After winning in 2009 an award for "Best Position Papers", EDHEC United Nations students' society won the award for "Delegation with Honorable Mention" at the 2010 National Model United Nations (NMUN) in New York which rewarded their negotiation work during the United Nations simulation.
The ENU team is all the more so proud as EDHEC Business School is one of the only two French Business Schools to have been recognised. This award reflects EDHEC's philosophy and this is why ENU members were so proud when the NMUN Secretary General invited the delegation to rise to be recognised by the whole body during the closing ceremony at the UN Headquarter.
The NMUN is an education simulation of the United Nations founded in 1945 that brings together more than 5,000 students from the most prestigious business schools and universities worldwide. The objective is to offer students a broader view of international relations and diplomacy. Students are required to engage in negotiations and discussions of current global issues and must confront a range of topics with the perspective of their assigned country or organisation.
Strong of its 22 delegates, the EDHEC United Nations students' society flew to New York to defend their position papers in this great debate that is probably the experience of a life-time. Representing Gabon, the ENU team had to defend the policies and economic interests of the country. Our students had a week to develop an appreciation of different viewpoints, develop their negotiation skills and appreciate the reward of cross-country cooperation. Understanding a situation quickly, analysing your partners' position and coming up with solutions in a short period of time are capabilities developed and emphasised at EDHEC Business School.
Founded in 2008, the society's objectives are to help its members to develop a better understanding of the world they live in and to further promote international policies, human rights and the role of the United Nations to EDHEC students as a whole. The society encompasses students from the Business Management and the Financial Economics Track.
Congratulations to the ENU members who experienced a fulfilling experience that leaves them with a unique insight of the United Nations and diplomacy.
PRINCIPLES OF THE NMUN
The United Nations sought to develop ethical concerns to the future leaders of the world as well as their capacity to understand the great international stakes. The NMUN is the greatest UN simulation in the world. During a week, participants discuss and negotiate in order to defend the policies and economic interests of the country they were allotted. Besides the debates on safety and those linked to the General meeting of the UN, participants negotiate on the topics to which are devoted the Commission of Social Development, the Commission on the status of Women, Commission of Sustainable Development etc.
Formal sessions are held every day and follow the rules usually in place in the United Nations. Participants have to understand and master these rules in order to maximise their ability to run a debate and suspend formal sessions to attend informal caucuses. These informal debates enable to debate in a more direct manner and allow delegations to draft resolutions or reports. During these sessions, participants are attentively watched by NMUN observers who look at the global participation during formal sessions, the involvement of delegations during caucuses, and the resolutions they sponsor or sign. The interest of the NMUN is to understand the functioning of the United Nations by acting as true delegates. It is also a great opportunity to find jobs or internships.
NMUN AWARDS
Even if the NMUN's philosophy is based on cooperation rather than competition, awards are given each year to honor the most successful delegations and foster an active participation within the simulation.
Delegation Awards
Following the conclusion of sessions, NMUN volunteer staff members recommend 10% of the delegations in their respective committees for awards, based on performance throughout the course of each session. NMUN awards recognise Outstanding, Distinguished and Honorable Mention delegations. It is the overall delegation performance across all committees that is recognized - not the outstanding performance in any one committee. Areas of evaluation are remaining in character', participating in committee and the proper use of the rules of procedure.
Committee Awards
NMUN offers between two and five committee awards in each committee selected by popular vote of committee delegates. When voting for their peers, NMUN asks delegates to keep in mind that the conference believes outstanding delegates are those who cooperate and stay in the policy/character of their assigned member state. Yelling, standing on chairs and other examples of unprofessional behavior are not characteristics of model diplomats.
Position Paper Awards
Position papers are a critical part of delegate preparation. They require delegates to illustrate their knowledge of the agenda topics, affirm the positions taken by their country on those topics, and recommend courses of action to effectively address contemporary global issues. For the Conference Staff, position papers provide the best indication of which issues capture delegates' interest, and help Directors and Assistant Directors design a strategy for the facilitation of committee debate. In addition, position papers often identify which delegates are best prepared for the Conference and are most likely to take a strong leadership role in committee sessions. Additionally, the National Collegiate Conference Association Board of Directors will grant separate Position Paper Awards in recognition of outstanding pre-conference preparation by using the following criteria to evaluate Position Papers: 1.Overall quality of writing, proper style, grammar, etc. 2.Citation of relevant resolutions/documents. 3.General consistency within bloc/geopolitical's constraints. 4.Consistency within United Nations' constraints and 5.Analysis of issues, rather than reiteration of the Committee Background Guide.
ENU participation
This year, the EDHEC United Nations' society represented Gabon in the following committees:
•African Union
•Commission for Sustainable Development
•Paper for Commission on the Status of Women
•General Assembly First Committee
•General Assembly Second Committee
•General Assembly Third Committee
•General Assembly Plenary
•Organisation of the Islamic Conference
•International Atomic Energy Agency
ENU also represented Burkina Faso at the Security Council.
Visit the EDHEC United Nations' Students Society here.
Written by ANGELIQUE MICONNET
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