Welcome to Georgetown University’s 44th Annual North American Invitational Model U.N. (NAIMUN), where thirty-five Shipley students will engage in serious role-playing as delegates in mock U.N. meetings for three days. Here, students take on serious global issues with their peers while adhering to the strict rules of parliamentary procedure and honing their skills in public speaking, debate, and diplomatic compromise.

At opening ceremonies, the Honorable Andrew S. Natsios, an accomplished diplomat and keynote speaker at NAIMUN, warns the young delegates, “Be careful what you do. This may be a simulation, but one day, what you do could make the difference between whether people live or die.” The students take his advice seriously.

The first committee meeting begins shortly after opening ceremonies and goes until 11:00 that night. The schedule of meetings is intense, and the list of issues students will deal with is even more so. In one room, students discuss HIV/AIDs in indigenous communities. Next door, the delegates propose solutions for preventing corruption among U.N. officials. Down the hall, the topic of debate is nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.

The committee meetings range from large general assemblies with hundreds of students, to special councils with twelve delegates. Representing different countries, the participants engage in serious debate about previously determined and researched issues. The goal? To pass resolutions that address these issues and support the interests of the countries being represented.

First-time Model U.N. participant Christin Zurbach (freshman) says, “It’s important to talk a lot—especially in the beginning. You want people to know you exist and what your opinions are. During the unmediated caucuses you have to talk to other delegates and start making resolutions right away so people will notice you.”

Junior Colin Chapin says, “Unless you win the respect of other delegates, you’re not going to be able to get a lot of stuff done.” Junior Nate Bronstein adds, “You have to be liked in order to get stuff accomplished.”

Another key to success? Compromise. Nate Bronstein comments, “The Model U.N is like a microcosm of the real world. You have to make compromises in order to get anything done.” Upper School history teacher and NAIMUN faculty sponsor Chris Simpson agrees. “The Model U.N. awakens a lot of things in students—including a sense of collaboration and competitiveness. They want their resolutions to get passed, but in order for that to happen, they have to work with others.”

The Model U.N. is fun for students—but it’s also a lot of hard work. In addition to the research they must complete before NAIMUN, students fully immerse themselves in the mock U.N. meetings. “When I was there,” says Christin Zurbach, “I actually felt like I was in the real U.N. It was like we were in a play and we were all different characters. We actually became the countries and represented their problems.” For the liberal Kit Norris (sophomore), it wasn’t easy to represent the conservative stance of Saudi Arabia. “It’s difficult to argue a point you don’t agree with,” he says.

Even though it can be a challenge for students, the potential for learning is huge. Christin Zurbach remarks, “Awareness is the most important lesson. You have to keep an open mind when you’re representing the interests of another country. You learn to see things from another perspective by participating in the Model U.N.” For students interested in pursuing careers in politics, law, and business at the international level, this is an important lesson indeed.