As THIMUN starts its engines, delegates and other participants seem thrilled to be part of this unique experience, but one question floats above some people’s heads: What exactly is THIMUN? Firstly, the abbreviation stands for “The Hague International Model United Nations” and was first introduced in 1968 as a small, local conference, by Mr. Paul Sand. This exclusive event soon went global after being established as an official foundation in 1981. Since then, there have been four yearly conferences surrounding Model United Nations (MUN).
THIMUN, which is held at the end of January each year, now attracts about 3,200 students and teachers from around 200 schools spread across the globe. Not only are there different schools, but also a variety of nationalities which range from about 100 countries (according to foundation.thimun.org). Most people attend multiple conferences in their highschool time. Salma Attia, a delegate of the British International School of Cairo, shared that her favorite part of THIMUN is “the closing ceremony. It’s just so comforting.”
“the closing ceremony. It’s just so comforting.”
The tenacious delegates here at THIMUN simulate the real deal; they are the bodies of the United Nations. This implies that they are being treated as official diplomats and representatives for the countries assigned to them. Each school receives a different country and organization to represent. Delegates are then split up and assigned to different delegations. This leads to an assembly of delegates which all represent different countries and organizations. They discuss clauses in order to come to a conclusion and form incisive resolutions. Students represent the country’s views, and will have to reason with others in order to come to concise conclusions. They are expected to do what they think is best for their countries and form their own opinions.
Delegates at THIMUN will gather information and thoughts through lobbying, speeches, writing clauses, and amendments. Such debates require strict rules in order to mimic the real version of them. The Rules of Procedure (RoP), are a set of requirements which need to be followed at all times by the delegates as well as the chair.
There are six positions in the THIMUN event which a student can apply to: Student Officer, International Court of Justice (ICJ), International Criminal Court (ICC), Historical Security Council (HSC), Special Forum on Ukraine (SFU), and the MUNITY Press Team. All of these positions include debates aside from the Press Team. MUNITY is the student-ran press team which concerns topics of debate while also encapsulating the overall THIMUN experience. As a team, the reporters, editors, and photographers work hard to ensure that participants stay informed and aware of the every element of this event. With their own THIMUN social media page, they try to keep everyone up to date with current and future events.
THIMUN is a unique event which can lead the way for one’s future. After attending, students will be motivated to wonder if choosing a career in politics is the right choice, their eyes will be opened, and the future politicians will be set on the right path.
