Model United Nations

One of the most prolific student activities on high school and college campuses, Model United Nations is a simulation of the General Assembly of the United Nations, where students take on the role of international ambassadors and discuss concerns, debate policy, and try to resolve global issues and crises through diplomacy that are currently on the UN agenda.

Preparing for a Model UN conference, student delegates will engage in research on the docket issues, as well as to gain in-depth knowledge of their respective, assigned country. This research is essential, as it enables delegates to gain an understanding of human rights, economic, political, security, and other issues that impact decision making, alliance-building, and negotiation during session. 

Participating in a regional, national, or international Model UN conference, student delegates may prepare position papers, deliver speeches, participate in floor debate, build coalitions, and use other diplomatic tactics and strategies, in order to achieve a cooperative resolution.

Annually, the SHP Model UN Team participates in the numerous UN Conferences.

STANFORD MODEL UN CONFERENCE (SMUNC)
Stanford undergraduates studying International Relations act as UN Secretary General and other high-ranking UN Ambassadors coordinate the diplomacy simulations for high school delegates coming from across the U.S. to Stanford. For the fall Stanford conference, SHP has previously teamed up with students from Duschene Academy of the Sacred Heart in Omaha, to form the Omaha-Atherton Sacred Heart Model UN Team. Approximately 20 students from each Sacred Heart school participated.

BERKELEY MODEL UN CONFERENCE (BMUN)
Making history in 1952 as the world's first UN simulation, the Berkeley Model United Nations conference is a student-run organization on the UC Berkeley campus. Each spring, more than 1,500 high school students from all over the globe journey to Berkeley for the three-day conference. SHP fields a team of 20 students each year.

GUNN MODEL UNITED NATIONS
Hosted each October by Henry M. Gunn High School in Palo Alto, GMUNC serves as an excellent opening event for the Model UN season. This local, fast-paced conference is specifically tailored to accommodate both beginners looking for a welcoming introduction to the circuit and experienced delegates seeking a sharp warm-up. SHP sends a delegation to GMUNC to help new members build initial confidence, practice floor debate, and test their diplomacy skills in a collaborative Bay Area environment.

HARVARD MODEL CONGRESS, SAN FRANCISCO
Bringing a unique twist to the winter schedule each January, Harvard Model Congress San Francisco is the West Coast’s premier government simulation conference run exclusively by Harvard University undergraduates. Rather than simulating the UN, this immersive, three-day event invites high school students to step into the roles of lawmakers within the United States government. Delegates debate, author, and pass legislation as members of Congress, the Supreme Court, the Presidential Cabinet, or federal agencies like the FBI, emphasizing cross-party collaboration and civic leadership.

SANTA CLARA VALLEY MODEL UNITED NATIONS
As one of the oldest and largest high school conferences on the West Coast, SCVMUN has been inspiring young diplomats for well over fifty years. Held every January in San Jose, this draws hundreds of delegates from across the Bay Area. Featuring experienced college chairs, SCVMUN serves as an important mid-season conference where SHP delegates can refine their skills against the Bay Area's top high school teams.