About HMUN
What's HMUN?
Haarlem Model United Nations is a non-profit organisation run by students of the Stedelijk Gymnasium Haarlem. For over twenty years, we have organised a conference that is attended by about 600 students from all over the world. “Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an educational simulation in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations. MUN involves and teaches researching, public speaking, debating, and writing skills, in addition to critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership abilities.” – Wikipedia.
During a MUN conference, students will roleplay delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees. The participants will be assigned countries, or occasionally a non-governmental organisation /other political entity, to represent in various committees, councils and assemblies, similar to the ones of the real United Nations.
The delegates are responsible for taking on the views of the country or organisation they are representing, and it is up to them to make sure they keep that policy. Delegates will solve the issues on the agenda by lobbying, followed by making resolutions. Once a resolution has been submitted, it will be debated by the committee and can be amended. This can be done by the delegates, who send in amendments to add, change or strike clauses. The amendments will then in turn be debated and will be voted upon afterwards. Once the debating time for the resolution has elapsed, the committee will vote on the resolution as a whole. No ‘real’ actions will be taken as a result of the produced resolutions. However, a MUN conference can serve as a great learning opportunity and a MUN-weekend can also be a lot of fun as there is the possibility to become friends with interesting people from all over the world.
Haarlem Model United Nations is a non-profit organisation run by students of the Stedelijk Gymnasium Haarlem. For over twenty years, we have organised a conference that is attended by about 600 students from all over the world. “Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an educational simulation in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations. MUN involves and teaches researching, public speaking, debating, and writing skills, in addition to critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership abilities.” – Wikipedia.
During a MUN conference, students will roleplay delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees. The participants will be assigned countries, or occasionally a non-governmental organisation /other political entity, to represent in various committees, councils and assemblies, similar to the ones of the real United Nations.
The delegates are responsible for taking on the views of the country or organisation they are representing, and it is up to them to make sure they keep that policy. Delegates will solve the issues on the agenda by lobbying, followed by making resolutions. Once a resolution has been submitted, it will be debated by the committee and can be amended. This can be done by the delegates, who send in amendments to add, change or strike clauses. The amendments will then in turn be debated and will be voted upon afterwards. Once the debating time for the resolution has elapsed, the committee will vote on the resolution as a whole. No ‘real’ actions will be taken as a result of the produced resolutions. However, a MUN conference can serve as a great learning opportunity and a MUN-weekend can also be a lot of fun as there is the possibility to become friends with interesting people from all over the world.
About the Conference
HMUN is a three-day conference that is attended by about 600 students from all over the world and its twenty-eight annual session will take place at the Stedelijk Gymnasium in Haarlem early April, 2026.
The students organising the conference are known as the Executive Staff. The Executive Staff of HMUN 2026 consists of twenty-five students of the Stedelijk Gymnasium Haarlem and is composed of fifteen different positions. These students are led and instructed by the Secretariat, which is made up of the Secretaries-General and the five Deputies Secretary-General. The Secretariat and the rest of the Staff are directed as well, by five teachers from the Stedelijk Gymnasium Haarlem, known as the Board of Directors. These teachers are very enthusiastic about Model United Nations, and of great value for MUN in our school.
Furthermore, our Executive Staff is responsible for the guidance of our delegates to other conferences. Together, they help the delegates to get ready for upcoming conferences.
Along with the Executive Staff and the Board of Directors, there are three other notable teams affiliated with HMUN. These teams are the Content Team, the Hospitality Team and the Press Team. The Content Team organises and creates the Crisis, which will take place in the ad-hoc committees on the last day of HMUN. The Hospitality Team is in charge of making sure the stay of the guests attending our school is as enjoyable as can be. The Press Team commands the HMUN Chronicle and will keep all guests updated about the conference via its social media accounts. Once the conference starts, they will be interviewing delegates, writing articles and taking pictures.
HMUN is a three-day conference that is attended by about 600 students from all over the world and its twenty-eight annual session will take place at the Stedelijk Gymnasium in Haarlem early April, 2025.
The students organising the conference are known as the Executive Staff. The Executive Staff of HMUN 2024 consists of twenty-five students of the Stedelijk Gymnasium Haarlem and is composed of fifteen different positions. These students are led and instructed by the Secretariat, which is made up of the Secretaries-General and the five Deputies Secretary-General. The Secretariat and the rest of the Staff are directed as well, by five teachers from the Stedelijk Gymnasium Haarlem, known as the Board of Directors. These teachers are very enthusiastic about Model United Nations, and of great value for MUN in our school.
Furthermore, our Executive Staff is responsible for the guidance of our delegates to other conferences. Together, they help the delegates to get ready for upcoming conferences.
Along with the Executive Staff and the Board of Directors, there are three other notable teams affiliated with HMUN. These teams are the Content Team, the Hospitality Team and the Press Team. The Content Team organises and creates the Crisis, which will take place in the ad-hoc committees on the last day of HMUN. The Hospitality Team is in charge of making sure the stay of the guests attending our school is as enjoyable as can be. The Press Team commands the HMUN Chronicle and will keep all guests updated about the conference via its social media accounts. Once the conference starts, they will be interviewing delegates, writing articles and taking pictures.
New theme, Coming soon
When coming up with a theme, there are multiple aspects to take into consideration. Firstly, the theme needs to be broad. A good theme can be applied to multiple topics and real-world issues. However, more importantly, a theme needs to speak to the imagination. It needs to make people think about how we can create a better world together. And that is what we hope to achieve with this theme.
The United Nations was created to work together in finding solutions that benefit all. However, in reality, nations argue against each other and try to find solutions with the best outcome for themselves. This has resulted in a divided world, where only the strongest survive. Sadly, this does not change overnight. It is almost impossible to convince nations to aid each other without benefitting themselves, but we still need to continue putting effort into this.
This is not only a problem in world politics, but also in our daily lives, as culture is a powerful concept. Our theme, breaking down walls: reestablishing intercultural dialogue, attempts to address that aspect, so that delegates might reach a consensus on it. Culture is a massive part of who we are and how we act, which is why cultural clashes have such big consequences like estrangement, hatred and war. Currently, many people are stuck in their beliefs, but we believe everyone can change. We have to stop seeing our cultural differences as something that divides us and start seeing them as a way to connect with each other. With open minds, we could discover more about each other and learn to appreciate different habits and beliefs. We hope that at this 28th edition of HMUN you learn to see that it is not always necessary to win. Or at least, that winning does not mean being the victor in a war or debate. More importantly, it means coming to a solution that benefits all parties involved.
This generation is expected to improve this world, not only because we have to but also because we can. Young adults all over the world are being educated for this very goal. The tools are ready, now they just need to be picked up and used. Hopefully, this conference will make you think about how you can improve this world. We are the only ones who can reestablish intercultural dialogue and change the world, and we need to start now.
Therefore, delegates and other participants, we hope you go into this conference with an open mind, ready to not only speak but listen.
When coming up with a theme, there are multiple aspects to take into consideration. Firstly, the theme needs to be broad. A good theme can be applied to multiple topics and real-world issues. However, more importantly, a theme needs to speak to the imagination. It needs to make people think about how we can create a better world together. And that is what we hope to achieve with this theme.
The United Nations was created to work together in finding solutions that benefit all. However, in reality, nations argue against each other and try to find solutions with the best outcome for themselves. This has resulted in a divided world, where only the strongest survive. Sadly, this does not change overnight. It is almost impossible to convince nations to aid each other without benefitting themselves, but we still need to continue putting effort into this.
This is not only a problem in world politics, but also in our daily lives, as culture is a powerful concept. Our theme, breaking down walls: reestablishing intercultural dialogue, attempts to address that aspect, so that delegates might reach a consensus on it. Culture is a massive part of who we are and how we act, which is why cultural clashes have such big consequences like estrangement, hatred and war. Currently, many people are stuck in their beliefs, but we believe everyone can change. We have to stop seeing our cultural differences as something that divides us and start seeing them as a way to connect with each other. With open minds, we could discover more about each other and learn to appreciate different habits and beliefs. We hope that at this 28th edition of HMUN you learn to see that it is not always necessary to win. Or at least, that winning does not mean being the victor in a war or debate. More importantly, it means coming to a solution that benefits all parties involved.
This generation is expected to improve this world, not only because we have to but also because we can. Young adults all over the world are being educated for this very goal. The tools are ready, now they just need to be picked up and used. Hopefully, this conference will make you think about how you can improve this world. We are the only ones who can reestablish intercultural dialogue and change the world, and we need to start now.
Therefore, delegates and other participants, we hope you go into this conference with an open mind, ready to not only speak but listen.