Welcome to History of MUN!
Come here for all the basic information you will want to know about MUN! Learn about the history of the activity, reasons for why you should do it and tips for leading a MUN Club at your school!
History of MUN
Early Origins
Model UN began as a series of student-led Model League of Nations simulations, the predecessor of the United Nations. It is believed that the first Model League of Nations conferences were held in the 1920s, after the league was first founded, before the transition to Model UN after the formation of the League’s successor organization, the United Nations, in 1945. Today, some Model United Nations conferences offer committees that simulate the League of Nations.
Conferences
The first Model United Nations was held at St. Lawrence University from February 11–13, 1949 and wereI initiated by Dr. Harry Reiff, Head of the History and Government Department, with the assistance of his colleague in the same department Otto L. The 1949 St. Lawrence University Model UN conference included delegates from regional conferences and universities, including Adelphi, Alfred, Champlain, Clarkson, McGill, Middlebury, Potsdam, St. Michael’s, and Vermont.The conference continued annual for many years at St. Lawrence and has recently been revived on the campus.
The first high school Model UN conference were developed later at UC Berkeley in California in 1952. Soon afterwards, Harvard and other schools created their own MUN conferences. Today, many colleges, universities and even high schools host their own MUN conferences, for a variety of age groups from middle school all the way to the college level.
In 1987, a few American exchange students founded THIMUN in the Hague which served as the first Model UN conference in Europe. However, its reach spread far beyond that, since there are 6 THIMUN organized conferences around the world, and many more THIMUN-affiliated conferences Moreover, THIMUN is reponsible for developing the THIMUN procedure, a strict set of rules that govern how part of the MUN word operates. In recent decades, Model UN has spread to East and South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa.
The first high school Model UN conference were developed later at UC Berkeley in California in 1952. Soon afterwards, Harvard and other schools created their own MUN conferences. Today, many colleges, universities and even high schools host their own MUN conferences, for a variety of age groups from middle school all the way to the college level.
In 1987, a few American exchange students founded THIMUN in the Hague which served as the first Model UN conference in Europe. However, its reach spread far beyond that, since there are 6 THIMUN organized conferences around the world, and many more THIMUN-affiliated conferences Moreover, THIMUN is reponsible for developing the THIMUN procedure, a strict set of rules that govern how part of the MUN word operates. In recent decades, Model UN has spread to East and South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa.