The Flourishing MUN Culture In The City

The Flourishing MUN Culture In The City

One would hardly find a person in or around town who hasn’t heard the term ‘MUN’ before. The growth of MUNs in our day-to-day terminology has been nothing short of phenomenal! When one thinks of a MUN, a decked-up conference hall, young adults dressed in their formal best and heated discussions come to mind. Yet for those unaware of the concept, Model UN is a conglomerate that tries to replicate the structure and functioning of the United Nations. It truly disseminates some of the core values and the inherent message of the UN to ambitious young adults. The popularity of these conferences can also be credited to the skills it develops in its participants, starting from diplomacy and negotiation to leadership abilities. Moreover, accolades received in prestigious MUN Conferences are a gigantic boost for college and job applications. Many vouch for the exponential learning experience that these conferences provide.

How so, you may ask?

The participants represent countries who are a part of various UN Organs, simulate discussion and debate on the assigned agenda (topic of relevance), while another body, known as the International Press covers the proceedings. From a basic educational model, MUNs have now evolved into dynamic events that include participation of people from all across the globe.

The origin of this idea traces back to 1949, at St. Lawrence University as a form of enacting case studies. It was later taken upon by biggies like Harvard and Berkeley. The culture steadily grew in the US opening itself to international participation, which led to the spread of this idea.

The growth of MUNs in India started in the late 90s in Mumbai; soon, the Indian MUN Circuit exploded with conferences happening every weekend — sometimes multiple conferences on the same dates.  Looking at the statistics from 2012, around 200 conferences took place that year, with an estimated 70% happening for the first time.

The culture of MUNs began to seep in to Bhubaneswar in 2013 and has since spread like wildfire!

“It has never been just an extra-curricular activity for me”, says Saras Bansal, a KIIT University alumnus with 55 odd MUNs to his credit, more than half of which he has spent chairing. “The exposure is tremendous. I was invited to serve as the Secretary General of Afghanistan’s first ever MUN Conference!” Similarly, Annie Jha, a Pune based MUNner describes the Odisha circuit as “diverse, eager and full of potential to grow”.

Parthabi Kanungo, one of Bhubaneswar’s most enterprising young MUNners says “Back in 2014 when I started MUNning, the Odisha circuit was more constricted in terms of participants and conferences. However, I do consider this year as the peak”, she says. Headed to the Netherlands to pursue a degree in International Relations, Parthabi accredits MUNs for her passion in the field.

Over progressing editions, MUNs in Bhubaneswar have come to include various after session segments to make it a more wholesome experience. Last year, KIIT Group of Institutions hosted stand-up comedy nights with Kanan Gill and Kenny Sebastian in their school and university MUN simulations, respectively. SAI International School organises a Global Village, integrating worldly crafts and themes every year. Some institutions also conduct social nights with live music or DJs like the Global Peace Conference hosted at Mother’s Public School.

In Bhubaneswar, the most acclaimed MUNs are conducted post – summer break for the convenience of students. MCL has compiled a list of some of the most happening MUNs taking place in the city this season –

        1. SAI MUN 2018

            Dates – 26^th to 28^th July

            Venue – SAI International School

            Applications – Open

            Forms – www.saimun.in

            Participation – School level only (class 9 onwards)

           2. KIITIS MUN 2018

    Dates – Second week of August (tentative)

    Venue – KIIT International School

    Applications – Yet to open

    Participation – School (class 6 onwards) to undergraduate level

3.  SOA MUN ‘18

     Dates – 10^th to 12^th August

     Venue – SOA University

     Applications – Open

     Forms – https://www.facebook.com/SoaMun/

     Participation – School and College level

4.  BGU MUN 2018

     Dates – 21^st to 23^rd September

     Venue – Birla Global University, Bhubaneswar

     Applications – Open

     Forms – https://www.facebook.com/birlaglobaluniversitymun

     Participation – School and College level

5.  KIIT International Model United Nations

     Dates – 28^th to 30^th September

     Venue – KIIT University

     Applications – Yet to open

     Participation – School and college level

Note: Follow the ‘Odisha MUN Circuit’ page on Facebook to keep yourself updated with all the future MUNs taking place in and around town. Happy MUNning!