Model United Nations

Background
The Model United Nations program serves to fulfill Manchester College's Mission Statement, which is partly rooted "in a long tradition of concern for peace and justice." In recognition of the fact that we are currently facing a critical juncture in world history -- a world pulled in two opposite directions by forces of integration and fragmentation, a world marked by destructive conflicts and instances of cooperation, a world which combines interests defined by power relations and norms based on international law and justice, a world conducted by institutions, blocs, states, markets, and ultimately, by human agents (ordinary people and leaders) -- our Model United Nations program seeks to prepare a new generation of leaders who could make this world a better place.

Purpose
More specifically, the goals of the Model United Nations are to provide our students the opportunity to assume the position of those leaders and, within United Nations committees, agencies and conferences, try to shape the current international system through decision-making and consensus-building. In doing so, our students gain valuable skills such as communication and conflict resolution, as well as working knowledge of international diplomacy and negotiation.

Conferences
Students participating in this program attend regional and national Model United Nations conferences such as the Indiana Consortium for International Programs Model United Nations Security Council, and the Harvard University National Model United Nations in Boston Massachusetts.

In addition, we are conducting a feasibility study aimed at starting an area high school Model United Nations. This program will focus on practical problem solving, dealing specifically in teaching high school students about reconciliation in the aftermath of collective violence, as in Bosnia, Rwanda, Liberia, Apartheid South Africa, and Kosovo, etc.... We are hoping that this program will attract not only high school students, but our college's teacher education students who may be future conflict mediators in their classrooms.

For further information, please contact:
Dr. Benson Onyeji
Director, Model United Nations Program
Phone: 260-982-5337