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The William & Mary High School Model United Nations Conference (WMHSMUN) is an annual Model United Nations conference for high school students held by students of the William & Mary International Relations Club in Williamsburg, Virginia. The conference is staffed by a secretariat, who then appoints and selects a staff of student volunteers from the membership of the William & Mary International Relations Club (WMIRC) and associated members of the student body. Called one of the preeminent Model UN Conferences, the conference continues to set new records on attendance.
Contents
The conference is traditionally held in November from a Friday evening to a Sunday afternoon and is host to a variety of activities other than the committee sessions which comprise a majority of its time. These activities involve social opportunities, such as a delegate dance, local interest, such as Ghost Tours in Colonial Williamsburg, and other activities which change from year to year.
History
Begun in 1987 before digital record keeping and the move of the WMIRC to its new office, WMHSMUN's history prior to 2000 remains an area of further inquiry. After 2000, the conference has grown significantly and has supported the International Relations Club in holding many of its events, most notably the visit of the Dalai Lama to the William & Mary campus in the fall of 2012. The secretariat has expanded from 5 positions to the current 11. The number of schools participating has also increased, from 36 in 2000 to more than 60 in 2012.
WMHSMUN has recently been covered by the Virginia Informer and Best Delegate, being called "one of the east coast’s most competitive conferences" and having "focus on diplomatic discourse".
Committee sessions
Delegations are assigned according to school preference to represent countries, governmental, and non-governmental organisations, or individuals in the international community. Notable examples of non-United Nations committees at WMHSMUN include the Union and Confederate cabinets simulating the 2000 Presidential Election Campaigns and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Delegates in Specialized Agencies enjoy real-time crises while delegates in novice committees and general assemblies are faced with broader sets of problems in the international community.
Social Events
Social events are a large component of WMHSMUN and include a delegate dance, ghost tours, and other activities subject to change from year-to-year at the discretion of the secretariat.
Opening and closing ceremonies
WMHSMUN is opened and closed by the Secretary-General in association with the secretariat. Opening Ceremonies traditionally includes a speaker and remarks from the Secretary-General and Closing Ceremonies includes awards to delegations in each committee which exemplify the style of diplomacy, debate, and representation WMHSMUN seeks to encourage.