Sometimes it seems like every GW student is an international affairs major and claims to be an expert on the subject. Luckily GW has a forum where students can challenge their peers by engaging in debates on real world issues: Model United Nations (MUN). Students get to take on leadership positions as delegates to the UN and discuss current issues with other nations. MUN is a great place for new debaters to start.

MUN is a simulation of the real United Nations where delegates debate on resolutions on current issues. Each delegate is assigned a country which they will represent. Conferences usually last for a weekend and are always fast pace, exciting and guaranteed a good time. Sophomore Emily Lowe, who has participated in MUN in the past, said that “Besides the obvious of being able to debate current issues in international affairs, MUN is a good experience because you get to meet really cool people both from GW and other schools and you get to explore a completely new setting at the various conferences.” MUN is a great place to practice your debating skills, brush up on current events, and it is also provides a great opportunity to meet people with the similar interests.

This year already GW competed in the Security Council Simulation at Yale University which was on October 14th-17th and the National Collegiate Security Conference at Georgetown on October 28th-31st. Upcoming conferences include University of Pennsylvania Model United Nations Conference in Philadelphia, PA on November 11th-14th , McGill MUN in Montreal, Canada which will be on January 27th-30th, 2005, and the Virginia International Committee Simulation at the University of Virginia on March 17th-20th, 2005. If you want more information, email MUN Coordinator Phil Thomas at pthomas@gwu.edu or visit his office hours on Monday and Wednesday 8-9PM in the Marvin Center Room 432.

Students who are not confident with their own arguing skills can still enjoy watching a good debate at GW’s Washington Area Model United Nations Conference (WAMUNC). At WAMNUC, GW participants work as staff to moderate the Washington area high school MUN conference. Lowe, who also participated in WAMUNC, conveys her view on it when she says, “coming from a high school MUN experience, WAMUNC is fun because you get to be on the other side of the gavel.”

WAMUNC will be held on April 7th-10th 2005 at GW. If you want to learn more, visit www.wamunc.com. If you have any questions, you can contact Secretary General Paul Hrebenak at secgen@wamunc.com. WAMUNC and MUN are always a good time, whether one is a novice or an experienced debater. They are good opportunities to hone your debating skills, learn something new, win awards, and meet cool people.