F.A.Q.
Q. What is BIGMUN?
Birkerød Gymnasium Model United Nations (BIGMUN) is a Model U.N. conference held at Birkerød Gymnasium with more than 300 delegates participating in debate.
Q. What is MUN?
Model United Nations is an authentic simulation of the U.N. General Assembly and other multilateral bodies.
Q. What is a Model United Nations conference?
Some Model U.N. exercises take place in the classroom and others are school wide. Still others are regional, national, or even international. These are called conferences, and the events are much larger, with participants from all over the world. More than 1,000,000 people have participated in MUN conferences around the world since the conferences became popular over 50 years ago. Today there are more than 400 conferences that take place in 35 countries. Depending on the location, the average conference can have as few as 30 students or as many as 2,000.
Q. What is a Model United Nations delegate?
A Model U.N. delegate is a student who assumes the role of a diplomat to the United Nations at a Model U.N. event. A Model U.N. delegate does not have to have experience in international relations. Anyone can participate in Model U.N., so long as they have the ambition to learn something new, and to work with people to try and make a difference in the world.
Q. What does an ambassador do compared to other delegates?
Each delegation participating at BIGMUN will have to choose an ambassador among their delegates who will be held responsible for the group. At BIGMUN we do not ask ambassadors to give ambassador's speeches.
Q. When does the conference take place?
Between Wednesday 24th and Sunday 28th in February 2021.
Q. Where will BIGMUN take place?
BIGMUN will take place at Birkerød Gymnasium, Birkerød, Denmark. The address is Søndervangen 56, 3460 Birkerød, Denmark. More information on how to get here can be found by clicking here.
Q. What is a host family?
A host family will host delegates and student officers during the conference. This is provided by students and families of Birkerød Gymnasium. They will provide you with breakfast, dinner and a bed to sleep in after a challenging day of participating in BIGMUN.
Q. What are some of the educational benefits of Model United Nations?
For over 50 years now, teachers and students have benefited from and enjoyed this interactive learning experience. It not only involves young people in the study and discussion of global issues, but also encourages the development of skills useful throughout their lives, such as research, writing, public speaking, problem solving, consensus building, conflict resolution and compromise and cooperation.
Q. Why should I participate in Model United Nations?
Model U.N. promotes student and teacher interest in international relations and related subjects. It increases your capacity to engage in problem solving, and teaches conflict resolution, research skills, and communication skills. Plus, you get the opportunity to meet new, interesting people!
Q. Who participates in Model United Nations?
The popularity of Model U.N. continues to grow, and today more than 400,000 middle school, high school and college/university students worldwide participate every year. Many of today's leaders in law, government, business and the arts participated in Model U.N. during their academic careers, from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and former World Court Justice Stephen M. Schwebel to actor Samuel L. Jackson. Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton is a Model U.N. veteran as well.
Q. How did Model U.N. begin?
Simulating international organizations began even before the birth of the United Nations, when students held a series of Model League of Nations in the 1920s. The Model U.N. Program is a successor to a student-directed simulation of what preceded the U.N. itself, but it is not documented exactly how the Model U.N. began.
Q. How much does the participation at BIGMUN cost and what will the conference fee cover?
The participation fee of BIGMUN 2021 is 60 Euros (approximately 375 DKK) and it covers location costs as well as lunch throughout the conference, entrance to the BIGMUN party, the formal dinner and also the canal tour of Copenhagen. This fee is per delegate. Furthermore, delegates wishing for host accommodation will be charged a 40 Euros, as Host Accommodation Fee.