First MUN Conference Experiences
Is WiMUN X your first MUN conference? Are you panicking? If the answer is yes, keep reading. Some of the chairs from this year’s WiMUN have shared their experiences from their first conferences and these prove that almost everyone experiences nerves, so don’t worry!
Anya Nanchahal, Head Chair of the Security Council: “My first conference was WiMUN VII. Although I didn’t speak much and my hands shook anytime I took the floor, my chairs put me at ease. I was in the disarmament committee and we were discussing the issue of nuclear disarmament, which really sparked my interest in international security.”
Timea Iliffe, Head Chair of the Special Commission on the Middle East: “My first conference was WiMUN VII and I was Sweden’s delegate in the Human Rights Committee. I was really nervous and over prepared a lot – I had plenty of knowledge about the indigenous people of Sweden! Despite my nerves, I took the floor a few times and found it a really rewarding experience. The opening and closing ceremonies were amazing to see and I really enjoyed my day.”
Jessica Nield, Head Chair of the Human Rights Committee: “My first conference was WiMUN VII, when I was in Year 9 and I remember being absolutely terrified. I was in the Human Rights 2 Committee and cannot even recall the issues now due to how little I actually spoke. I do however remember the first point of information I made (after deliberating on whether or not to for most of the morning) and the relief I felt after it passed without judgement from those around me. I then went on to make several more as the day went on and started to enjoy myself more and more with every time I spoke.”
Jennifer Leigh, Head Chair of the Youth Committee: “My first conference was WIMUN VIII. It just so happened to be the day I turned 15 too (why I decided to throw myself into the deep end on my birthday is still beyond me!). It was really lovely to be able to be around my friends, especially to get advice and support from some of the more experienced delegates. I didn’t speak a huge amount but it was a great feeling to take the floor for my policy statement and ask that one point of information during the conference. Plus, I suppose it wasn’t the worst way to spend my birthday because I’m still doing MUN to this day (hopefully I’m a lot better now than I was back then!).”
Ella Myers, Head Chair of the Hispanic Committee: “I was 11 years old when I attended my first MUN conference and I was incredibly nervous, wearing business clothes I had borrowed from my mum. I was in the Disarmament Committee and could not muster up the confidence to take the floor throughout the conference. However, I made good use of my placard as I made point of information after point of information. By the end of the day, I had a relatively good understanding of how MUN worked and was already keen to attend another conference. Although it had been a nerve-wracking experience and a sharp learning curve, my first MUN experience made me more excited to debate and learn about the world around me.”
Manaal Mudassar, Head Chair of ECOSOC: “At my first conference despite having done the appropriate research for each issue prior to the conference, I was bewildered with all the terminology and protocol and had no idea what was going on! Point of information, right to reply and point of order were all foreign terms for me but after observing for the first fifteen minutes I stopped muddling them up and in true MUN style, I learned by observing the other delegates. By the end of the conference, I got to know some of my fellow delegates, made a few points of information and actually took the floor to support a resolution, which not only made me more confident, but also made me feel like I was contributing in the committee to solve the issue at hand. In hindsight the experience wasn't as nerve wracking as it felt at the time and since my first conference, which was only last year, I have learnt so much about international issues and have developed my public speaking skills.”
And finally, some advice: know some of the basic terminology (the Best Delegate.com website is your friend!), ensure you've done thorough research and most importantly, do your best to speak and get involved! It’s all about practice and you can only improve.