After five years, the Murray State Model United Nations team is   returning to New York City to represent the Republic of Croatia in the National Model U.N. conference.

The National Model U.N. conference is an annual competition in which students from colleges around the world come together to represent different U.N. member countries.

This year’s national conference will be divided into two separate conferences. The first conference is held April 2-6 and the second April 10-14. Murray State has participated in the national conference twice before in 2016 and 2018.

The students at the conference are tasked with giving speeches, writing resolutions and working with other member countries to address complex problems such as access to affordable, modern energy and the illicit supply of weapons.

Murray State Model U.N. faculty adviser Brittany Wood explained the New York conference offers Murray State students a different perspective on the U.N. and its work.

“The NYC conference provides several unique opportunities to students such as hosting the conference closing ceremonies in the actual U.N. General Assembly Hall at the U.N. Headquarters, as well as the occasion to meet with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the United States,” Wood said.

After spending the last few months researching the politics, history, culture, economy and geography of Croatia in preparation for the conference, students were given the opportunity to virtually meet with Croatia’s Deputy Permanent Representative Hrvoje Curic Hrvatinic

In addition to their research, students also have spent time preparing for the conference by practicing their public speaking and resolution writing skills, as well as learning the U.N.’s rules on parliamentary procedure.

Model U.N. Vice President Audrey Stallings said she feels prepared for the upcoming conference.

“I think that NMUN is going to be a great experience, and I am super excited,” Stallings said. “I am filling up my resources binder with tons of different papers on nuclear power, plant management and Croatia-specific documents on their nuclear power program.”

In addition to attending the national conference, the Model U.N. team has been busy preparing to host their own conference for high school students in western Kentucky.

“In the spring of 2022, I was awarded the Faculty Innovation Grant to support organizing a High School Model United Nations conference on campus in Spring 2023,” Wood said. “[Model U.N.] students are taking an active leadership role, serving as committee chairs and secretarial positions to recruit, market and organize the event.”

In addition to supporting high school students, Wood says assisting with the high school conference also will benefit the Model U.N. team’s performance at the national conference.

“The skills they are acquiring in hosting their own conference are sure to support the MUN students as they simultaneously prepare for their own next conference,”  Wood said. “Local high school students participating in the MSU HSMUN conference will have the benefit of being mentored by MSU students, advancing their understanding of global issues and learning how to be civically engaged.”

Senior psychology major and club secretary Vara Ramayanam says joining Model U.N. was one of the best decisions of her collegiate career.

“By joining MUN, I am more aware of international relations between countries and politics,” Ramayanam said. “To anyone who wants to join MUN, I would like to tell them that this is going to be one of the best decisions they are going to make.”

Model U.N. is open to students across all majors, and if students are interested in participating in Model U.N., Wood recommends students enroll in POL 301 and 302 next academic year, a three-credit course sequence that prepares students for the next conference.