Oversight of the Conference - Things to Consider

GMUN delegate setting up the Global Village

Organizing a MUN conference entails a great deal of planning over a long period of time. There are many details from the choice of the venue, the set up of rooms, registration, social activities, etc. that need to be carefully thought out. In addition to the leadership structure of the simulation of UN entities like the GA or Security Council, organizing a conference often requires a separate management structure to oversee all of the details of the conference.

If a MUN programme is large enough, it is recommended to have one group of leaders overseeing the entire conference and another group, comprised of the leaders of the simulation, focused on managing the simulation. When this is possible, the leadership structure of the conference should include a Chairperson who manages the overall conference in close consultation with a steering committee or series of committees comprised of students who participate in making decisions about the topics to be discussed in the Committees, financing and budget, fundraising and sponsorship, the conference logistics (e.g., choice of venue, managing the registration process, etc.), and communications strategy for promoting the conference. Here is an example of what this structure might look like:

Executive Committee, headed by a Chairperson, that oversees the work of the following Committees (not to be confused with the GA Main Committees that are part of the simulation):

• Programme Committee
• Communications Committee
• Logistics Committee
• Fundraising and Sponsorship Committee
• Financing and Budget Committee

Although the Chairperson has prime responsibility for the management of the conference, many others share in that responsibility. The Chairperson would also consult the leaders of the simulation once they are elected or appointed. Some of the responsibilities of the Committees might even be taken over by the simulation leaders once they are chosen. The Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly Affairs and Conference Management, for example, could take over the supervision of the logisitics of the conference and the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information could contribute to determining the communications strategy.