I was very impressed with the second annual Asian International Model United Nations Conference (AIMUN) that took place from March 14 to 17 at Peking University in Beijing, China.
The entire experience was like eating at a good Asian fusion restaurant. AIMUN seemed to borrow the best parts of Western conferences and infuse it with an intriguing Eastern flavor, ultimately creating a unique MUN experience that was both professional and personable.
Besides seeming well-organized and orderly, what struck me about the conference was its emphasis on formality and presentation. Walking into the classroom building where the conference took place, the first thing to jump out at you was a 50-foot floor-to-ceiling banner with the conference's name in English and Chinese. Opening ceremonies featured a number of speakers from the university and the local diplomatic community residing in Beijing, whom the Secretariat made sure to thank with gifts. The conference program was replete with a welcome letter from Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon. In committee, the rapporteur displayed on a projector screen detailed minutes that provided a history of speakers and motions raised. And in the middle of the first session, every committee went outside to have a professionally-taken photo.
Fortunately, this formality did not make the conference too corporate. What impressed me more about AIMUN than its presentation was its focus on networking. Every morning committee session featured a tea break, where delegates could chat and snack. Every evening featured an event intended not just for delegates to dance and party, but to meet and interact with one another. Instead of an evening committee session on Thursday, as is normal for many 4-day conferences in the United States, the Secretariat held a nice semi-formal cocktail party. On the last night of the conference, the Secretariat organized a talent show showcasing the different countries and cultures in attendance. One delegate performed an ancient Chinese sword dance; a couple of delegates recited traditional Thai poetry; the women of the Bangladeshi delegation performed a high-energy cultural dance.
On a personal aside, I definitely got caught up in the personal nature of the conference. To illustrate the best parts of American culture, I played guitar and sang "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix. I even won an award for my performance! Well, the judges gave every performer an award, but I won a plush doll rat for being "the delegate you would most like to take home to Mom and Dad." I was flattered, although I don't know how my girlfriend would feel about that...
I was impressed with the conference overall, but there is still room for improvement. The quality of debate, in particular, was okay. In my committee, the Security Council, I felt that debate stalled over the more complicated aspects of our topic, Israel's embargo on the Gaza Strip. I also found it difficult to convey the nuances of my ideas. This is not a problem because of how the conference was organized, but because the conference is young. This was the first conference for many delegates, who were still trying to get a feel for MUN. Although most delegates possessed a good command of the English language, I understand that debating in a second language is nonetheless difficult. And Chinese censorship may have hindered the research of many delegates. But I still had an excellent time in committee and I really enjoyed meeting fellow delegates. I am confident that the quality of debate, and the conference as a whole, will improve.
From its emphasis on ceremony to its focus on interpersonal interaction to overcoming the language barrier, I thought that the conference reflected a different approach to MUN that may be uniquely Asian. This may be my first and only international conference, but my experience at AIMUN was unlike anything I had seen in the United States or heard about in Latin America or Europe.
One poignant example took place during my last committee session, when my committee went around the room and every delegate took turns speaking on what they had enjoyed most about the weekend. For some, it was practicing their English; for others, it was debating interesting topics; but for all, it was meeting everyone there. Everyone felt like they had made a major personal investment in the conference, and after appreciating everyone's company, they were genuinely sad to be leaving. There was a certain intensity to that session that I had never felt before. And there was a certain gravity to the moment, personally and even politically. As our Director put it, "this conference would never have happened 10 years ago." I've seen delegates cry over a heated debate or after being screwed out of an award, but in my entire MUN career, I had never before seen anyone cry in committee because the conference itself held so much meaning. That session made me proud to be an MUNer.
This was my first international conference and my last one ever. I'm happy to have ended my MUN career on such a high note. Thank you, AIMUN.
The entire experience was like eating at a good Asian fusion restaurant. AIMUN seemed to borrow the best parts of Western conferences and infuse it with an intriguing Eastern flavor, ultimately creating a unique MUN experience that was both professional and personable.
Besides seeming well-organized and orderly, what struck me about the conference was its emphasis on formality and presentation. Walking into the classroom building where the conference took place, the first thing to jump out at you was a 50-foot floor-to-ceiling banner with the conference's name in English and Chinese. Opening ceremonies featured a number of speakers from the university and the local diplomatic community residing in Beijing, whom the Secretariat made sure to thank with gifts. The conference program was replete with a welcome letter from Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon. In committee, the rapporteur displayed on a projector screen detailed minutes that provided a history of speakers and motions raised. And in the middle of the first session, every committee went outside to have a professionally-taken photo.
Fortunately, this formality did not make the conference too corporate. What impressed me more about AIMUN than its presentation was its focus on networking. Every morning committee session featured a tea break, where delegates could chat and snack. Every evening featured an event intended not just for delegates to dance and party, but to meet and interact with one another. Instead of an evening committee session on Thursday, as is normal for many 4-day conferences in the United States, the Secretariat held a nice semi-formal cocktail party. On the last night of the conference, the Secretariat organized a talent show showcasing the different countries and cultures in attendance. One delegate performed an ancient Chinese sword dance; a couple of delegates recited traditional Thai poetry; the women of the Bangladeshi delegation performed a high-energy cultural dance.
On a personal aside, I definitely got caught up in the personal nature of the conference. To illustrate the best parts of American culture, I played guitar and sang "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix. I even won an award for my performance! Well, the judges gave every performer an award, but I won a plush doll rat for being "the delegate you would most like to take home to Mom and Dad." I was flattered, although I don't know how my girlfriend would feel about that...
I was impressed with the conference overall, but there is still room for improvement. The quality of debate, in particular, was okay. In my committee, the Security Council, I felt that debate stalled over the more complicated aspects of our topic, Israel's embargo on the Gaza Strip. I also found it difficult to convey the nuances of my ideas. This is not a problem because of how the conference was organized, but because the conference is young. This was the first conference for many delegates, who were still trying to get a feel for MUN. Although most delegates possessed a good command of the English language, I understand that debating in a second language is nonetheless difficult. And Chinese censorship may have hindered the research of many delegates. But I still had an excellent time in committee and I really enjoyed meeting fellow delegates. I am confident that the quality of debate, and the conference as a whole, will improve.
From its emphasis on ceremony to its focus on interpersonal interaction to overcoming the language barrier, I thought that the conference reflected a different approach to MUN that may be uniquely Asian. This may be my first and only international conference, but my experience at AIMUN was unlike anything I had seen in the United States or heard about in Latin America or Europe.
One poignant example took place during my last committee session, when my committee went around the room and every delegate took turns speaking on what they had enjoyed most about the weekend. For some, it was practicing their English; for others, it was debating interesting topics; but for all, it was meeting everyone there. Everyone felt like they had made a major personal investment in the conference, and after appreciating everyone's company, they were genuinely sad to be leaving. There was a certain intensity to that session that I had never felt before. And there was a certain gravity to the moment, personally and even politically. As our Director put it, "this conference would never have happened 10 years ago." I've seen delegates cry over a heated debate or after being screwed out of an award, but in my entire MUN career, I had never before seen anyone cry in committee because the conference itself held so much meaning. That session made me proud to be an MUNer.
This was my first international conference and my last one ever. I'm happy to have ended my MUN career on such a high note. Thank you, AIMUN.
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