What is WAP? What is model UN?

What is WAP? Model UN?

What is WAP?

The World Affairs Program is a student-run academic program within the College of Social Science, which gives the students of FSU a social, academic, and competitive outlet in an educational setting. The primary mission of the World Affairs Program (WAP) is to promote an increased awareness of the global community, while at the same time encouraging personal, social, and political growth among those who participate in the program. Membership in the organization is both free and open to students of all majors and levels of experience.

How do I get involved in traveling and competing?

The World Affairs Program conducts tryouts for each conference that we attend. All students are welcome regardless of major or level of experience. Tryouts can include committee/crisis simulations and position defense activities. Sometimes these simulations will require position papers. Typical attire for both tryouts and conferences is western business attire. For information about position papers and examples see http://www.fsuwap.org/whatismun.html#pospaper.

What is MUN?

According to the University of Pennsylvania's IRO website,

Model United Nations is the simulation of the United Nations. Each conference has UN committees such as the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC), the Commission on Human Rights, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL), and the Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian Committee (SOCHUM). Besides United Nations committees, MUN also simulates other international organizations. For instance, during a MUN conference you will see committees such as the European Union (EU), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and cabinets of governments. During a conference you will be assigned a country. It is your job to represent your country's interests in that committee. This means that you have to express and fight for a country's interest that you may not agree with. In each committee you will be assigned three topics that you will research and have to represent your country' views with. The format of a committee is in parliamentary procedure. During your committee you will try to pass resolutions, or solutions to the problems that you are debating. In order to pass a resolution you will need to build a coalition in favor of that resolution. In order to do this you will need to compromise in order to achieve your objectives.

What is Crisis Simulation?

Crisis Simulation is the advanced Model U.N. environment in which delegates participate as an individual rather than a State. Typically committees consist of nation-State cabinets, intergovernmental organizations (NATO, OCSE, UNSC), or a historical situations. These committees are much more interactive than the traditional model committee. Delegates are often afforded director type control over their position’s office. Delegates are expected to communicate with home governments, cooperate with colleagues, and issue orders to subordinates. This type of environment will test ones skills in all areas of political and personal leadership, from policy knowledge to personal relations with others to the delegates’ presence in committee.

Two way communication and judging is normally facilitated by conference staff; which are a number of secretariat members totally devoted to a single committee’s operation. This includes responding to home government notes, delivery of news information, and evaluation of a delegate’s performance.

What is the United Nations?

The United Nations is central to global efforts to solve problems which challenge humanity. Cooperating in this effort are more than 30 affiliated organizations, known together as the UN system. Day in and day out, the UN and its family of organizations work to promote respect for human rights, protect the environment, fight disease, foster development and reduce poverty. UN agencies define the standards for safe and efficient transport by air and sea, help improve telecommunications and enhance consumer protection, work to ensure respect for intellectual property rights and coordinate allocation of radio frequencies. The United Nations leads the international campaigns against drug trafficking and terrorism. Throughout the world, the UN and its agencies assist refugees and set up programmes to clear landmines, help improve the quality of drinking water and expand food production, make loans to developing countries and help stabilize financial markets.