From Debate to Democracy

“The most important lesson I've learned through MUN [Model United Nations] is the value of empathy in diplomacy. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to achieve Best Delegate, but MUN has taught me to listen actively and appreciate the complexities of different political stances and how they form. This understanding is crucial as our world becomes more vulnerable, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, and that ability to negotiate and find agreement becomes ever more significant.” 
                                                                                     - Grade 11 MUN student at Vientiane International School, Laos

I recently traveled with fifteen students in grades 6-11 from Vientiane to Phnom Penh for the 13th annual International School of Phnom Penh Model United Nations (MUN) Conference (ISPPMUN). This year’s conference theme was “Diverse Voices, Global Choices.” Hundreds of secondary students from seventeen schools across Southeast Asia attended. Debate topics ranged from “the question of cybersecurity” to “the question of GMOs” to “the question of the limitations of free speech.” It was a weekend filled with robust conversation, deep research, and passionate speechmaking. Reflecting on the event, the conference organizers wrote, “We saw dynamic debates, exchanges of ideas, and the forging of new connections and friendships” (ISPPMUN2024).

Over the past decade, I have coached many MUN teams and chaperoned trips to many MUN conferences. I was a MUN participant in high school, myself. Every time I see students in action, I am reminded of the power of real-world simulations like MUN to foster international-mindedness and critical thinking. Just as the purpose of the United Nations is to “maintain international peace and security, promote the well-being of the peoples of the world, and international cooperation” (MOFA.go.jp), so too does MUN seek to develop students who can navigate difficult discussions and come to consensus with people of varying viewpoints.

I administered a post-conference survey to the members of my MUN club. When asked why they joined MUN, one student said, ”I joined MUN because I think that it is a great opportunity to interact with various people and share different ideas.” Another remarked, “I joined MUN to gain experience in leadership and to improve my communication skills.” The form also asked students what they thought was the most important thing they had learned from being in MUN. One student wrote, “I gained confidence and I learned how to be a critical thinker, which is important for my future.” Another reflected, “MUN made me think about the importance of debating and sharing ideas as well as listening to others.”

Empathy Building and MUN: 

MUN has been around for over seventy years (Oxford Global). The goal of MUN is to help students become more open-minded and politically aware. MUN also fosters collaboration, conflict negotiation, and public speaking skills as students co-create and then debate resolutions to address global issues. According to the National Model United Nations website, “Model UN activities are experiential education programs in which groups of students are organized as delegations and are assigned to play the role of Member States of the United Nations. Like literature or history, experiential education programs require students to draw on their reservoirs of empathy to see the world through the eyes of others” (NMUN-history.pdf).

Being asked to step into another person’s shoes is a critical component of any MUN debate. At this year’s ISPPMUN conference, my students were asked to play delegates from Costa Rica, New Zealand, and Sierra Leone. Although my students had never been to those countries, they had to think and act like diplomats from there. They had to research their assigned country’s economics, politics, and history. They had to understand their country’s relationship to fundamental documents like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals. This is a powerful exercise in perspective-taking and empathy-building.

Student Leadership and MUN: 

In addition to developing students’ intercultural competencies, MUN promotes student agency and student leadership. At a conference like ISPPMUN, all of the debates are chaired by students. We chaperones like to joke that we aren’t even allowed in the debate rooms, lest we disturb the proceedings. The conferences are student-led and student-organized. Older, more experienced debaters help the younger, newer debaters research, take notes, and learn the rules.

In my school, there is a junior MUN team and a senior MUN team. A few members of the senior team coach the junior team. They plan lessons, review key terms, prepare debate topics, create materials, and organize practice sessions. These students are empowered leaders. They work hard to develop camaraderie and a spirit of mentorship amongst their teammates.  

Civic Engagement and MUN: 

As I sit writing this, I can’t help but think of the current state of world politics, especially in my home country, the United States of America. Rather than looking for ways to collaborate, members of rival political parties trade insults with each other and advocate for diametrically opposed bipartisan views. Power struggles abound; laws are passed and reversed; legislation stalls amidst endless filibustering. The UN has its flaws. It is sometimes ineffective and can be overly idealistic, but I am an idealist myself. Despite its shortcomings, the UN aims to bring people and nations together, not tear them apart. I cannot say as much for the leaders of many states. 

Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the key supporters of the UN at its inception said, “Our own land and our own flag cannot be replaced by any other land or any other flag. But you can join with other nations, under a joint flag, to accomplish something good for the world that you cannot accomplish alone” (UNFoundation.org). Activities like MUN are essential if we want our young people to become peaceful and civic-minded adults. Democratic principles, such as respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, need to be explicitly taught. Students cannot learn how to contribute positively to a democratic society if they are not given chances to practice engaging in democratic activities themselves.

Conclusion: 

At many international schools, sporting events garner most of the public attention. There are pep rallies, parades, spirit weeks, and posters of athletes hung from the rafters. When tournaments happen on campuses, regularly scheduled classes pause as everyone heads to the games. I am not arguing against sports. But I am wondering if, perhaps, we ought to pay a little more attention to academic extracurriculars like MUN. Imagine if debates were held in the gym and spectators came and cheered when a resolution was passed. Wouldn’t that demonstrate to everyone in the community just how important civil discourse is? With ongoing wars and global conflicts continuing to destabilize our society, it is.