputation.

“In America, World MUN is actually covered as part of the student¿s coursework so we have to work hard to be able to get up to standard in our spare time.  The increasing popularity of the society demonstrates that this international project in which we learn to speak, negotiate and adapt to new situations is fun as well as important.”

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS:

More information about World MUN 2008 can be found at www.worldmun.org

NOTE TO PICTURE EDITORS:

IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE PRESS OFFICE – CONTACTS BELOW.

Issued by the Press Office, University of St Andrews
Contact Fiona Armstrong, Press Officer on 01334 462530 / 462529, 07730 415015  or email [email protected]
Ref:  WorldMUN270308
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