Model UN

Structure of GUMUN

Every year hundreds of high school students come to Gannon University in November for a two-day convention to represent designated countries of the world and debate pressing international issues. Students have traditionally come from the Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York areas, as well as Canada. The convention is headed by a staff of roughly thirty Gannon students, which includes the Secretary and Assistant Secretary General, and a General Moderator from Gannon's faculty. Gannon’s political science department sponsors the convention.

The Gannon University Model United Nations is modeled after the real United Nations. While they are not exactly alike for practical purposes, the rules and committees of the Gannon Model UN closely parallel the rules and committees of the United Nations. The Gannon Model UN consists of three major components: The General Assembly, The Model Security Council, and The Model Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

General Assembly

The General Assembly, the central organ of the Model U.N., considers critical issues on current international affairs. In the spring of a convention year, Gannon student staff officers research and select five topics for discussion. Each topic represents a committee. Throughout the convention, high school delegations send student delegates to different committees to meet and debate the respective issues. The goal is to pass a resolution in a topic committee to be considered by the general assembly on the final day of the conference.

Model Security Council

The Model Security Council, with membership closely corresponding to that of the actual institution, discusses situations and resolutions central to the "maintenance of international peace and security." While the agenda for the Model Security Council will be open, a provisional agenda will be suggested and discussion begun in the regional bloc meetings.

Economic and Social Council

The Economic and Social Council, ECOSOC for short, is made up of 54 members elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms; 18 are elected each year. The problems that the council deals with range from external debt of a country to humanitarian aid.  The problem selected for discussion this year is Providing Protection, Economic Aid, and Social Services for Internally Displaced Migrants and Reugees..