Camila Rios
Staff Writer
The Model United Nations will travel to Santa Barbara this weekend for a three-day conference with universities from all across California.
The team practices once a week between conferences and twice a week as the conferences begin approaching.
“We have been preparing all year for this conference and practice every week,” senior political science major and president of MUN Eden Vasquez said. “We have been successful in the past at the UCLA Model UN, winning eight awards.”
The team prepares in a variety of different ways. They practice delivering speeches and negotiating items in resolutions. The team also practices simulations that are modeled on United Nations deliberations in order to learn how to represent different countries.
“At the conference we are given the topics that will be dealt with in each committee and once there, we will have to negotiate with other countries on coming to a consensus on what actions to take on the world issue and topic given,” junior political science major and vice-president of MUN Mariela Martinez said.
An essential part of the team’s strategies to help them prepare involves knowing a lot of information on all the different countries.
“Know your stance,” Martinez said. “That is something that is crucial in all conferences. We are going into an arena where there are very informed individuals who will try to convince you to agree with and sign on to their resolutions.”
The delegates have to be well informed on all types of topics that might be given to them.
“It is crucial that you know your countries priorities and stance on issues, so that you interact with others according to your stance and form alliances and resolutions that are reflective of your country,” Martinez said.
The primary goal of the Model United Nations organization is to help educate the student body about the role of the United Nations in international affairs.
“We want our delegates to have a fun educational experience, taking part in conversations that are reflective of ones taking place today internationally,” Martinez said.
At the conference, the MUN will compete in different committees, focusing on world issues. The team will be representing the countries of Tunisia, Egypt, Lithuania and Morocco.
“We hope to be competitive and learn a lot, so going into Nationals next semester we can be successful,” Vasquez said.
The next conference will be Model Arab League next semester. This is a conference the University hosts every year. The team will also be attending a National Model UN conference in spring 2016 in New York.
“The best part of a conference is seeing the draft resolution you’ve poured research, negotiation and promotion into for three days go up for vote and pass successfully,” senior political science major Benjamin Deuson said.
Camila Rios can be reached at camila.riosgomez@laverne.edu.
