As we are all facing an uncertain year of Model UN, many are looking for ways to stay involved in Model UN and give back to the community. I think that we can take advantage of this time to contribute to the community and its growth while also maintaining and improving our own abilities and mental health. In doing this, we can get what few benefits exist out of this bad situation. Here, I present a few ways that I think we can effectively give back, but the important part is that we do so not how we do so.

Everyone who participates in Model UN thinks about how it is done best and has a different set of experiences and perspectives. As a result, we all have things to learn from each other whether we’ve only attended one conference or we’ve attended twenty. While we are all stuck inside and unable to attend traditional conferences or hold in-person meetings, now is a great opportunity to make some notes on your experiences. You can then share these with other members of your club or use the Internet to share it with the broader community. From this, we develop a richer body of literature about Model UN and support everyone’s growth in the activity. While physically apart, we can still connect digitally.

Given the stress that everyone is under, it is more important than ever that we remind people that people are there for them.

Most importantly, reach out to your current or former partners and other members of your club. If there is another delegate or a chair who sticks out in your mind, now would be a great time to let them know that you remember them. This can be a great opportunity to reminisce about everything we can’t be doing right now.

While this may seem trivial or ill-advised, Model UN is a community, and members of a community should always try to be there for each other, particularly during trying times.

Finally, Model UN doesn’t exist in a vacuum; our community is part of the larger society in which we live. Our governments currently are facing many difficult questions about how to address the crisis we face. Model UN doesn’t prepare anyone to take the reigns of government, but it does teach us how to critically analyze information and proposals. It is our responsibility to use these skills to influence the policies of the societies in which we live. You don’t need to find a novel solution, but do look at what experts are saying and consider how proposals align with your values and priorities. Then, use your voice to let our leaders know how you feel. While you won’t be solving the crisis or single-handedly changing policy, progress comes slowly from the actions of many determined individuals.

At times when our community is under pressure it is more important than at any other time that we come together and work to strengthen our bonds and achieve common goods.

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