Model UN began as a series of student-led Model League of Nations simulations. The first simulations were called an “International Assembly”, the first of which was held at Oxford University in 1921. The President of the first Oxford International Assembly, Mir Mahmood, traveled to Harvard in 1922. During his trip he urged support for the League of Nations, and seemingly inspired the Harvard Liberal Club to create the first American International Assembly held at Harvard University in 1923. The International Assemblies were similar to MUN as participants represented countries, debated to find resolutions and supported the idea of dealing with international disputes around a negotiating table; still an uncommon idea at the time. After the Second World War Model League of Nations transitioned to Model United Nations after the formation of the League's successor organization, the United Nations, in 1945. Today, some Model United Nations conferences include simulations of the League of Nations among their committee offerings. The first recorded instance of a Model United Nations conference was at Swarthmore College on April 5, 1947. Over 150 students from over 41 colleges were reported as participating. The delegates simulated a General Assembly and recommended that member states "establish an international control and development of atomic energy", "conclude a treaty on disarmament", that the UN adopt "a uniform system for citizenship of refugees", that the UN amend the charter to adopt a definition of aggression, and that nations "promote the reconstruction of devastated areas through economic assistance through the U.N." Another historic Model United Nations was held at St. Lawrence University from 11–13 February 1949 It was initiated by Dr. Harry Reiff, Head of the History and Government Department, with the assistance of departmental colleague Otto L. George. Dr. Reiff was a technical advisor on the United States delegation to the 1945 San Francisco Conference (where the UN Charter was written) and the UN Organizational Conference in London in 1945-46 (where the UN was established) The 1949 St. Lawrence University Model UN conference included delegates from regional conferences and universities, including Adelphi, Alfred, Champlain, Clarkson, McGill, Middlebury, Potsdam, St. Michael's, and Vermont. The conference continued annually for many years at St. Lawrence and has recently been revived on the campus. The four oldest conferences in the world that are still active today were established in the early 1950s. Berkeley Model United Nations (BMUN) at Berkeley (1952) and Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN) at Harvard (1953) featured high school students as delegates, whereas Harvard National Model United Nations (HNMUN) has been running college-level conferences since 1954. Model United Nations of the Far West (MUNFW) has held college-level conferences since 1951 with the first at Stanford University where Ralph Bunche was the honored speaker.
What isCBMUN?
The Model United Nations has been crucial for the Colegio Bolivar community. The Model United Nations promotes the Bolivar values which are, respect, integrity, personal best, curiosity, autonomy, sense of Bolivar community, and social commitment. In order to promote these values, in 2017 was created the MUN elective with the arrival of Diego Mercado. Students began to expand their curiosity as the MUN elective made them think about the world’s issues regarding poverty, social discrimination, and many other conflicts, therefore there was a space during afterschool, where students were allowed to debate about different controversial issues. As the Model United Nations at Colegio Bolivar began to expand and get stronger, Colegio Bolivar began to assist different models of the city.
The creation of the CB Model United Nations is very unique. Alejandro Morales, Martin Villalobos, and Carolina Ramirez, alumni of the Colegio Bolivar, brought up the idea of having our own Model United Nations. Having support from the principals Mr. Shannon and Mr. Fisher, these students and the CBMUN community worked together to make this dream a reality. Alejandro Morales, our first secretary general explained, from his experience, how the CB MUN was created, “When I was in 10th grade I was in the student council and I was also in Mr. Mercado’s MUN elective. We had after-school debates when I was in 10th grade and we debated about different controversial issues as the ‘Proceso 8000’. With these debates the idea was growing and growing and in 10th grade we started to make the management and asked for the permission of the principals. We talked with Mr. Shannon and he authorized us along with Mr. Fisher and the idea was born in November to make the model next November. In January we made the final proposal that was approved by Mr. Shannon and Dr. Nagy. We chose the presidents and the commissions in August and we made this possible.”
The first CB MUN began in November of 2018. All the members of the secretariat along with the presidents made the most charmful experience to all the delegates. The first model was very successful since every commission was based on respect, leadership, personal best and every Colegio Bolivar value. In November of 2019 the latest model began, and as in the first model the model was very successful and improved, which is the intention with every following model.
The CB MUN was created by students with a dream, to create our own model united nations. The CB MUN is characterized for being a model where students give their personal best in order to expose the best model possible and this year won’t be an exception. This year the CB MUN even with all the difficulties, is going to be outstanding and better than ever.
Colegio Bolivar Model United Nations reaches its fourth conference, and this year we have decided to invite some brother schools!
WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED!
Cali, Colombia 4, 5, 6 of March, 2021
"Model United Nations (MUN) is a student simulation of the proceedings of the United Nations. Students, referred to as Delegates, are assigned a country to represent in one of the UN’s numerous committees with pre-set topics to debate. They research the background of their country, their country's position on the topics at hand, and prepare notes on possible solutions to the problems faced. Students then convene at Model UN conferences, which range in size from 100 to 5,000 delegates, to debate their assigned topics with students representing the other UN member states. Much like the real UN, the goal is to identify solutions, by negotiation and consensus, on which many countries can agree."