The Houston state-wide Model UN conference has just passed, with the preparation from each delegate and officer visibly paying off, and four delegates bringing back awards that they received for outstanding participation in their committees. The delegates win awards by being exceptionally well prepared for the conference, by speaking the most during sessions, and by creating well rounded and strong arguments against their fellow delegates. 

This does not come easy, preparation for these conferences start months in advance. From having each of the tens of delegates attending to often write multiple position papers, research papers and speeches, to the club’s board of officers planning the logistics of the entire trip, everyone attending is busy in advance fulfilling each of their duties in order to ensure that the school excels at the conference.

The most vital aspect of delegates’ preparation for the conference are the position and research papers that must be written and submitted to the conference board as the deadline approaches. These critical documents outline the stance and opinion on a global issue of each country or organization the delegate represents in their committee.

“Delegates are required to write these multiple page papers about everything from their committee’s background, to the possible solutions for their assigned global issues,” [12] Secretariat General of the Westlake Model UN Club Anoushe Mushtaq said. “Delegates have to take their own time outside of school to work on the paper, but officers will offer them assistance if needed.”

Once the papers are complete, delegates must shift their focus to public speaking. If they want to have a chance at an award, each delegate must prepare at least one speech to deliver during the conference, although some students must write multiple. To prime each delegate’s speeches before the conference, the club officers spend time with the delegates, and have them practice their speech in person or submit it online to the officer, who provides feedback, and informs the delegate of how to answer difficult questions thrown their way during the conference from opposing delegates.

”If you do extensive research on your given topic, country or organization, and know what you’re talking about, your speech should be relatively strong,” [11] Model UN officer Sreekar Garimella.“As long as you know what you’re talking about, you should be able to refute any question that you get asked.”

While delegates are busy writing and researching, the officers of the club are busy making sure everything runs smoothly. Planning for the state-wide or national conferences begins often months in advance, with officers having to coordinate transportation, accommodations and schedules for the entire group. The officers also handle budgets, fundraising opportunities and communicating with the conference organizers. This very quickly becomes a team effort, where everyone must do their part to ensure success.

For the Model UN Club, the preparation for state-wide and national conferences are more than just hours of hard work. While it may be hours of research, writing and speaking, it’s all made possible by a shared understanding and interest in diplomacy and global issues. After the Houston conference finished in mid-February, the next conference is in Washington D.C. in March, but officers have already been preparing for it. While the delegates are relaxing for now, they won’t have long before they need to restart the cycle of writing position papers, research papers, and speeches.