Model UN is at its core a simulation. It is conducted at conferences which are in turn hosted either by Universities or private groups. Prior to attending these conferences, attending teams are assigned a number of countries to represent. Each of these countries in turn have a number of positions that need to be filled. These positions are spread out across the committees that the conference is representing. As an example, the IAA in 2013 was assigned Russia and Senegal at one conference. The IAA assigned three individuals to represent Russia on the Security Council, the General Assembly and ECOSOC, and two individuals to represent Senegal on the General Assembly and ECOSOC. As such, each participants assignment is determined by two things: the committee on which they serve, and the country whose interests they are supposed to represent.

Generally speaking, Model UN can be broken into two distinct phases taking place before and during the conference itself. In the opinion of the IAA, both of these phases are equally important to ensuring that the experience of delegates is both engaging and productive. Click on the buttons below to explore what each of these phases looks like.