History and Background

This conference is one of high academic and organizational caliber, with excellent facilities and an exceptional media team that kept the Breaking News updates and behind the scenes happenings of the conference entertaining and engaging for everyone. Next year UPMUNC plans to actively market their conference to international participants, and surely those that make it out to Costa Rica for this MUN competition will not regret it!

The University for Peace's Model of United Nations Conference (UPMUNC) provides all participants with an authentic simulation of negotiations of important committees and organs of the United Nations. Additionally, the purpose of Model United Nations is to raise awareness about imminent global issues and to provide a platform to foster lively debates, and personal growth, among participants.

Therefore, UPMUNC not only provides the opportunity to establish connections with a diverse group of people but it is also an event that challenges delegates to actively engage with role-play of foreign policy negotiations. In particular, participants assume the role of a delegate of a foreign country on a particular committee. They are presented with 2 relevant and important issues that they must approach from the foreign policy of their country and engage in diplomatic negotiations with fellow delegates to come up with mutually beneficial solutions that will be voted on by the committee.

Such a simulation conference takes lots of effort in preparing - not only by the organizers but also by the participants. It is the responsibility of the participant to appropriately represent the national interests of a foreign country on the level of international negotiations as taking place at the UN. This requires a thorough understanding of the foreign policy standpoint on the particular topics and the general role played by the country they are representing on their particular committee. The UPMUNC 2013 Board of Directors and the committee Directors and Chairpersons have provided various resources and research materials on the website and in the delegate manuals to support delegates with their research and preparations (see 'How to Research for UPMUNC 2013' below)

Being a UN mandated University, UPEACE has always believed it to be fitting that it provides a platform for its students to train themselves in the functioning of different UN bodies. Resultantly, over the last 10 years, UPMUNC has been conducted annually with tremendous success on UPEACE's main campus in Ciudad Colón, Costa Rica.

A very important feature of UPMUNC over the years has been that it is an entirely student-led endeavor. Every year, a Board of Directors is chosen from amongst the students to plan, organize and implement the conference, which so far has gathered people from at least 70 countries.

In continuation of the same spirit, UPEACE is pleased to announce that UPMUNC 2013 will be held on the UPEACE campus from the 28^th of February 2013 to the 2^nd of March 2013. With a history of wide participation from the UPEACE student body, visiting universities from around the world and staff of international organizations, UPMUNC has over the years become one of the hallmark events of UPEACE academic life.

Take a look of this video to get a glimpse of the UPMUNC experience